Google Maps: Honowai Elementary School, Waipahu (Hawaii)
HawaiiNewsNow reported that a 10-year-old Black girl was taken into custody after she drew a picture that left her parent "very upset".
According to an ACLU Hawaii letter, the girl was taken into custody and handcuffed with her mother present.
ACLU calls on local officials to amend their policies and compensate the family of the girl.
After drawing a picture of another student, a 10-year-old Black girl was taken into custody at school in Oahu (Hawaii) and made it look "very upset" to her parent.
According to a letter that was sent Monday by the ACLU of Hawaii, the organization requested officials to change their ways and pay $500,000 in damages to the child and her mother, as reported by HawaiiNewsNow.
According to reports, the letter was sent to both the Honolulu Police Department (and the State Department of Education) with the demands that school staff not call the police unless there is an "imminent risk of significant harm" to another person.
According to the letter, the Honowai Elementary School student with ADHD was referred as "N.B." The document states that the student at Honowai Elementary School was bullied and made the drawing in January 2020. HawaiiNewsNow reported.
The spokesperson for the Hawaii Department of Education did not respond to our request. Keith Hui, the superintendent of Leeward District Complex Area, which includes Honowai Elementary school, was unable to be reached immediately for comment.
Mateo Caballero, an attorney representing the child's parents, said that a parent of one the children who received the drawing was upset and demanded they call the police.
He said, "She didn’t bring any weapons to school and she didn’t make any threats to anyone."
According to the ACLU letter, the girl was placed in handcuffs in front of her classmates and taken into custody. She was then interrogated by law enforcement officers without her mother. She was not charged.
Continue the story
"That's straight-up wrong," HawaiiNewsNow Legal Director Wookie Kim of ACLU of Hawaii said. "And that's not something that condones or justifies it."
Insider was informed by the Honolulu Police Department that they are reviewing the ACLU letter and will be working with Corporation Counsel in order to address the allegations.
According to the report, Tamara Taylor, Tamara's mother, arrived at school and was prevented from seeing her child. The mother was released to the child after she was taken to Pearl City Police Station.
According to the Associated Press, the letter stated that the mother of the child expressed concern about her daughter due to the "high rate of police violence towards Black people" and the discriminatory discipline of Black girls at schools.
According to reports, the mother and child moved in the wake of the incident.
Insider reached out to ACLU of Hawaii for comment but they did not respond immediately.
Insider has the original article.
