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On March 5, 2024, the Office of Childhood (OOC) received an allegation that on Friday, March 1, 2024, in the morning around 7:30 a.m., teacher Julie Griffin at Cadence Academy Preschool, Imperial was observed yelling at Child A (5-years-old), to sit down and eat breakfast. Ms. Griffin grabbed Child A's shoulders and pushed them down into a chair and pushed the chair. The movements were forceful and quick but did not hurt the child. The child tried to get up and Ms. Griffin held him down in the seat with her hands on the child`s shoulders. After conducting an investigation, Compliance Inspector (CI) Patrick O'Malley has found this allegation to be substantiated based on the following evidence:
5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)7., which states: "Physical punishment including, but not limited to, spanking, slapping, shaking, biting, or pulling hair shall be prohibited."
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5 CSR 25-500.182(1)(C)9., which states: "Punishment or threat of punishment shall not be associated with food, rest, or toilet training."
On March 5, 2024, CI O'Malley conducted an unannounced inspection of the facility and observed a video of the Dragonflies classroom, dated March 1, 2024, with a starting timestamp of 7:36:40 a.m.; the video does not contain audio. The video shows that Ms. Griffin grasps Child A's upper right arm with Ms. Griffin's left hand and roughly pulls Child A back towards their chair. Child A stumbles and falls over the chair. Ms. Griffin pushes the chair under Child A with her left hand and pushes Child A into the chair by their chest with Ms. Griffin's right hand. Ms. Griffin pushes the chair with Child A seated in it up to the table. Ms. Griffin immediately pulls the chair back away from the table and pushes Child A out of the chair with both hands.
CI O'Malley conducted interviews with Child A, Ms. Griffin, director Nicole Sullivan, and Parent A (parent of Child A and staff member). Child A did not provide any relevant information. Ms. Griffin stated that she was working by herself in the Dragonflies classroom on the morning of March 1, 2024. Child A was new to her and to the facility. Child A was mostly nonverbal and difficult to understand. Child A was served breakfast at a table in the classroom, they stood up from the table and attempted to throw away an almost full plate of food. Ms. Griffin stopped Child A and asked them if they were still hungry, Child A responded, "Ok." Child A attempted to throw away their plate again and she took the plate. Ms. Griffin sat Child A down in their chair with both of her hands on Child A's shoulders. Ms. Griffin was frustrated because she was by herself, and Child A was giving mixed signals. Child A was not upset and played as usual for the rest of the day.
Parent A denied observing any marks or bruises to Child A. Parent A denied noticing any changes in Child A's behaviors.
Ms. Sullivan stated that she had no concerns regarding Ms. Griffin. Ms. Sullivan had never received any complaints regarding Ms. Griffin.
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