Girl, 12, handcuffed and arrested for doodling
February 5, 2010
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK, N.Y.-A New York City junior high student has been arrested for doodling on her desk.
Alexa Gonzalez, 12, scribbled “Lex was here 2/1/10” on her desk Monday. She also wrote “I love my friends Abby and Faith.”
Moraima Tamacho says her daughter was released several hours after she was taken in handcuffs to a police station, according to the Daily News.
Education department spokesman David Cantor said the incident shouldn’t have happened, and that common sense should prevail.
Last month, the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit alleging more than 20 instances of wrongful arrests and assaults by school safety officers.
Gonzalez has been assigned eight hours of community service, a book report and an essay on what she’s learned from the experience.