Miss Rembes to Ask Warrant Charging Assault by Mother Of School 48 Pupil
“It was a correction more than a punishment,” Miss Genevieve L. McLane, School 48 principal, said today of the Friday afternoon disciplining of an 8-year-old pupil whose mother later pummeled and scratched the teacher in her classroom.
“I support the teacher in her action, as I understand it,” Miss McLane said.
The teacher, Miss Alice Rembes, 1324 E. Ferry St., said today she would obtain an assault warrant for the mother’s arrest.
The teacher and police identified the assailant as Mrs. Carmella Hargro, 90 Dodge St.
Miss Rembes, not seriously injured, said she was shoved against a wall in her classroom and slapped until the woman’s man companion stepped between them. He was not identified.
Child Considered Problem
The incident shortly before 4 Friday afternoon grew out of a slap the teacher gave the woman’s daughter about 1.5 hours earlier. Miss Rembes said the girl had been a disciplinary problem the first three days of school.
Miss McLane described Miss Rembes’ action as “a tap on the cheek, to say to the child, ‘turn around here.'”
“Our teachers do not as a general rule do much slapping or spanking. That is my province. But if a teacher finds it is absolutely necessary, I back up the teacher,” she said.
Dr. Lillian A. Wilcox, associate superintendent for school-community co-ordination, said School Department policy authorizes “restrained force” in the classroom “in accordance with circumstances.”
Disruption Is Barred
She emphasized that the department’s policy on discipline emphasizes that “no class is to be disrupted by the behavior of anyone.”
Dr. Wilcox said she had no official report of the incident.
Dr. Joseph Manch, superintendent, is out of the city and Dr. Gerald B. Leighbody, associate superintendent for instructional services, was not available for comment.
Dr. Wilcox said Dr. Manch has repeatedly encouraged teachers “to maintain fair and firm discipline in the classroom.”
The state penal law authorizes teachers to use “reasonable force” to restrain or correct a pupil.
Lt. Daniel G. Pascale and Patrolman Maurice T. Kane of the Cold Spring Station were called by Miss McLane. They advised the warrant.
Was Near Collapse
“I was alone in the classroom when the woman entered,” said Miss Rembes, a teacher for five years. “She asked if I had slapped her daughter. The minute I said ‘Yes’ she slapped me. I was about to collapse when the man pulled her away.”
Miss McLane said that when she reached Miss Rembes’ room, the woman “was saying irrational things and screaming wildly. I told her to stop or I would call the police. She told me to go ahead and call the police. They disappeared while I was making the call.”
