A Brooklyn second grader was left behind by her teacher on a recent field trip to a beach, and now her parents and community activist Tony Herbert are demanding someone be held accountable for the mishap.
The 7-year-old girl was on a field trip to Manhattan Beach with her class from P.S. 213 in East New York when she went to throw something away in a garbage can, Herbert said in statement.
When she returned, her class and teacher had already boarded the school bus, a press release from Herbert and her parents said.
The girl was spotted by another teacher, who took her back to school on a separate bus.
"I felt scared and I thought someone was gonna take me away," the girl said Friday.
The girl's family want answers.
"I was told that her class was the first to leave Manhattan Beach but the last to return to the school, I am so upset, as anything could have happened to my daughter due to the negligence of those responsible for her safety,” the girl’s parents said in a statement.
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The girl's mother, Ketesha Cofield, later told reporters: "This could have been a different situation. I could be holding up her photo. There could be police out looking for her."
"They were on a beach for God's sake. Anything could have happened," she said.
In a statement Friday, the city Department of Education said that the girl returned to her school on a bus with a different class.
"Nothing is more important than the safety and security of all students and staff," said Toya Holness, a DOE spokeswoman. "We are investigating the incident and have protocols in place to ensure it is addressed appropriately."
Cofield said apologies aren't enough. She doesn't want anyone to lose their job, but she does want "policy, procedure, protocol" and retraining for teachers.
In the meantime, she's moved her daughter to another class.
