California school security guard fired after allegations she forced student to duct tape mouth
A Pasadena Unified School District security officer was removed from her position after allegations she forced an 11-year-old, middle school student to duct tape her own mouth as punishment for talking too loudly.
The father, Ricardo Hurtado, said in a news conference on Friday aired by Fox 11 News that his daughter was forced to tape her mouth by a female security officer at Blair Middle School during lunch period on Wednesday, March 26.
He was notified by school officials about the incident.
“They told me that a security guard duct taped her mouth because she was playing with her friends, being a little too loud,” Hurtado said. “She was asked to stop once, but she didn’t, I guess. She continued to play.”
According to Hurtado, the security guard approached his daughter again about her talking.
“She said that she’s gonna sit her down and she better put the duct tape on or she’s gonna do it herself,” he said. His daughter complied.
Hurtado alleged the security officer demanded his daughter walk to the principal’s office with her mouth taped shut, NBC Los Angeles reported.
“I guess she walked it all the way – humiliated her – from the middle school, walking through it, to the high school walking through it, all the way to her next classroom and still had the nerve to state to the teacher that she shouldn’t take off the tape because she has a hard time being quiet,” the story quoted Hurtado as saying.
According to a March 28 statement from the PUSD, the woman, who was described as a “substitute security officer,” was fired.
“We take concerns like this very seriously and are cooperating fully with the Pasadena Police Department,” the district said in a statement. “We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our students.”
Lisa Derderian, a spokeswoman for the city of Pasadena, confirmed that Hurtado also filed a report with the Pasadena Police Department.
Hurtado said the incident continues to affect his daughter.
“Last night, as a matter of fact, she woke up crying,” he said, according to Fox 11. “She was telling me that she still feels the stickiness of the duct tape, which was hard to take off.”
Jarret Liotta is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and photographer.
Staff writer Sydney Barragan contributed to this report.