4-Year-Old Accused of Sexual Harassment

A 4-year-old preschool student was given in-school suspension after being accused by a female employee of sexual harassment.

While getting on the bus the child hugged a female employee. The employee has stated that the child put his face in her chest. She then complained to the administrators at the La Vega Primary School.

The school sent a letter to the child's parents informing them that the preschooler was being suspended for inappropriate physical behavior that had been interpreted as sexual harassment and that the incident would be placed on the child's permanent school records.

According to news services, Damarcus Blackwell, the child's father said he believes it's ridiculous that the teacher would misread a hug from a 4-year-old. "For her to interpret it as anything other-- I think she should be evaluated," he said.

Blackwell wants the incident removed from his son's record, but the school has only agreed to change some of the wording and has stated that the teacher will not be required to apologize.

This is not the first time that a young child has been accused of sexual harassment. Back in February news sources reported that a 6 year old first grader at Downey Elementary in Brockton, Mass., was suspended from school for three days after officials said he sexually harassed one of his female classmates when he put two fingers inside the female classmate's waistband and touched her back.

The boy's mother, Berthena Dorinvil, insists that the whole incident was a misunderstanding and contends that the children were touching each other. Dorinvil has stated that her son has no concept of what sexual harassment is and requested that her son be moved to another school.

The school board stood behind their decision to suspend the young student and at the time only agreed to move the child to another class.