I can't imagine that this was the child's first outburst...usually such explosive episodes have some kind of trigger (not just being denied jelly beans), and it sounds like this kid probably has some significant issues that aren't being properly addressed. It's an issue of knowing your kids. If you know that little Jenny has a crummy home life and gets picked on by her peers and looks like she might fly into bits if you look at her the wrong way, then perhaps you should think twice before you make an example of her in front of her classmates.
The article doesn't mention the type of program the child was in--and this omission changes the way people react when they hear of this kind of incident. I work with children who are developmentally disabled, emotionally disturbed, and just plain "incorrigible" (I hate that word--the courts use it alot, though), and unfortunately it's not unusual to see a law enforcement official on campus, usually with one of our older kids in the back of the patrol car.
In the case of the residential treatment center where I work, even though we are trained to physically restrain a child who poses a threat to him/herself or others, we are no longer given the support or back-up that we need to do so. For example, if a child hits a staff member, that staff member is expected to take two steps back and assume the "protective stance"--arms out in front of you in a non-threatening way, palms out--and if that child continues the assualtive behavior, a restraint will occur. The problem with that, though, is that LAST year's regulations permitted us to restrain a kid who was in the triggering phase of an outburst BEFORE s/he was allowed to cause anyone bodily harm. Think the kids notice the policy change? You bet they do, and they take advantage of it.
We as staff members are told that 95% of physical restraints result as a failure on STAFF'S part, not the child's. This is not a supportive work environment. We are scrutinized by layer after layer of administrative personnel and told by people who sit behind desks away from the trenches that instead of putting Timmy in a restraint for hitting, kicking, biting, spitting, throwing the frog's tank across the room, and breaking the computer monitor, maybe we should have been a bit more understanding. Did Timmy get some bad news this morning, or was there a medication change, etc.? As someone who has spent time in the ER because I WAS understanding and took the extra 30 seconds to ask a few questions when I should have been looking out for that right hook and minding where that kid's teeth were aiming, I can assure you that it's a very fine line between doing what's right for the kid and preserving your own well-being.
Having said that, though, I'm thankful that I don't work in a regular-education setting. At least I have SOME support --regular-ed schools absolutely cannot touch a kid, and that's scary. Many kids in public school, and I bet the jelly bean kid is one of them, don't get the services or early intervention that they need, and as a result wind up taking their first ride in a police car at the tender age of 5 or 6. Absurd? Well, to put it in perspective, in New York State, that 5 or 6 year old kid would, by law, have to be riding in a booster seat.
Anyway, hello all... my name's Em, and uh, by the way...I also play tin whistle.
Sara 
