Y2k Meal Kits Sent To Homes Of Area Seniors

Accuse Santorum Of Hypocrisy In Lawsuit

By JOLYN RESNICK Times Leader Staff Writer
 Friday, December 24, 1999 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





WILKES-BARRE - A schoolyard scuffle between two 7-year-old boys recently
landed in a district justice's office. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 One of the boys told his mother that another student pushed and hurt him
during recess at Kistler Elementary School. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But the harassment complaint that followed didn't come from Wilkes-Barre
Area School District officials. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The injured boy's mother says district officials told her that she, not
they, should file charges. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``The school told me that they wanted me to go ahead and press charges,''
she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After waiting a few days for the parents of the accused to apologize, the
woman filed a private criminal complaint with District Justice Michael
Collins, alleging the boy caused her son's slight concussion and a black eye. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But School District Superintendent Dr. Jeff Namey said Thursday that an
investigation of the incident had amounted to one person's word against
another. He said the Nov. 3 incident was not serious enough to warrant the
district filing charges. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Namey said he believed there was some disciplinary action taken at the
school, but he could not specify. Neither school Principal Harry Vogt nor Vice
Principal Bob Anthony could be reached for comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Namey said the district has an obligation to present parents ``with the
information they need.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We said we cannot (prosecute), but you can. It's your business,'' Namey
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He said the mother may have misunderstood the district's statement. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The mother said school officials acknowledged the other boy had ``hurt a
lot of other kids.'' But Namey said he was not aware that the accused had hurt
other children in the past. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to the mother, her son was pushed from behind in the schoolyard
during recess. She said her son was injured when his head hit the concrete,
resulting in treatment at Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 She said her son didn't know his attacker. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Collins found the boy not guilty of the allegations on Tuesday, following a
summary offense hearing one week earlier, an office spokeswoman said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The alleged victim's mother said the district justice wrote that his
decision was based on the young age of the accused. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A specialist with the Children's Service Center in Wilkes-Barre said
earlier that a child's mental maturity must be considered in determining
whether a youngster intended to harm another child. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The case was further complicated by the fact that the accused youngster
suffers from attention deficit hyperactive disorder. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The father of the accused boy said his son has behavior problems associated
with the disorder. He said he believes the School District is harassing his
family. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``They took the initiative to push this woman into a decision. We don't
feel that's right at all,'' the father said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He said his son doesn't want to go to school because of all the problems. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``It's taking a toll. I don't like the situation at all,'' the father said.
``Basically, he's counting the days until school is over.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The injured boy's mother said her son didn't want to go to school after the
incident. ``He was crying in the mornings.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The alleged victim's mother said she feels ``justice wasn't done'' at
either the school or the district justice's level. After the hearing, she said
her son looked at her and asked, ``We didn't win, did we?'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 She said he couldn't understand why and he told her, ``I didn't do anything
wrong.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Jolyn Resnick covers crime. Call her at 829-7210. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

7-year-old's Push Brings Court Case, Anger At W-b School 
Two Parents Say Their Sons Are Suffering Because Of The Incident, While School
Officials Say Their Instructions Might Have Been Misunderstood.

7-year-old's Push Brings Court Case, Anger At W-b School Two Parents Say Their Sons Are Suffering Because Of The Incident, While School Officials Say Their Instructions Might Have Been Misunderstood.