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YUCAIPA (CBSLA.com) — School district officials in San Bernardino County say they will discontinue a policy that required elementary school students to kneel down before being dismissed to class.
Principal Dana Carter at Calimesa Elementary School had reportedly instituted the policy, which called for students at various times of the school day to kneel down on one knee and wait for the principal or another administrator to dismiss them, as a safety measure.
A flyer had been circulated among parents alleging Carter began the policy as “a positive way to enforce safety” among students, usually right before classes begin or immediately after recess.
Yucaipa Calimesa Unified School District Superintendent Cali Binks told KCAL9 the policy – which was described as “positive behavior intervention” – will no longer be enforced at Calimesa Elementary after several parents spoke out against the practice.
Mass phone notifications were sent out on Tuesday informing parents that students will not be made to kneel effective immediately.
At least one mother told KCAL9′s Tom Wait she was upset after hearing that her 7-year-old daughter was allegedly forced to kneel before Carter.
“She says that she has to drop down on one knee with her hands at her side, wait for the principal to come out, lift his arms and tell them to go to class,” said the mom.
“I feel that the principal wants to be like a king, and we don’t have kings in America,” she added.
District officials said Carter will schedule a future meeting with parents to plan different safety options on campus.
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