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Parents often work together to decide how to discipline their children at home.

But they can't always decide how their kids are disciplined at school. Some parents are questioning one school's practices.

Alan and Brandy Vincent went to pick up their seven-year-old son from Richardson Elementary School in Fort Madison last week after getting a call saying he was misbehaving.

When they went to see what the problem was, they were surprised at where they found him.

"The room had a 12 foot ceiling with a one-by-two foot window. It was all concrete with a bench wrapped around it," Alan said.

"He was around the corner huddled up on the floor. He had no shoes or coat and he had tears streaming down his face," Brandy said. "I just think its crazy they have a cell in a school. I think parents should be informed."

It's called the timeout room.

We talked with Fort Madison Director of Student Services Craig Cornick about the room's purpose.

He said the timeout room is used when teachers feel the child is a danger to himself or others; the student stays in there until he calms down.

He admits the room is stark, but said it's not meant to be like the timeout corner in a child's home.

The Vincents didn't know their son was being disciplined this way at school and are thinking about transferring him.

When the Vincents found their child, he was not being supervised at the time.

Cornick says his first priority is the safety and education of every child in Fort Madison Schools.