JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
The allegations against Sherilyn Fulton, child care worker at the Mary C. Jones Child Development Center in Jackson, are stunning. Two weeks ago, 3 On Your Side interviewed a temporary worker who worked at the center for three days, but says she spent just one day in Fulton's classroom.
"These were little bitty children. She was hitting them with closed fists. Threatening them," the worker told us. "She literally would pinch them, real hard, they would scream in pain."
The worker, who asked not to be identified, also told us Fulton served the children milk at lunchtime, but threatened them not to drink it so the children wouldn't need to use the restroom.
When the investigation was launched in late April, Fulton was put on paid administrative leave.
Wednesday morning, we sat down with Louis Armstrong, Deputy Director of the City of Jackson Department of Human & Cultural Services, which runs the three city-run child care centers.
"We have come to a conclusion on our findings (on Fulton) and have made a recommendation to the personnel department," Armstrong says, but he would not reveal what that recommendation is because it's a personnel matter.
3 On Your Side did some digging and found several substantiated claims of harsh treatment of children at the Mary C. Jones Center in the past year.
In June 2011, a toddler's teacher threw a crying two year old child down on a cot. The investigation revealed the teacher "used aggressive force when she threw (the child) down on a cot during naptime because he kept trying to get off the cot", according to documents furnished to us by the Mississippi Department of Health.
That teacher subsequently resigned.
On June 30, 2011, during a walkthrough of the center by representatives from the Health Department, a teacher was observed "using abusive language and threatening punishment to a class in the hallway." A monetary penalty was imposed.
Also during that walkthrough, "a volunteer was observed left alone with children." Again, a monetary penalty was imposed.
On January 12, 2012, a visiting social worker found a four year old child alone on the sidewalk. No one inside the center knew she had wondered off. In light of that, two employees were suspended for 15 days.
"I've been in this position one year, have had an opportunity to assess what was going on up there. We certainly feel like there was a need to make some changes. We're making those changes," Armstrong says. "The experience has prompted the city to start the process of including monitors in each classroom so we can monitor, video monitor from a central location what is going on in the classroom."
The Jackson City Council will soon be asked to approve funding for a surveillance monitoring system for the classrooms at each of the city-run facilities.
Also, beginning last year, newly hired teachers at the centers have to have a four-year degree in child care or an acceptable equivalent. Current employees may be grandfathered in.
Along with the Mary C. Jones Child Development Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, the City of Jackson also runs the Westside CDC and the Virden CDC. They're designed for children ages six weeks to kindergarten age. Parents pay according to their income. Armstrong says very few municipalities offer such a service, and it's invaluable to working families in Jackson.
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