April 13, 2012
Mason principal sued over alleged abuse
Staff writer

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Mason County principal apparently dragged a special-needs boy screaming from the seat of a school bus, rolled him down the bus steps and forced him to the pavement, according to video footage released as part of a federal lawsuit against the man and the county school board.

The lawsuit, filed by Melanie Plants on behalf of her son, Zachary, 11, comes two weeks after police arrested Point Pleasant Intermediate School Principal Cameron C. Moffett and charged him with felony child abuse in connection with the incident.

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    22 Comments
    Posted By: dakman
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    This principal acted horribly and is clearly not suited to be around children. But why was this child put in this situation where he was obviously unable to follow instructions?
    Posted at: April 13, 2012 5:02:58 pm

    Posted By: WVTeach
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    What a terrible situation!
    Posted at: April 13, 2012 9:40:53 pm

    Posted By: Clear water
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    This is worse than being bullied by schoolmates. Moffett should be canned for abusing the child. The adults who watched allowing this to happen mandatory need counseling on what bulling is and how to stop it.
    Posted at: April 14, 2012 10:45:57 am

    Posted By: sofraj
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    76 kids crammed on the bus! Lack of foresight by the school. It left the kid in a vulnerable position to be pushed out of his seat. Just too much wrong with this picture.
    Posted at: April 14, 2012 8:04:54 pm

    Posted By: RAZOR
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    Surely the county B.O.E. has seen this clip,and they keep him employed at the maintenance garage?
    Posted at: April 15, 2012 6:15:01 am

    Posted By: Lillbilly
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    Clearly this person should be fired, but thanks to the teachers union, he will be guarenteed full salary and retirement even if he just sits in a broom closet somewhere. And people wonder what is wrong with the school system????
    Posted at: April 15, 2012 11:44:27 am

    Posted By: KCS
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    If/when the principal is found guilty - the state will fire him and possibly revoke his license. He will not remain employed. Any pension will be frozen. The Union has no reason to keep those found guilty by the system in the schools. What good would it serve anyone?
    Posted at: April 15, 2012 9:09:27 pm

    Posted By: kee
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    Model student from a two parent family, active in the community. Was probably helping a younger student with math. Mean old principal...
    Posted at: April 15, 2012 11:10:14 pm

    Posted By: Mothman
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    AFT won't represent a principal, principals are management.
    Posted at: April 16, 2012 9:38:20 am

    Posted By: Jerricurles
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    The adults watching this abuse should be included in getting in the same kind of trouble that principal is getting into. If that was their kid I bet that wouldn't have happened. this is very sad. Makes me worry about my special needs children.
    Posted at: April 16, 2012 10:02:25 am

    Posted By: yesisaidit
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    He would have to worry about a lawsuit or is future had that been my child!
    Posted at: April 16, 2012 11:14:08 am

    Posted By: tellingitlikeitis25
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    This is the first time that I’ve seen this video in its entirety and I am shocked by the actions of the principal and the inaction of the other adults sitting on the bus watching this even unfold. Furthermore, it is disgusting that the Mason County Board of Education did not immediately fire this man after watching this video. As a parent, there is no way I’d feel safe leaving my child in any school where these “adults” and especially Mr. Moffett are on the payroll in any capacity, whether they/he be a cook, janitor, or crossing guard. Shame on the School Board! I’m not normally sue happy, but I hope these parents and this child get lots of money and I hope Mr. Moffett is convicted and given the maximum sentence allowed by the law.
    Posted at: April 16, 2012 1:27:31 pm

    Posted By: billy-
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    You the tax payer will be paying the principal's legal fees.You the tax payer will pay the money in any award of a lawsuit.The people who are found guilty will not have any money coming out of there pockets.It's all paid by YOU, the tax payers.
    Posted at: April 16, 2012 3:12:54 pm

    Posted By: AaronS
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    I watched the video. If this man doesn't go to prision for child abuse then not only is our educational system messed up, so is our legal system.
    Posted at: April 16, 2012 3:20:35 pm

    Posted By: billy-
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    You the tax payer pays for there insurance for lawsuits and legal fees.All cities and town have the same insurance plan. You can check it out here http://www.state.wv.us/BRIM/
    Posted at: April 16, 2012 9:11:38 pm

    Posted By: WVTeach
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    @Lillbilly...that isn't a union situation...
    Posted at: April 16, 2012 9:25:34 pm

    Posted By: rats
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    As a grandparent of a special needs child, the entire Special Education Program in West Virginia needs to be re-visited and re-structured. Very few schools in West Virginia have Behavioral Education Specialists. Very few Counties have teachers that are qualified to work with Special Needs children, specifically Behavior Ed. Sure that someone out there is in violation of a Federal Grant the gives money to work with these children.

    This type of educator behavior occurs more often than you THINK!!

    Principle at my child's school chased him up a TREE!!! Special Needs Child in a TREE!!! what a shame.
    Posted at: April 17, 2012 10:16:13 am

    Posted By: KCS
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    This is the first time that I’ve seen this video in its entirety....
    um no...you didn't see the video in its entirety. Didn't you notice the cuts? Or the fact you don't see what led up to the boy being bumped into the aisle way?You don't get to hear/see the video/speakers from the back of the bus to learn what was said by the student, other kids, and/or the adults.You saw an edited version.There is a whole lot more to this story than will be made public.The parents and their lawyers will put out their side loudly.However, the school system is constrained by laws to discuss their side AT ALL due to privacy concerns of the student as well as the principal.You don't know what this child did. What has been his history.Who has been hurt in the past.What happened immediately prior to this.You don't know.Why can't people just sit on their fingers and wait?
    Posted at: April 17, 2012 1:13:18 pm

    Posted By: DAZEDNCONFUSED
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    This angers me to no end!!!!!!
    Posted at: April 17, 2012 2:39:23 pm

    Posted By: WVTeach
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    @rats...you're probably right BUT every child doesn't need to go on every field trip. I'm uncertain of the reasons that anyone is surprised that middle school boys would push another middle school boy into the aisle on a too full bus? I would love to know which school bus permits so many children on a bus? We are limited to 55 on a bus.

    As to the principal, I would think that there would have been a better way to handle the situation. Vacating the bus is entirely appropriate but he needed some help...calling the parents would have been ideal but would have ruined the field trip for everyone else.

    Another example of why many teachers I know will no longer "do" field trips!
    Posted at: April 17, 2012 3:36:22 pm

    Posted By: DJ77
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    He should have called the police if this child refused to do as he was told. Chances are the authorities would recognize the parents.
    Posted at: April 17, 2012 7:09:05 pm

    Posted By: rats
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    To WV Teacher, I agree that not every student should go on field trips. I do not know the entire story, but I know it is very difficult to work with special needs children. I live with one. He was not allowed to attend field trips because of his behavior. Perhaps a different system will be developed for those children in the future. Thank you for your response.
    Posted at: April 18, 2012 9:21:31 am

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