TN: Mom threatened w/ arrest, CPS called, b/c her child to rode her bike to school

[kylejack]

Here's the absurd incident report:

On 8/25/11 I was monitoring traffic on Cedar Avenue when I observed a young female riding her bicycle southbound on cedar avenue. I observed that vehicles had to slow and negotiate around the the bicyclist. I stopped and spoke with her at the intersection of Bradley Street and Cedar Avenue at which time I identified her as (her name) 10 years of age of (my address). She said he that she rode her bicycle back and forth to school every day. When I ashed why she did not ride the bus that stops in her neighborhood, she replied she had been kicked off the bus before and did not like it. She said she has a brother and sister that ride the bus ona daily basis. In my opinion this section of the roadway is not a safe place for a child of her to be riding unsupervised. I escorted the child to her residence at which time spoke with her mother Teresa Tryon. I informed Mrs Trying that I believed that the child should not be riding her bike to and from school unsupervised at her age. Ms Trying became became defensive and stated that (child name) had been through a bicycle riding course and she was perfectly OK with her riding her bike to school. When I told her I believed it was a safety issue for (child) she said she was OK with and believed (child) to be safe. I informed her that I would have a report and it would be filed to DCS. Once again she seemed unconcerned and stated that DCS had been there last year on the same complaint. She said that DCS told her that it was OK for (child) to ride her bike to school.

The distance from HME to (my address) is one mile. The sidewalk ends in the area of Linden Aven approximately .3 miles from the school. At the point the child would have to ride in the roadway until reaching South Hills Drive. Cedar Avenue at this time of the day is heavily traveled with vehicles and school buses and in my opinion is unsafe for a child of her age to be riding unsupervised.

8/25/2011 16.21
I called CPS and spoke with Pamela Winters and advised her of the situation. She said to fax a copy of the report and they would follow up on the reoprt. I advised her of the details at which time she asked if there was bus service to the residence. I advised there was and she stated the situation would be taken care of.

 

[Kylie]

What?

The parent allowed the child to ride the bike to school, and the parent would be the most concerned as to the safety of a kid riding a bike to school.

Just because they would be the most concerned person regarding their own child's safety, doesn't mean they aren't able to measure actual risk and decide that it is safe enough.

No one is more concerned about a kid than the kids' own parents. No one!

But having the ability to measure actual risk is a sign of intelligence, too.

You must have been a lucky child and be a good parent. You think the right way.

Unfortunately, you are in the minority(it seems)today. Some parents look like they could really not give two shits less about their kids, and the children show it.

 

[specsaregood]

Man, CPS would have totally taken me away from my parents. They even let me ride a bike without a helmet!

 

[Kylie]

Man, CPS would have totally taken me away from my parents. They even let me ride a bike without a helmet!

At 5 I fell off my big girl banana seat bike. Messed myself up bad. Girl I collided with broke her elbow. I can only imagine what CPS could have done with this situation.

 

[specsaregood]

At 5 I fell off my big girl banana seat bike. Messed myself up bad. Girl I collided with broke her elbow. I can only imagine what CPS could have done with this situation.

After they called in the cops to kill your dog, they probably would have tasered your parents before taking you away.

 

[TN_VOL]

I remember when I was in the eight grade, one of my classmates drove to school one day. He obviously was not 16, but he might have been 15. They faculty just told him not to do it again. My how times have changed.

 

[TheViper]

0.6 miles of riding on a suburban backstreet. No traffic lights, almost all the cross streets have the stop signs and the neighborhood the road empties into is very tiny....not a major traffic thoroughfare.

 

[speciallyblend]

I was probably fourth grade when I started riding my bike to school (just over a mile) and was walking home by myself before that.

yeah i hear ya, when i was in 4th grade i was riding my bike and walking the beaches alone and every morning catching flounder and crabs and selling them to local seafood store so i could get my hockey and football cards and gum of course

 

[DamianTV]

I remember when I was in the eight grade, one of my classmates drove to school one day. He obviously was not 16, but he might have been 15. They faculty just told him not to do it again. My how times have changed.

There used to be a time when kids would head off to school with loaded guns in the back of their trucks. When confronted by the Principal, the Principal would have been more inclined to ask where they went hunting, what kinds of ammo, and how effective it was and have an actual conversation rather than the threating overtone we get from any public employee nowadays. That was with guns in days of long ago. Now its a crime to not have a helmet and kneepads while on a teeter totter, or soon to be a crime not to be wearing full on body armor and riot gear while outside of your crib or playpen.

 

[aGameOfThrones]

Here's the absurd incident report:

Nobody taught that kid not to talk to strangers. Especially strangers who can use what the kid says against their parents.

 

[Mr. Smith]

This makes me sick to my stomach. I hope 2012 isn't a big letdown. bah.

 

[DamianTV]

AF is right. The Police State is just starting to flex its muscle. When they really want to lay down the hammer, what do you think you'll be allowed to do in your life? The only freedom that one can have in a Police State is the freedom to choose between Coke or Pepsi.

 

[Pericles]

There used to be a time when kids would head off to school with loaded guns in the back of their trucks. When confronted by the Principal, the Principal would have been more inclined to ask where they went hunting, what kinds of ammo, and how effective it was and have an actual conversation rather than the threating overtone we get from any public employee nowadays. That was with guns in days of long ago. Now its a crime to not have a helmet and kneepads while on a teeter totter, or soon to be a crime not to be wearing full on body armor and riot gear while outside of your crib or playpen.

We have become a sissyfied nation.

 

[Lucille]

All ur bikes are belong to us

By the way, in Big Government Europe, children are not only expected to walk to school, but this time of year there are massive posters put up warning drivers to be careful and on the lookout for schoolchildren walking to and from school. The only police involvement is to man the crossings at the busy streets.

As a commenter on another site pointed out, it's a fascinating charge of child endangerment, especially considering that the schoolbus she will be required to ride doesn't have seatbelts, much less five-point child safety seats...

Great point!