How would you handle?

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How would you handle?
By Maestra

I have a new student with some serious behavior issues. He has been in my room since the end of January. One of his issues is stealing. He has stolen (or attempted) from me 3 times. Another time something came up missing
out of the student who sits next to him's cubby. (They share a table for 2 with 2 cubbies underneath between them) This item was never found and it could never be proven that the new student took it. I moved this student and now the new kid sits by himself at his table.

Here is the latest situation. Yesterday the new kid has an eraser. It is a well used Christmas eraser

that I have not seen him use before. The kid who sits at the table next to him had been absent the day before. He comes back to school yesterday and says that the Christmas eraser was his because it was missing from his caddy where he always kept it. (they all have supply caddies on the tabletop that they share with their table partner) An argument takes place. I ask the new kid where he got the eraser from. He claims it was his brother's (from another class) and that his brother got it from his teacher.

This could be possible but given his prior behaviors I find it unlikely. I say that I will ask the teacher of his brother if he remembers giving him the eraser. I ask the new boy to give me the eraser so I can show the other teacher. He refuses (another one of his issues) and I end up practically prying it from his hands. I attempt to go on with the lesson. The new student takes his textbook stands up and slams it on another table. He throws the worksheets I had just passed out also. He refuses to work. I ask him if he wanted to go to the office and he amazingly says yes. So I send him with a note explaining the events and he is suspended for a day.

All of this over an eraser! I can't believe time was taken from instruction for this and that my 2nd graders witnessed this tantrum. Seriously, we do not have problems like this in our school. The kids share readily and often. So this is something I have not had to deal with. My new guy is troubled, he does see the school counselor and the principal checks up on him on a daily basis. The parents are of very little help. (The dad had absolutely no response when I spoke with him about his son taking a pair of my headphones.) He can be a very likable and funny little guy. Sometimes, he just comes in angry or becomes angry and when he gets that way he is very difficult to deal with.

Any suggestions? For the eraser situation or future situations? Help!