Residents posted comments on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites about an Oct. 9 incident at one of the Española District’s elementary schools, only to realize the episode is not what people thought.
Parents and community members publicized reports about a fourth grade class at Alcalde Elementary School, where instructor Rayven Padilla allegedly duct taped her students’ mouths in order to keep them quiet.
As it turns out, it was the students who put tape over their own mouths, not Padilla or anyone working at the school.
The noise level in class has been a continuous issue. Alcalde parent Susana Garcia said her son has had assignments where he had to write about his behavior.
In fact, the principal has been called in several times to deal with the issue.
According to parents, Principal Theresa Flores tried to deal with the problem by bringing duct tape into the room. She ripped off pieces of tape, affixed the tape to the students’ desks and encouraged them to tape their mouths shut if they could not remain quiet. A few of the students obliged and taped their mouths.
Multiple attempts were made to reach Flores to discuss the incident, but were not successful. The school receptionist said Flores’s mother is sick and she is taking time off to be with her.
Parents said they were shocked when they saw their children with tape, and even though it was the students who taped their mouths shut and not the teacher, they are still upset.
“What did she think was going to happen?” Garcia asked. “If the principal is going to walk in and tell students to put duct tape over their mouths, they are going to do it.”
Garcia believes it is condoning behavior that was not acceptable, even if she admits the students are a talkative group.
She suggested the teacher should find some alternative way to discipline the students or getting additional assistance for the instructor may be the answer, since it is such a large class.
Some students wrote apology letters to Padilla, Oct. 17, because of the incident.