19 Dec 2014

Expanding Pell Grants

By Rep. Dave Loebsack

Dear Friends,

As someone who would not have been able to attend college without the help of student aid programs, I am a strong supporter of Pell Grants.  As you may know, in 2008 I included a provision in the Higher Education Opportunity Act to enhance these grants by creating the year-round Pell program. This provision allowed students to use up to two Pell Grants during an award year so they could accelerate their progress towards a degree and in turn incur less debt. Prior to year-round Pell, part-time students were able to receive their Pell Grants throughout the entire year.  In many cases however, these students exhausted their maximum Pell Grant before the summer session started, forcing many to take fewer courses than they would have liked to or preventing them from attending summer classes at all.  Unfortunately, year-round Pell Grants were eliminated in 2011 due to budget cuts.

According to the Chronicle for Higher Education, more than 800,000 students accessed a second grant to accelerate their academic progress.  In addition, community colleges reported that summer enrollment increased by 15% after the Higher Education Opportunity Act was enacted.  After visiting schools throughout my district and hearing directly from Iowa students how critical Pell Grants are to their education, I have been working to get year-round Pell Grants reinstated into the Department of Education's annual budget.

Earlier this year, I contacted Secretary Duncan at the U.S. Department of Education to urge him to restore year-round Pell Grants as he works with the President to develop the education budget request for the upcoming year.  I know first-hand what a difference education can make in a young person's life, and I firmly believe we must provide students with every opportunity to attend college as affordably as possible.  Restoring year-round Pell would allow students to achieve this goal by maximizing their progress towards their degree.

I will continue fighting to ensure that all Iowans have access to quality, affordable education and I welcome any suggestions or concerns about Pell Grants that you may have.  Also, feel free to share this email with friends, family and colleagues who may be interested in this topic.  I look forward to working with you on this important issue.

Sincerely,

Dave Loebsack
Iowa's Second District

19 Dec 2014

Governor Quinn Announces Illinois' Unemployment Rate Hits New Low

By Rick Martin

Illinois' Economic Comeback Continues; Unemployment Rate Falls to Lowest Level in More than Six Years

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that Illinois' unemployment rate fell to its lowest point in more than six years. Last month the state's jobless rate fell to 6.4 percent, its lowest point since June 2008 and lower than when the Governor took office. In addition, the state added 2,300 jobs in November, for a total gain to approximately 300,000 jobs since the economic recovery started in February 2010.

"Our economy is continuing to grow and create more jobs, and that's good news this holiday season," Governor Quinn said. "Illinois' improving economy is a reflection of the tough decisions we've made over the last six years."

Since taking office in 2009 and inheriting a massive financial crisis due decades of mismanagement and the worst recession since the Great Depression, Governor Quinn has made Illinois a better place to do business by enacting major reforms to lower the cost of worker's compensation and unemployment insurance. He also has achieved unprecedented reforms in pensions and Medicaid while slashing state spending to historic lows. The Governor's tough actions have helped stabilize the state's finances and paved the way for more economic growth.

The Governor has led progress in Illinois' manufacturing sector, a core part of the economy that supports service jobs and goods that are shipped worldwide. The Governor invested $16 million to launch the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute on Chicago's Goose Island. The institute is a venture of UI Labs that will connect manufacturers to the latest tools and knowledge.

Other major Illinois businesses have thrived under the Governor's leadership such as Chrysler's Belvidere plant, where the job total has gone from 200 to 4,500 since the Governor took office. Over the same period at Ford's plant on the South Side of Chicago, operations have grown from one shift and 1,600 workers to three shifts and 5,100 workers.

The Governor has also continued his support for small businesses by investing in Illinois' entrepreneurship community. He has invested a total of $8.8 million to assist the 1871 technology incubator and the MATTER medical technology hub, both in Chicago's Merchandise Mart. In its first two years, 1871 and its spinoff companies have accounted for more than 1,000 new jobs.

Governor Quinn's administration has aggressively recruited businesses to Illinois and negotiated agreements involving hundreds of new jobs with such companies as eBay, the Federal Savings Bank, MillerCoors and Nippon Sharyo USA. In October, Governor Quinn announced that Amazon.com was shipping to Illinois and creating 1,000 new jobs and a $75 million investment in the state.

The state's comeback has been highlighted from numerous publications and research organizations such as Site Selection magazine, which in 2013 named Illinois third among the states in its number of corporate relocations and expansions. Illinois has also continued to lead the Midwest in net business growth. In addition, the University of Illinois Flash Index rose again in November to 106.6, up for the fourth straight month. The index is a weighted average of Illinois growth across corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income.

Illinois worker's wages are currently the ninth-highest in the country, outranking all neighboring states. Wage growth is one of the key indicators in judging economic growth according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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19 Dec 2014

Senior Star at Elmore Place Wins 2015 Best of Assisted Living Award from SeniorAdvisor.com

By Christina L. Maggio-Kellerstrass

DAVENPORT, IA (December 19, 2014) - Senior Star at Elmore Place is pleased to announce today that they have won a 2015 Best of Assisted Living Award for receiving consistently high ratings from residents, families and visitors in the past year on SeniorAdvisor.com, the premier ratings and reviews site for senior care and services nationwide.

Now in their second year, the Best of 2015 Awards celebrate the best of the best in American senior care and are only given to communities and agencies that have consistently received outstanding feedback from residents and families on the SeniorAdvisor.com website.  This exclusive designation places the winners in the top one percent of senior care providers nationwide according to those who matter most - their residents and families.  Of the nearly 100,000 providers listed on SeniorAdvisor.com, only 879 were recognized with this award including two of Senior Star's 13 communities across the United States.

To qualify for a SeniorAdvisor.com Best of 2015 Award, winners must have an average overall rating of at least 4.5 of 5 stars and a minimum number of reviews.  Additionally, winners must offer at least one of the following types of care:  assisted living, Alzheimer's care, independent living, low-income senior housing, skilled nursing or in-home care.  Further details and a complete list of award winners can be found on SeniorAdvisor.com.

"To be in the company of other elite senior care providers by winning a Best of 2015 Assisted Living Award given by SeniorAdvisor.com is an honor," said Marc Strohschein, Senior Star at Elmore Place executive director.  "Knowing that this award comes from the important critique and opinions of our residents and their families means a great deal as they are what makes us strive for excellence and the reason why we have the mission of providing quality senior housing programs."

For more information about Senior Star at Elmore Place or to schedule a tour, call 563.484.5114 or visit the website at www.seniorstar.com.

About Senior Star at Elmore Place

Senior Star at Elmore Place, a Senior Star community, features 236 modernly decorated apartments spanning across 20 acres of beautifully landscaped property with many customized amenities to offer its residents three distinctive living experiences:  independent living, assisted living and memory care.  For more information, visit www.seniorstar.com.

About SeniorAdvisor.com LLC

SeniorAdvisor.com is the premier consumer ratings and reviews site for senior living communities and home care providers nationwide.  The innovative website provides easy access to the information families need when making a senior care decision and features trusted reviews and advice from local residents and their loved ones.  For more information, visit www.senioradvisor.com or call 1.800.805.3621.

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19 Dec 2014

Students named to Augustana College fall term Dean's List

By readMedia

ROCK ISLAND, IL (12/18/2014)(readMedia)-- Augustana College announced 888 students were named to the Dean's List for the 2014 fall term. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a four-point scale for courses taken during the term.

Students from your area include :

Travon Aldridge of Rock Island (61201), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Jessica Allen of East Moline (61244), a first-year majoring in undecided.

April Anderson of Davenport (52803), a senior majoring in Asian Studies.

Leo Anderson of Rock Island (61201), a senior majoring in undecided.

Taylor Anderson of East Moline (61244), a junior majoring in Graphic Design.

Christopher Atha of Rock Island (61201), a senior majoring in Business Administration-Management and Accounting.

Mourin Azar of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Jessica Bacon of Rock Island (61201), a senior majoring in undecided.

Alimou Bah of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Liam Baldwin of Davenport (52807), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Jacob Barr of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Adam Bengfort of Davenport (52807), a senior majoring in Engineering Physics and Applied Mathematics.

Emma Bowman of Moline (61265), a junior majoring in Business Administration-Marketing.

Conner Brown of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Alexsis Brummet of Geneseo (61254), a senior majoring in Teaching Math.

Courtney Camlin of Rock Island (61201), a senior majoring in Neuroscience.

Beth Cole of Muscatine (52761), a senior majoring in Chemistry.

Brandee Cole of Bettendorf (52722), a senior majoring in Pre-Medicine and Biology.

Olivia Covert-Proctor of Bettendorf (52722), a sophomore majoring in Teaching German.

Rowan Crow of Coal Valley (61240), a senior majoring in Teaching History.

Chelsea Crumbleholme of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Maryedith Curtis of Moline (61265), a junior majoring in Political Science and History.

Michael Daniels of Geneseo (61254), a sophomore majoring in Business Administration and Economics.

Ashley DeVolder of Moline (61265), a senior majoring in Accounting.

Sarah English of Hillsdale (61257), a senior majoring in Philosophy and Neuroscience.

Roberto Espinosa of Rock Island (61201), a senior majoring in Anthropology and Biology.

Mahvish Fatima of Moline (61265), a sophomore majoring in undecided.

Omar Garcia-Martinez of Moline (61265), a junior majoring in Pre-Medicine.

Brenna German of Bettendorf (52722), a sophomore majoring in Communication Studies and Multimedia Journal & Mass Communication.

Analysia Gomez of East Moline (61244), a junior majoring in Biology.

Lizandra Gomez-Ramirez of Rock Island (61201), a sophomore majoring in Sociology and Political Science.

Zachary Gray of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Ryan Greene of Hampton (61256), a junior majoring in Political Science.

Hannah Griggs of Bettendorf (52722), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Emily Grooms of Coal Valley (61240), a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Art.

Michael Hickey of Muscatine (52761), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Carli Hogan of Rock Island (61201), a sophomore majoring in Biology.

Michael Hoover of Bettendorf (52722), a junior majoring in Political Science.

Andrea Hult of Moline (61265), a senior majoring in Accounting and Business Administration-Management.

Kristina Humphreys of Geneseo (61254), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Kayla Jackson of Rock Island (61201), a sophomore majoring in Psychology.

Tyler James of Davenport (52806), a junior majoring in Graphic Design and English.

Jillian Jespersen of Rock Island (61201), a junior majoring in Biology and Pre-Medicine.

Ruth Jessee of Moline (61265), a junior majoring in Sociology-Social Welfare and Women & Gender Studies.

Emily Johnson of East Moline (61244), a junior majoring in Elementary Education.

Emily Johnson of Moline (61265), a sophomore majoring in Graphic Design.

Tayvian Johnson of East Moline (61244), a junior majoring in Pre-Medicine and Biology.

Katherine Karstens of Moline (61265), a senior majoring in Business Administration-Finance and Accounting.

Alyssa Kendell of Davenport (52806), a junior majoring in Biology and Pre-Medicine.

Benjamin Knapper of Davenport (52806), a senior majoring in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science.

Rebecca Knapper of Davenport (52806), a sophomore majoring in Creative Writing, English and Scandinavian Studies.

Nicholas Krantz of Moline (61265), a senior majoring in Graphic Design.

Elizabeth Kuster of Bettendorf (52722), a senior majoring in Creative Writing.

Elizabeth LaBotte of Moline (61265), a senior majoring in Political Science.

Shannon Larson of Bettendorf (52722), a sophomore majoring in undecided.

Katie Laschanzky of Muscatine (52761), a sophomore majoring in undecided.

Jenna Lawrence of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Makenzie Logan of Moline (61265), a junior majoring in Psychology and Communication Sciences & Disorders.

Mariah Logan of Moline (61265), a junior majoring in Music Education-Instrumental.

Benjamin McKay of Rock Island (61201), a sophomore majoring in General Music.

Christopher McLaughlin of Bettendorf (52722), a sophomore majoring in Business Administration.

Brock McNinch of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Irene Mekus of East Moline (61244), a sophomore majoring in Business Administration.

Chelsea Mentado of Moline (61265), a sophomore majoring in Graphic Design.

Ryan Mueller of Taylor Ridge (61284), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Long Nguyen of Rock Island (61201), a junior majoring in Applied Mathematics and Economics.

Ted Mathew Nuguid of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Lubna Omar of Bettendorf (52722), a junior majoring in Communication Sciences & Disorders.

Benjamin Payne of Rock Island (61201), a junior majoring in Multimedia Journal & Mass Communication.

Layne Porembski of Moline (61265), a junior majoring in Accounting and French.

Elyzia Powers of Silvis (61282), a senior majoring in Psychology.

Anish Reddy of Rock Island (61201), a junior majoring in Pre-Medicine.

Sarah Riedel of Long Grove (52756), a senior majoring in Creative Writing.

Omar Rizvi of Bettendorf (52722), a junior majoring in Pre-Medicine, Biology and Religion.

Meagan Rotramel of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Cammie Ruhl of Moline (61265), a senior majoring in Biology and Neuroscience.

Abigail Ryser of Moline (61265), a sophomore majoring in Biology.

Keith Sands of Silvis (61282), a junior majoring in Mathematics and Teaching Math.

Austin Schoeck of Rock Island (61201), a junior majoring in Political Science.

Christian Schroeder of Coal Valley (61240), a senior majoring in Computer Science and Business Administration-MIS.

Allison Scudder of Rock Island (61201), a sophomore majoring in Communication Sciences & Disorders.

Quintin Sebben of Rock Island (61201), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Andrew Shearouse of Coal Valley (61240), a senior majoring in Business Administration-MIS and Computer Science.

Roman Shepard of Rock Island (61201), a senior majoring in Anthropology.

Tori Shock of Moline (61265), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Andrew Skalak of Davenport (52807), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Helena Smiley of Rock Island (61201), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Rosalie Starenko of Rock Island (61201), a senior majoring in Geography and Spanish.

Andrew Statz of Davenport (52804), a junior majoring in Pre-Medicine and Biology.

Danya Tazyeen of Bettendorf (52722), a junior majoring in Computer Science.

Sergio Tekeli of Bettendorf (52722), a junior majoring in Pre-Medicine and Neuroscience.

Micaela Terronez of East Moline (61244), a senior majoring in History and Anthropology.

Caitlin Thom of Bettendorf (52722), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Anthony TouVelle of Bettendorf (52722), a senior majoring in German Studies and International Business.

Samantha Turner of Rock Island (61201), a senior majoring in History and Anthropology.

Matthew Tuttle-Timm of Moline (61265), a sophomore majoring in Physics and Mathematics.

Mercedes Vanopdorp of Silvis (61282), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Michael Warhank of Davenport (52807), a sophomore majoring in Pre-Medicine and Business Administration.

Haley West of Rapids City (61278), a junior majoring in Neuroscience and Spanish.

Erik Whitcomb of Rock Island (61201), a sophomore majoring in Psychology.

Erin White of Geneseo (61254), a senior majoring in Biology.

Grant Whitlow of Eldridge (52748), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Abigail Wieland of Rock Island (61201), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Elizabeth Wieland of Rock Island (61201), a first-year majoring in undecided.

Rong Zheng of Silvis (61282), a junior majoring in Biochemistry.

Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. The college is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Current students and alumni include 155 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 13 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world's most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

19 Dec 2014

Kelsey Tope inducted into Eta Sigma Delta honor society

By Carole Custer

AMES, IA (12/18/2014)(readMedia)-- Kelsey Tope, a event management student in the College of Human Sciences at Iowa State University, was induced into the Eta Sigma Delta honor society. Kelsey is a senior at Iowa State from Davenport, Iowa

The Events Management and Hospitality Management Programs at Iowa State University congratulated the 27 undergraduate students and 10 graduate students who earned invitations to Eta Sigma Delta membership in fall 2014. Undergraduate students who hold a 3.0 minimum grade point average or are in the top 20% of their class are eligible for this distinction.

Eta Sigma Delta is an international honor society that recognizes exceptional academic achievement among event and hospitality students. Eta Sigma Delta is administered by the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (ICHRIE), the leading international association devoted to event and hospitality education.

19 Dec 2014

West Music Named to Internet Retailer Magazine's Hot 100 List

By Kelly Goerdt

Coralville, IA - December 18, 2014 - West Music, with headquarters in Coralville, IA, was recently named to Internet Retailer Magazine's Hot 100 List, a list of websites that are recognized by the industry as e-commerce influencers. West Music was honored in the "Specialty" retail category, focusing on retailers that are unique enough to defy classification within traditional merchandising categories. According to Internet Retailer Magazine, "The merchants in this year's Hot 100 specialty category have discovered compelling ways to emphasize what makes them or their products different from those available elsewhere." To read the full article about West Music, please visit internetretailer.com/Hot100.

West Music was recognized by Internet Retailer magazine due to their continued focus on customer service and finding new and innovative ways to service a diverse customer base that includes local and national customers. West Music has continued to focus on establishing business processes that can provide extraordinary service to both general consumers in the B2C space as well as schools and institutions that rely on West Music for their experience in music education products. The customer experience requires a mix of tools to service both the B2B and B2C customer base.

"We are proud of our newest recognition and proud of what our website can offer to our customers on a regional and national level. We offer strong business-to-consumer elements with a lot of B2B elements in the background." said senior vice president Ryan West.

West Music launched their first website in 1996 and continues to refine its capabilities, search functions, and web platforms to better serve customers locally as well as reaching out to a national audience of music educators.

About Internet Retailer

Internet Retailer Magazine was launched in March 1999 by Faulkner & Gray, a unit of Thomson Reuters. It was purchased in 2000 by F&G CEO Jack Love and some members of his management team, who left Thomson to form Vertical Web Media. Starting with the monthly Internet Retailer Magazine that began in 1999, Vertical Web Media has launched on average a new publication or information service every year since. It now operates a monthly magazine, two web sites, two e-mail newsletters, three conferences and trade shows, and five research guides - all directed to various aspects of the e-commerce business.

19 Dec 2014

Specialized Springfield-based National Guard team returns from Afghanistan

By Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office

SPRINGFIELD, IL (12/18/2014)(readMedia)-- Approximately 20 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers who served in Afghanistan will return to Illinois this week. The homecoming ceremony for the Bilateral Embedded Staff Team (BEST) A13 will be December 19 at approximately 12:30 p.m.at Camp Lincoln in Springfield.

The BEST A13 Soldiers were mobilized in April and deployed to Afghanistan.

The team trained with the Polish Land Forces before deploying. The unique mission allowed Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers to train and deploy side-by-side with their Polish counterparts. The Soldiers are from various parts of Illinois and were selected for the mission based on their training and skills.

While deployed to Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan, the Soldiers facilitated operations with Task Force White Eagle, which is primarily composed of the Polish 10th Logistics Brigade. BEST Soldiers were embedded with the Polish brigade to synchronize task force operations.

BEST A13 had many accomplishments while in Afghanistan, including the recovery and turn-in of $3.5 million of unaccounted U.S. property, which would have been a loss to the government. The team also expanded the capability and functionality of the Polish military, a NATO partner. The Illinois National Guard has had a state partnership with Poland since 1993 and has deployed side-by-side with Polish Forces for more than 20 years.

For more information call the Public Affairs Office at 217-761-3569.

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19 Dec 2014

Mallards Join Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign at SouthPark Mall in Moline

By Brian Lavelle
Players to Join Bell Ringing from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 19th.

MOLINE, Ill. (December 18, 2014) - The Quad City Mallards will join the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign tomorrow (Friday) at SouthPark Mall in Moline, the Mallards announced today.

Mallard players will join the one hundred twenty-fourth annual kettle campaign and ring bells outside the Von Maur entrance to the mall from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m.

"Especially at this time of the year, we feel lucky to have the chance to give something back to those in need in the Quad Cities," said Mallards president Bob McNamara.  "We're very glad to be able to once again join the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign, which does so much for our community every year."

The Mallards tomorrow will join nearly 25,000 bell-ringers taking to storefronts nationwide this holiday season.  Among them are the Flock's Bud Light Ice Girls, who took part in the kettle campaign earlier this month.

All donations to the kettle campaign stay in the local community to help the Salvation Army meet the physical, material, emotional and spiritual needs of the area's most vulnerable.  More information on the Salvation Army and the Red Kettle Campaign can be found at http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/.
19 Dec 2014

VON MAUR Sponsors 4th Annual Red Kettle Match Days

By Holly Nomura

On Friday and Saturday, December 19th and 20th

Quad Cities, USA: The Salvation Army is pleased to announce that VON MAUR, the locally owned fashion department store, will sponsor the fourth annual Red Kettle Match Days this weekend.

On December 19th and 20th, VON MAUR will make a dollar-for-dollar match to Quad Cities red kettle donations at Northpark and Southpark Malls. The five locations include three 4-foot tall red kettles inside the malls and the two regular kettles outside the mall.

There is a great need for the services of The Salvation Army in the Quad Cities. Many of our neighbors hold down one or more jobs, yet struggle greatly to pay monthly bills that provide the very basics for their families. Donations are needed to help meet this campaign's goal of $760,000. The Salvation Army asks the community to take VON MAUR up on their challenge in order to maximize gifts made to The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities.

Jim von Maur states, "We have always appreciated the work of The Salvation Army and are proud to help support their good work in the community again this year."

Major Gary Felton, Quad Cities Coordinator is "so pleased to partner again with such a notable and admired business in our community. This match is so important to us as we try to close the gap of the remaining $280,000 needed to make our goal."

The Red Kettle campaign provides 60% of the annual budget used by The Salvation Army to provide people with their basic needs, warm shelter and nutritious food, new life skills, character building - anything necessary to help community members achieve healthy, productive living.

19 Dec 2014

Rutherford Institute Defends 4-Year-Old Pre-Schooler Who Was Handcuffed, Shackled and Transported to Police Station for Allegedly Acting Up in Class

By John W. Whitehead

STANARDSVILLE, Va. – The Rutherford Institute has come to the aid of a four-year-old Virginia student who, after allegedly acting up in class, was turned over to police, who handcuffed and shackled the preschooler and transported him to the sheriff's office. While at the sheriff's office, the police forced C.B., the four-year-old, to speak with prison inmates in an apparent attempt to "scare straight" the preschooler. The child was left in handcuffs or shackles for about 20 minutes.

Pointing out that handcuffing and shackling a four-year-old is excessive, unwarranted, and unnecessarily traumatizing, attorneys for The Rutherford Institute have asked that public school officials take steps to assure the child's family and the rest of the community of parents and concerned citizens that what happened to C.B. will not happen again to him or other students of similar age. Specifically, Institute attorneys have asked that protocols be established to guide school personnel and allow them to deal more appropriately with students who are acting up or have become upset, preventing such incidents from escalating to the point where use of law enforcement is considered an option.

The Rutherford Institute's letter to Greene County Public Schools is available at www.rutherford.org.

"That it was a sheriff's deputy and not a public school official who handcuffed and shackled this four-year-old does not detract from the fact that this mother entrusted her son to the care of school officials, trusting them to care for him as she would, with compassion, understanding and patience," said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State. "That such extreme restraints would even be contemplated in a case such as this points to a failure by those in leadership to provide the proper guidance to school personnel in what forms of restraint and force are appropriate when dealing with students, especially the youngest and most vulnerable."

The incident occurred on October 16, 2014, while four-year-old C.B. was in one of the pre-Kindergarten programs at Nathanael Greene Primary School. According to school officials, C.B. was removed from the classroom after allegedly becoming agitated and throwing several items onto the floor. School personnel then telephoned C.B.'s mother, Tracy Wood, who indicated she would come and get the child. Although school personnel knew C.B.'s mother was en route to NGPS, they called in the school's resource officer, a Greene County deputy sheriff, to confront the preschooler. The sight of the law enforcement officer reportedly only served to agitate C.B. further. Instead of employing positive reinforcement, a bear hug or some other method of control appropriate for children, the officer escalated the situation by treating the 4-year-old as if he were being arrested: handcuffing C.B. and transporting him in a police car to a Greene County Sheriff's office. Upon arriving at NGPS, Ms. Wood was stunned to learn that her son had been transported to the Sheriff's office.

After a frantic trip to the police station, Ms. Wood arrived to find her son traumatized and in leg shackles, like an inmate being transported for a court appearance. To her dismay, Ms. Wood learned that not only had the 4-year-old been handcuffed and shackled for about 20 minutes, but that the police officer had forced C.B. to speak with persons who had been arrested in an apparent attempt to "scare straight" the preschooler. Incredibly, C.B. was held in handcuffs or shackles for about 20 minutes. Rather than recognizing the imprudence of treating a young child like a hardened criminal, school officials and the sheriff's office not only defended their actions but actually suspended C.B. from the pre-K program and instructed his mother to seek "homebound instruction" for him. In coming to C.B.'s defense, Rutherford Institute attorneys have asked that school officials rescind the suspension, remove any indication of the incident from C.B.'s records, and implement policies making it clear that handcuffing, shackling and other similar excessive restraint techniques are never appropriate when dealing with children of tender years.

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