LAKE ALFRED, Fla. -- A Polk County, Florida family is outraged after they say their 7-year-old was forced to scrub school floors with a toothbrush as punishment.
The elementary student reportedly misbehaved last week at Lake Alfred Elementary, when her teacher sent the student next door for "corrective action."
According to the family, the 7-year-old was told to scrub the floors with a toothbrush.
They also claim teachers told her to clean the entire floor, and when she was done she was told to then clean the counters.
Family members say she was forced to do this throughout the day and was not able to participate in regular classroom activities.
The family says they were not made aware of the misbehavior or the punishment their daughter received. The parents only found out after their 7-year-old was complaining of back pain after school and they asked why she was in so much pain.
This is an excerpt from a letter written to Scripps station WFTS in Tampa from the student’s Aunt, Kiara Francisco:
“Polk County, we must stand firm when times demand social justice! The School Board must stand true to their words and handle this situation with the appropriate and necessary repercussions. These teachers abused their roles of leadership and first did harm to this child. How many times has such disgusting behavior been displayed with no consequences for the ones whom we inherently trust to empower our youth? They do not deserve to teach the youth of OUR tomorrow. To my family, friends, and those who are extensions of us…we must STAND OUT & STAND UP right now!”
WFTS has reached out to Polk County Schools for comment.
