By Associated Press Tuesday, February 7, 2006 - Updated:
02:05 PM EST
BROCKTON - A Brockton first grader was suspended for three
days after school officials said he sexually harassed a girl
in his class by allegedly putting two fingers inside the girl’s
waistband while she sat on the floor in front of him.
The boy’s mother, Berthena Dorinvil, said she “screamed” about
last week’s suspension from Downey Elementary School, and
added her son doesn’t know what sexual harassment is.
“He doesn’t know those things,” she told The Enterprise
of Brockton. “He’s only 6 years old.”
School officials declined comment to The Enterprise, citing
the child’s age. “They would have not suspended the child
without doing an investigation,” said spokeswoman Cynthia
McNally.
Dorinvil said the school principal, Diane Gosselin, called
her to pick up her son Jan. 30. She said her son asked the
principal if the police were going to come get him. The principal
told Dorinvil the girl complained to the teacher after her
son touched the girl’s waistband, hitting her skin, in a room
full of children.
Dorinvil said her son told her he touched the girl’s shirt,
not her skin, after the girl touched him. “He was playing
with her,” Dorinvil said.
