Year suspension backed for teacher who had kindergartners vote to oust class mate
November 18th, 2008 by Cara Fitzpatrick
Alex Barton
The St. Lucie County School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to accept the recommendation of Superintendent Michael Lannon to place Wendy Portillo on unpaid leave and to remand the issue to the state Division of Administrative Hearings.
In a letter to Portillo sent earlier this month, Lannon said her actions caused “worldwide outrage and condemnation.”
“Causing 5- and 6-year-old peers to pass judgment on one of their own, to state the reasons for their ‘vote’ and then to act on the outcome is a true failure to apply professional judgment at best,” he wrote.
Lannon also said he would ask the state Department of Education to revoke Wendy Portillo’s teaching certificate during her suspension, said he would not allow her to teach pre-school or elementary-age students again and further recommended that she return to work on an annual contract after the suspension.
Those recommendations would be subject to the results of the DOAH hearing. Such a review could take another eight months; if Portillo wins at DOAH she would receive back pay.
Portillo, a veteran at Morningside Elementary in Port St. Lucie, set off a firestorm of controversy in late May when she asked her students to vote on whether Alex Barton should stay in class after misbehaving. The class voted 14-2 for him to leave.
The school district received hundreds of email and phone calls condemning her actions, and Alex Barton’s mother, Melissa Barton, removed her son from Morningside. Barton is pursuing a lawsuit against the school district.
Barton said she was not vindicated by Lannon’s recommendation, and her son still “carries the scars of what she did to him.”
“Obviously I want her fired,” she said.
Lannon said he considered firing Portillo, but ultimately decided against it after weighing both her unblemished 12-year record as a teacher in the school district and the nature of the incident, which district officials had concluded was not done with malicious intent.
“There’s no way to find a perfect solution,” he said.
Tags: alex barton, kindergartner, vote, Wendy Portillo
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November 18th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Why punish the teacher for this? W/o discipline nobody can learn anything. I wouldn’t want my child 2 b in the same classroom as this disruptive kid. Do some parenting for God’s sake. This child has no right to disrupt my child’s education. U have a right to b stupid but pls don’t assume we want the same for our children.
Can some1 imagine what would happen to the armed forces w/o discipline?
If u’r sick or disruptive pls stay home. I want my child to have an education so he can b independent and productive person. Life is not fair so get used 2 it. Not every1 can handle college, it’s a fact of life. It’s ok 2 b Joe the plumber & making $250k a year.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I agree that it’s cruel punishment, especially considering the child is autistic, which you seem to totally overlook lifedust. I suppose you side with the Republican point-of-view that Autistic children “just need a smack’ and they would behave. However, I AM surprised this boy wasn’t in a ESE class, where the teacher would be better trained to understand and handle these kinds of issues. I myself am a teacher and have also volunteered with ’special needs’ children for 6 years. lifedust, I think you ought to volunteer with them too. It might drive you out of your comfort zone and force you to become a little more empathetic.
Also, what the *&^* do the Armed Forces have to do with anything here!?
November 18th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
This situation stems from the lack of discipline at home and parental support for our schools. It’s difficult for teachers to enforce classroom rules when several of the children run the household at their own homes.
Regardless of the child’s disabilities, students must maintain a sense of respect and order so that all children can learn and grow. If that is not possiable, then inclusion has failed miserably and it’s time to find a special placement for those that cause the disturbance.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Cheryl,
There is no such thing as an ESE classroom, with exception of TMH and EMH. Inclusion is the latest trend and rarely do kinder students receive support from an ESE teacher.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I read about this incident when it first surfaced in the media outlets.
I think the school superintendent should weigh his decision very carefully in regards to the future teaching prospect of Wendy Portillo.
If you research back, articles were stating that the class distractions were almost on a daily basis.(misbehaved several times–slightly biased). This boy has been a trouble maker since arriving from another school where there were disciplinary problems as well.
The mother finally sought expert evaluation of this boy after this class vote? What took you so long?
After numerous times being sent to the principle’s office, I can empathize with any teacher who feels unable to control the action of one individual that affects the WHOLE class.
The kid has a cute picture posted in the papers, but that should not be a free pass to classroom anarchy. Maybe less sugar intake and more supervision from his parents may do some wonders.
Now that a level of autism is diagnosed, a special class as well as involvement in a regular class but with a supervised special needs teacher or aide would be in order.
Good luck to all involved.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Don,
I agree. We cannot continue to put regular classroom teachers in these kind of situations and expect them to ignore or deal with disruptive behaviors. If we are going to mainstream students with special needs then schools should be able to provide sufficient support so that things like this don’t happen. I don’t condone what the teacher did, but obviously she reached her wits ends and reacted to what she thought was a distraction to the rest of her class.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
This makes me sick..the parents are the ones to blame..the label kids a certian way but at the end of the day..there kids who have learned all the faults from how parents raise there kids..
Kids have no chance to make in this world when you have screwed up parents having them..example..look atthe prison system
November 18th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I am kinda confused, what year are we in? How native are the 1st and 3rd people who responded? The both of you need to get a clue and fast!!! It is becuase of people like you that society is not opened to accepting childern who are not in the “norm”.
Do you know what autism is?
Autism is a brain development disorder that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. So to blame this type of behavior on the child and the parent is completely unfair, this disorder is due to brain development, not poor parenting skills. I know because I walk in the same shoes as those parents everyday and have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the best care for my child, I guess spending my life savings, not working and offering all types of care for my child as I am sure the parents of this child has done makes us all bad parents. I do not feel that way.
With 1 in 150 childern having autism, it is the responsbility of the school district to properly train teaches to deal with all types of childern, not just the perfect ones. I pay my tax’s each yr, probably alot more than #1 and 3 and my child deserves and has a right to the same type of education.
I sure hope that in life that if you have childern that they are not treated in the same way that the poor little 6 yr old boy was. That teacher should be fired and now!!!
November 18th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I have a child on the spectrum. This was a shocking story but not a surprise to me. There are many children ABUSED everyday in public schools. Unless someone steps up this will continue.
Thank you Alex Barton for being brave enough to bear the scars of this cruel teacher. You may have made it better for my son.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I find this amazing that the mother never realized her son had a social problem until this incident–she would’ve saved her child from going through all this. At the same time, it’s also amazing that the teacher didn’t have the ‘common sense’ to not get the classroom CHILDREN involved to solve the problem!!!
November 18th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I think the issue isn’t the disruption the boy caused, nor the teachers right to maintain order in her classroom. Instead, the teacher should not have publicly humiliated the boy (regardless of whether he is autistic or not) but having his classmates give reasons why he shouldn’t be allowed in class. This is so incredibly harmful to any childs’ self confidence and does nothing to stop the boy from misbehaving.
I can’t imagine the pressure this teacher was under, with a child who created daily disruptions (as noted by another poster which was mentioned in earlier articles). Also in earlier articles, the mother was already in the process of having her child diagnosed when this occurred, but regardless of these other issues, which only add to the stress of the situation, no child should ever be made fun of in front of their classmates, most especially being guided to do so by the teacher. She should have used some other technique, such as sending the boy to the principals office (which she had apparently done earlier in the day) or call the mother herself, but her actions were just wrong and cruel.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
If the child had dark skin and cornrows or olive skin and an accent the label would not be Autism–it would EH and off to alternative school his little arse would go…Isn’t it interesting how the rules change for little white boys.
What a crock of BS. This happens every day in a public school. Michael Lannon has all but admitted he is punishing the teacher because of the media attention. If he really cared he would find out why ESE children are being dumped in regular classrooms and the other children are digressing. Inclusion does not work. It is a distraction and a hassle. His mother should have moved the child to another classroom. And isn’t it interesting that the other children were able by majority to say you know what we are sick of your crap BYE BYE!
If your child has autism get the child the professional help he/she needs. Public school is not equipped to handle an autistic child being dumped in a regular classroom. And obviously the child wasn’t ready either. It’s too much for everyone.
The gifted and high average children are the true victims.ESE children get soo much attention but everyone is basically ignored by public school.
Very sad.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
To begin with there are many ESE classes, in fact there are even ESE campuses in many of the School Districts in Florida. You raise a child with Autism and then give your opinion as far as their behavior goes. I believe the school as whole is at fault. If the student was being sent to the office on multiple occasions and parents were having thier child evaluated then why didn’t the school give the support both the famaily and the teacher needed?? Inlusion is the latest trend but it does not always work. Too many parents are in denial. Overall it’s a no win for all parties involved.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Many so called “gifted” students are not “gifted” at all.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Public school systems aren’t equipped to deal with half of societie’s issues children bring to school on a daily basis but they have no choice but to deal with what you send to school each day.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Funny “yea right” “If the child had dark skin and cornrows or olive skin and an accent the label would not be-”
If the child were black King and many others would have been marching along!
This child was voted out of class based upon a difference! Is skin color not a difference? How would you feel?
The fact is the largest minority in our country is not BLACK or even a race, it is the disabled. Practice what you preach.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I agree what the teacher did was wrong. It does sound like she just lost it. Why is the mother suing the school board? What is that going to do? The teacher is being punished enough.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Lifedust & Gator, You need to get clue about Autism before
you go spouting off about parenting. Lifedust you act like your child is the only one in the class room. And talk about life not being fair. Try spending a day with a family who has a child with Autism. By the ignorance you displayed in your post, I would be willing to bet you couldn’t handle one day or even one hour dealing with Autism. My son has Autism and he has every right to the same education as your child.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I hope that the school board learns a hard lesson about who they hire.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
To Lifedust
“Why punish the teacher?” “Do some parenting”
Because what she did was wrong!
You have a hell of a nerve telling us to do some parenting! You have no idea how hard we work with our children and then when we have to deal with teachers that don’t have any common sense or incentive parents like you who don’t have a clue. If you are not happy with your perfect child being in the same classroom as my child with Autism then take your child out of the public school system and put him in private school. You better hope that you never have a child or a grandchild that with a disability because this is a very cruel world for these children. With the attitude you have I don’t think you could handle it.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
It may be that the schools in this state need to be overhauled and broken down into smaller districts.
I have taught in this state and I taught inclusion and regular students. I feel that the child regardless of race or disability deserves the same education.
Maybe the state needs to review why the turnover rate for teachers is so high. Maybe they need to increase teachers salaries and the standards and requirements that it takes to be a teacher in this state. I know in the school by me that we have teachers teaching without the proper certification.
In a yr that the school district implemented a hiring freeze this practice baffles me.
In NY, each teacher has 5 yrs from the time they obtain certification to obtain a Master’s degree, it is a requirement for them to keep their job.
Also by increasing teachers salaries and offered them proper training and support you may have more qualified teachers in the classroom and therefore we may not be the last in the country for education.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
To FL Mom:
Thank You, you could not have said it any better!!!!
November 18th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Just discusting that Lannon didn’t fire Portillo. Now she could be your kids first teacher. GOOD LUCK!
November 18th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I think Lannon wanted to sound really tough without really punishing Portillo. If this child were anything but Autistic it would be a different world of hurt for Portillo.
We will NEVER forget what you did WENDY PORTILLO even if Lannon already has.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
It’s time for the rest of the parents to file suite against the School Board for not providing a full education to their children. One child SHOULD NOT have the ability to disrupt and dumb down a class. Shame on St. Lucie School Board for suspending the teacher. As a parent I am dumbfounded that one (autistic)student has more rights than the other students. This teacher needs to be awarded for making a stand - Not chastised for applying some discipline. For the rest of you - Go get a life and I hope they hire a teacher with the same morals as the suspended teacher.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Farmer
I’d be willing to bet that you would like to go back to the day where there were all white schools too. If you like it your way move away.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
ASD MOM
No just equal education. On child has NO RIGHT depriving the eduction of the other sixteen children in the class. Blame the system but don’t PUNISH the other sixteen children for the problem of one child. Why should they fall behind because they were STUCK with a problem child!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 18th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
To Farmer:
I am sure that if this was your child being treated in that way and matter you would have a different opinion and you would be suing the school district. Do your research, many childern with autism are brighter and have higher IQ’s than childern without autism. Again, you are a parent and I hope that your childern do not have childern who have a disability……….
November 18th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
If the children “fall behind” now wait till college when their classmates arrive drunk or hung over. Then who will they have to blame for being a failure? You as their parent where the blame really belongs not on a classmate.
Until you raise a child with ASD, or educate yourself to be less “racist” shut off the PC and go talk to your kids.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
To Farmer:
Lastly, the child is not a problem child, it is a child with a disability, a child, who probably cannot even defend themselves……do not be so native …google autism and maybe learn a thing or two about this disorder before you judge the kids who have it and the parents who support them…..
November 18th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Nellie
There was NOTHING wrong with what the teacher did - The kids voting should be used as an educational/social experience. Might help him in the REAL WORLD. I guess you don’t?
ASD MOM
I see you haven’t had the opportunity of going to a reputable institution of higher learning. While earning my BS & MS degrees I never had a classmate interfere with my education.
You are the racist by spouting your hatred to those who won’t cow tail to your beliefs. Just remember that the system of education needs fixed. All students deserve an education, but at the same time they should not be deprived do to unruly behavior of one autistic or not student.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Nellie
The child is a PROBLEM! When he disrupts the education of the other sixteen children that’s a problem. What every you call it - autistic, ADA, ADAH or disabled - It’s a problem to the other sixteen children.
Hello - Earth to Nellie - Dictionary definition of problem 4. difficult to train or guide; unruly: a problem child.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
This teacher tried to do the right thing for her students and got thrown under the bus by the school system.
This goes a long way to explain the state of public education in Florida.
Sad for everyone involved.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I have read many different outlooks on the subject at hand..lets face it.most everyone now adays are divorced..you have two different child rearing ideas..along with not spending time with your children..this state is a melting pot of wackos..i have a son..i fear for him..kids are not kids anymore..we have a major problem..i see know one with anything to say..
November 18th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
wow….scary. The parents these days.
I pray to God that he spares any ASD child the unfortunate misfortune of being born to a mother or father who hates differences.
I really feel bad for even a “typical” child raised in a home filled with hate of the many differences that make up the kaleidoscope of our human race. If you teach your children to hate you have inflicted a disability and a deep illness upon them they will never overcome. Hate is taught.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
This “Teacher” totally missed the lesson here during election time. She didn’t get thrown under any bus she walked right in front of it with her stupidity and ignorance and lack of compassion towards a child. She humilliated and degraded a child who isn’t able to defend himself. As a Parent and Teacher it is my responsibility to be an advacate for any child who can’t speak up for themselves.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
ASD MOM
Please practice what you preach. The only hatred has been coming from your posts and especially toward those who don’t agree with you. Your prayers must have not been answered with all the hatred you have shown this evening.
KP
I assume that you have applied to the St. Lucie School Board as a teacher for all autistic children in the school system. With responsibility, I also assume you are taking on the financial burden of this task and are not accepting a salary. More individuals like you should step forward so the everyday student can receive an uninterrupted education.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:11 am
To Farmer:
Oh well, the jury just came in and the school board suspended her for one yr, without pay….as the school board stated, this brought in world wide attention…unfortunate for you a victory for us.
I’m sorry, you have a MS? Wow, I would think with that sort of degree that you would have the sense to do your research prior to giving your opinion about something you do not know anything about……………. wow, I have an MBA from a top ranking school, maybe I can call Bill Gates and tell him how to run Microsoft, because you have a degree does not make you in expert in every field……….
I do feel sorry for you, you need to have a major reality check and come out of the bubble that you live in….like it or not federal laws cover these childern and will continue to cover them. Oh well…..
November 19th, 2008 at 12:16 am
I am a aunt of a autistic child ther are several stages of autism. I dont care if the child was normal or not. Who does this teacher think she is to redicule a child infront of a class room or to pass judgment a Judge is trained for that her job is to teach . Not to ridicule. she should never be able to teach any child again “”Fire Her”’. She is a bully and she is teaching her classroom to discriminate. People need to read on Autism many forms of it and behaviors. This women is sick and should never teach again. And just remember your children haven’t had kids yet and it could happen to you ..
November 19th, 2008 at 12:25 am
Speaking of Bill Gates, did you know he is Aspergers? Google it.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:26 am
I’m glad I have no children going to school in St. Lucie Co. This child should have been in a special class. Why should a whole class suffer.Shame on his parents for not providing the help he needs. I hope the teacher gets a better paying job in another school system. Mr. Lannon should look for another job also.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Nellie
Please do not feel sorry for me. I live in the real world, not the magic kingdom like you. Laws have been passed, but when one student prohibits sixteen students from getting an education that is not justice. You may feel it’s a victory to lower the educational standards to satisfy one. That’s why are education in Florida is not worth much.
Your “SPECIAL” MBA must also be magical to allow you state facts that were never stated. Not once did I say, state, apply or hint that because of my education I was an expert in every field. Check the posts……….
If you also check, I also stated “SHAME ON St. Lucie School Board for suspending the teacher.”
As I said before. Hello - Earth to Nellie - Is there anybody HOME!!!!!!!!!
November 19th, 2008 at 12:29 am
To ASD Mom:
I know!!! Knowing that makes each day a bit brighter for me!!
November 19th, 2008 at 12:30 am
The rationale Ms. Portillo is giving now for her actions is
a) still a horrible ‘justification’ for what she did
b) utterly concocted after the fact; Portillo’s statements to police and school administrators immediately after the incident included little of the latest explanation, and in fact she allegedly came across as ’smug and self assured re: her actions in the classroom that day’ (paraphrasing)
November 19th, 2008 at 12:39 am
First of all Autistic children are Boys and Girls. They are from many ethnic groups. They don’t act this way because they are not disciplined. Some of them can be mainstreamed with acommodations and some of them can’t. Some of them can’t handle it and that is why they are in an Autistic classroom. There are different kinds of inclusion classrooms. The students are grouped based on needs. You have ESE/ESOL/Hearing Impaired and regular students in the same classroom.
It is not that easy to get a diagnosis of Autism and it takes time. It takes time to get the appointment and to get the diagnosis. Even if you see a neurologist or psychologist you still might not get the “Autism” diagnosis.
My son is almost 11 and he was evaluated at 5 months and and was found to be developmentally delayed. We knew from the age of 15 months that something was really wrong. He lined everything up, flipped the light switches and closed the doors. We even went to the Dan Marino Center and they just said that he was delayed. Help is based on income not by disability. My son also has congenital heart disease (Ebstein’s Anomaly). He has had Open Heart Surgery to replace his tricuspid valve and to close a hole in his heart.
Smacking them for their behavior is not the answer. That will not change the way they are, they have a disability. And the disability will never go away.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Farmer:
Look over your post, it was you who stated that this child dumbed down the rest of the class………your the expert… explain how?
I do not recall anytime during this process that a parent came forward and defended this teacher. If the parents of the other students in this class felt as strong as you do, then why did they not come forward? It could not have been that bad………….
Lastly, maybe living in “my magic kingdom with my “special MBA” which has afforded me the opportunity to provide services to my child is better than living in the type of reality that you are living in…
I will take my “magic kingdom” and what comes with it over the hatered that you shown here any day of the week !!!
I’m done………..
November 19th, 2008 at 12:48 am
I side with the teacher. Now a days, teachers need more training to know how to cope with special needs students. Obviously the student was being continuously disruptive and didn’t know what else to do. Inclusion just isn’t fair to all the other kids that are right on track. For those of you parents, try being a teacher or put yourself in their shoes. All you need to do is teach a whole class and when one student is being disruptive continuously, you get frustrated! She just did a democratic way of “fixing the problem.” DON’T FIRE HER! The punishments are WAAAAAY too harsh and the school board KNOWS it but won’t admit it. They’re just trying to please the parent who refuses to look at the situation from another point of view. Obviously, she’s been a teacher for 12 yrs..that’s a LONG time in Education since a lot of new grads go right into teaching and right OUT because of all the BS going on.
November 19th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Nellie
I see you have not spent much time in a class room or have many friends that are teachers. When a problem child is place into a class room, the teachers often gives busy work to the other students instead of actual instruction because they are spending EXTRA time with the problem student. The teacher is also required to submit programs for these special needs which again takes away from the other students.
There were several parents defending the teacher - Check past archives in the PB Post and TC Palm.
Please stay in your magic kingdom, because I enjoy living in the real world. I also have not shown any hatred in any of my post - Just good old common sense. Something you must not have.
Say hello to Mickey & Minnie
November 19th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Farmer:
Do you realize that these children have an I.E.P- Individual Education Plan? This plan is written by the “Team”. The team includes the school staff (Reg. Ed. teacher, ESE teacher, SLP) and the parents. We don’t write it ourselves. There are 6-10 people at the meetings for my son. With goals written twice a year. The regular classroom
(Inclusion) is the least restrictive environment for him. While it is not perfect, he is to high functioning for the “Autistic” classroom.
The school is supposed to comply with the I.E.P.
Also, at the time when this story was first in the paper I did not agree that the teacher should be fired. I still do not agree. She needs to be reprimanded. These children do not come with an instruction booklet. And it is a learning experience for everyone involved. We learn new things every day!
November 19th, 2008 at 6:23 am
Teachers have a duty to nurture the children in their care. The opposite took place here. This lady does not need to be teaching children with her overboard attitude. I can not imagine what caused her to think that her actions were acceptable.
November 19th, 2008 at 6:47 am
This is a good thing. With this type of ridiculous punishment, the public school system is headed for the same collapse that mismanagement in the economic system has given us today. I am hoping that the public school system totally collapses and we the people are given a better choice. It is obvious that lawyer-infested systems all tend to give us inefficiency. It is as if there is a plan to destroy this country’s competitiveness by liberals. They have managed to destroy the medical field by greedy lawyers. They have destroyed the economic systems by forcing banks to lend to people that could not afford loans. They have infiltrated our people’s morals with slutty shows on T.V. They will soon achieve their mission. The average American is either too busy working or too lazy to raise their children with worthy values. They do not even teach their children to love their country and distrust their government (as said by Thomas Jefferson). Oh, well, it was good while it lasted.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Although I do not agree with the actions taken by the teacher,and certainly would never have considered doing this myself, I understand it. As a teacher, we are finding ourselves put in situations where we are responsible to teach EVERY child regardless if he/she is on grade level, disabled, etc. and with one person trying to accommodate all of those needs, teaching has become a very stressful profession.Private schools can exclude children based on their academics and disabilities, however, public schools can not.With the move towards full inclusion, I fear many teachers will be rapidly leaving the profession because no support is given to us to help children which is what we are all about.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:51 am
I doubt Joe the plumber makes much more than 10% of the 250k he was so concerned about considering neither he nor his boss has the required lisences to operate. However, now that the RNC has made him a global spokesperson, which speaks volumes in itself, he might move up a few tax brackets.
November 19th, 2008 at 8:09 am
There is such a thing as the americans with disabilities act, and I pretty sure the school didnt tell the mother about the 504 plan or an iep(individual education plan) I know how hard it is to navigate the school system concerning a child with a disability, I feel for the mother, what the teacher did was wrong, the mom should be made aware of educational options available to her son ,and herself the school system here in Florida is #48th in the nation what does that tell you?
November 19th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Can the folks who think this kid should be allowed in classrooms with your children, regardless of how much he ends up hurting your Child’s education, please raise your hands?
November 19th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I am now well over 40 but will never forget my second grade teacher. On a daily basis she held me up to ridicule because my hand writing was poor and my math skills were not what she thought they should be. Never mind the fact that I had been moved to her class because I had scored very high on a standardized test and my reading scores were above a 6th grade level. For her to hold up my papers and tell the rest of the cloass how bad I was and how bad my work was made my school day’s a living hell. As a result I was never able to excel in math or to barely grasp the basic’s of math. NO teacher should ever hol;d a child up for ridicule by their peer’s. Every child is an individual and every child learn’s in a different way. The teacher in this case used very poor judgement and hopefully this child will move on and forget the shame and guilt he was exposed to on that day. I do feel the mother is exploiting this situation and has vision’s of dollar sign’s dancing in her head. She should be helping him to move forward and forget this unfortunate incident instead she is continuing to expose him to the media and anybody else who will listen. The mom in this case is wrong too. I hope this does not turn into a financial windfall for her. If they prevail and are awarded money I hope they have to only spend it on the child or it has to be put in trust for the child when he becomes of legal age. This is a no win situation anyway you look at it.
November 19th, 2008 at 8:57 am
here is my hand
November 19th, 2008 at 8:58 am
I am a parent of a child with autism that is in his last year of high school. I think being fair in this situation is important. Circumstances are unknown to most of us. It is vital that parents of special needs children work very close with the teachers and ensure that their child has the necessary support in the class. If a class aid is required, then seek it until you get it. Every child deserves equal education. Granted, voting should not have happened but was this teacher spending most of her time disciplining the child or teaching? Was she not getting the support she needed to deal with the classroom disruptions? Was she just trying to get the child’s attention by his peers and went about it the wrong way? Had she asked the principal for help in the classroom? Was she trained in special needs? Was there a class aid to address the behavior? Was the parent ever informed on the behavior issue? Did the parent take any actions to meet with the region to get the necessary resources for her child? My son has had his fair share of behavioral issues but the class is not just for him. It’s there for all the students. I had to ensure there was an aid in every class and made it part of the IEP. And yes, even those that are mainstreamed can have IEP’s. There’s so many questions that it is not fair to jump to conclusions.
November 19th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Nellie and all other parents w/children with a dissability
Please do not get discouraged by a few ignorant people living in your state. There will always be those who are afraid of being different. Your children are the most loving and caring children who actually appreciate everything in life and have every right to be in a classroom environment that provides them the best education they are entittled to.
I can only be thankful that my children are not attending this school where there is this much hatred for a special needs child. My children have attended a special needs school and have been on both sides of this fence. I continue to struggle with my children feeling different from the other classmates but continue to encourage them to keep trying their best.
I can only hope that from this experience that they will demand a training class for all teachers to fully understand the behavior of this mis - guided teacher. In my state we are required to take a seminar on bullying and seeing signs of a troubled child, to keep our certification maybe FL should have these same classes as well.
In a somewhat defense for the teacher it is unfortunate that the school did not provide her with information on an Autistic child so that she could design her classroom to have a friendly environment among all her students
November 19th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Once again I see posts here turning this into a race issue. I’m getting tired of that. This had nothing to do with race, so please give it a rest! To all who are condemning this teacher - shame on you! Put yourself in her shoes. Teacher have one of the hardest jobs with little pay. This mother should have done the right thing and got professional help for her child - not pawned him off for someone else to deal with. And now she is suingto make herself look like a caring mother? She only wants money….period. What good is it to sue the school board anyway? This country is too sue crazy. I have a cousin with the same disorder and he was in a special class enviroment that deals with this type of condition and it really helped because the teachers are more adapted to this enviroment. This teacher should be reprimanded in how she dealt with this situation, but NOT a year of no pay - thats absurd.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Why isn’t the administration come under fire for continuing to send the child back into a class which he was disruptive.Has the parent done anything other than say it is the school’s responsibility. The last time I checked it is the parents who are having the children not the school. The children with special needs at the school which I taught had help from the parents and the administrative staff and look out for the other children in the same class.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:18 am
The issue is not if the child should have remained in the class but how the child was removed. Their have been many disruptive students in my classes I have had since kindergarten and they were removed. Its not up to 20 5yr olds to vote on school policy on how a child should be removed. I have an Autistic son and he is mainstreamed. You will not find a better behaved child than him, in school or at a social setting. I guarantee you there are more “normal” children misbehaving out there than there are children with disabilities.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:22 am
KP
You, Nellie and the others need to realize that the other students have rights also. Instead of performing witch hunts on good teachers, spend some time correcting the problem. Lobby for additional teachers who are trained to handle these children. Don’t force current teachers to become behavior specialist instead of the teaching degree that they earned. The class room is for all children and there is no room for one student demanding all the teachers time. Or do you all feel that since you have a problem, everyone else needs to share.
Thank goodness this boy is being home schooled now. The rest of the teachers and children at Morningside can rest assured they won’t be the next victim.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:28 am
There has to come a point where the fact that the student is so disruptive that his/her behavior outweighs the “right” to be in the classroom. While this kid is being given his “rights” to be there, how many other students are having thier right to an education interferred with.
I don’t condone what the teacher did. It sounds to me like she acted out of frustration die to lack of support from the administration and special ed staff. The fact that it took this incident to cause the mother to finally have the child tested should say something. If the problem has been going on as long as it did, and the administration didn’t take action, either by referring the child for testing and stipulating that he couldn’t return until after testing (how do you treat or deal with a condition when you don’t even know what it is?), then the teacher has been made a scapegoat for the collective failings of the school department.
Inclusion is a great thing, but it CANNOT be allowed to disrupt the normal (whatever that is) flow of the education process-which it too often does. When it does, then the rights of one have outweighed the rights of many. At some point, someone has to wake up and say “enough, already!”
November 19th, 2008 at 9:39 am
First, the child is autistic…it’s not his fault..and it was wrong of the teacher to do that. Very bad judgement. Was there a teacher’s aide in the class to help? I understand there is inclusion in classes now, but who knows what happened…did the teacher seek help for this child before? Maybe the school did not offer assistance to this teacher and she was at her wits end…did she talk to the parents about him misbehaving? Since I don’t know all the facts and history of this case, I can’t judge. If she had an unblemished record for 12 years, why now? Some teachers are tough and can hurt kids feelings and a lot of times parents don’t know it’s happening. My daughter had a 3rd grade teacher that would name the kid in class and say embarrassing things about them. My daughter told me this and I talked to the teacher…some teachers look at it as tough love, but they need to know their boudaries because bullying causes deep wounds in children.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:39 am
The teacher may have gone a bit far but obviously she wasn’t getting the support from the district either to deal with this child. She sent him to the principals office frequently. They should have asked the parents for more involvement or to have him tested. Oh that’s right you can’t offend a parent or they will call a lawyer. I have three children, one of which has special needs. She attends a private school where her needs are being met. My other children have had to deal with disruptive students their whole life. I do no agree with total inclusion. There has to be some level of control in a classroom. The teacher cannot spend her whole day worrying if “Johnny” is going to sit in his chair and not break “Crystal’s pencils”. That is not what learning is about. If their child was that disruptive in school, I am sure his behavior at home was despicable. Not surprised either to hear they are suing the school district. I am tired of the poor me attitude. They should have had him tested years ago. I have had the same issues and took care of it early on to avoid this kind of problem. Face reality that their child was not “typical”. Can’t go through life blaming everyone else. Take responsibility.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:44 am
This is not about autism. It is about disruptive behavior, and that is unacceptable in the classroom regardless of the cause. NOT to remove a disruptive child is unfair to the rest of the children. HOWEVER, it was incredibly poor judgment to have a “vote” of the students. The teacher was in charge of the classroom, not the students. What she did was needlessly hurtful and immature on her part. She should have simply walked the child to the principal’s office and asked the principal to call the parents.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:37 am
I watched a report last night that said his disruptive behaviour was: eating paper, humming. Real disruptive.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:46 am
My girlfriend is a teacher at a school in Florida. This year due to budget cuts they lost their last ESE/EH coordinator and now each teacher must implement the IEPs for the special needs students in their classes in conjunction with the school counselor and the parents. She has one student that is so “special” that she has to stop teaching and reward the child every FIFTEEN MINUTES for NOT punching the student next to him or throwing something at her. She is not allowed to send the child to the principal because she should “be able to handle disruptive behavior better”. She was offended by what this teacher did but completely understood the teacher’s frustration. Inclusion is a wonderful goal but in some cases it is not possible. Yet due to George Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” program she is forced to be a warden in her own classroom. It sounds terrible but she looks forward to the child being absent so she can actually teach the rest of the children the basics they need to know to pass the FCAT. She has no time to teach anything extra due to the IEP that was established for this child. Remember, every time you vote to NOT implement a half cent education tax, not approve a bond to raise money for the school board, every time you avoid a parent-teacher conference because you are too busy, every hour you allow your snowflakes to play video games instead of reading to them because you need “personal time”, you are hurting your own children. Take your child’s education into your own hands. Be parents and quit complaining about how bad you have it and how society owes you. American education has gone down the tubes because we have this notion that everyone must be the same as everyone else. That is simply not the case and never will be.
November 19th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I think its dumb to suspend the teacher,the child misbehaved there are consequences for your actions. What should she have done? If the boy has misbehaved and was sent to principals office and gotten in trouble what is the difference I am sure him getting removed from the class was temporary like a time out or a detention. For example my son when he had to be in in house suspension for disrupting the class. There are way too many oter important issues that go on a school stop using the boy.s autism as a way to get money out of the school district
November 19th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
The teacher made a stupid mistake. Perhaps she was carried away by the hyperbole of the elections. In any case, she deserves a reprimand, butnot to be fired. The mother is admittedly vindictive and obviously out to make money on the supposed trauma that her son suffered. He will suffer a lot more from the taunts of his peers-the other students, than he ever will from any one teacher. The teacher was mistaken, not intentionally cruel. By the way, in relation to another comment: Republicans are not in favor of smacking kids around-another person carried away by the hyperbole of the recent election.
November 19th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Wow, talk abou thick skulls and ignorance. First, I am not against students with special needs or do I condone the behavior of the teacher. To all of those with thick skulls, my point is that it is borderline criminal to stick children with special needs in a regular ed. classroom with just one teacher. If we are going to be advocates of inclusion, then we better provide support for the teachers. There should be at least one other professional in the classroom when teaching kids with special needs. Anyone that disagrees has never been put in that position.
ALSO, lets not forget about the other kids that are there to learn. Should they take a back seat to learning because one child is getting all of the attention….Thats ridiculous.
November 20th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
gator….try not insulting people so quickly. autism isnt from bad parenting at home unless you do not believe organic conditions can cause behavioral problems. Maybe this child needs to be in a more specialized class but your remarks about ‘thick skulls and ignorance’ are uncalled for.
If you do,
November 20th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
The student was disruptive, the teacher should have taken procedural steps to have him put in a different more appropriate placement.
His 5 year old peers certainly don’t need to be put in the position of deciding proper placement for a disabled child.
If I were a parent of the children who were given a vote, I would be outraged. Remember they are five year olds, still innocent and highly impressionable. I agree that this teacher should never teach young children again. She seems to lack discrepancy between what children should be making decisions on and what is an adult decision.
Letting her off with-out punishment is the equivalent to the teachers who have sexual relations with students. Its abuse and poor decision making that are just not tolerable attributes for a teacher
November 21st, 2008 at 12:10 pm
I don’t think the teacher should have let her students vote but I can tell you one thing my nephew has many disablites and lives in Palm Beach County…this county did not serve him correctly at all. My brother and sister-in-law had to pull him in and out of public schools, depending on if they could afford private school. Other teachers punished him right in his ESE class for him shouting out (which was part of his disability) and when he was in a regular PE class other students torchered him-like twisting his chest. I have heard that this county does not do right for ESE students. It is a shame that the teacher resorted to this but I am willing to bet she didn’t get the proper support from her administration and think she is just as much a scapegoat and I hope this child gets the services he needs.
November 21st, 2008 at 7:18 pm
[...] Palm Beach Post recently did a follow-up article on the case. From Year suspension backed for teacher who had kindergartners vote to oust class mate (11/18/08): FORT PIERCE — A St. Lucie County teacher who sparked a national controversy for [...]
November 21st, 2008 at 7:57 pm
All of you who are saying this boy is autistic and shouldnt have been treated like this I draw your attention to the FACT that he has been diganosed with Apsbegers which is HFA(HFA—autism unaccompanied by mental retardation) which means his ability to discern right and wrong and to know what proper behavior was is NOT impaired.
I agree this is an extreme situation but I agree with an earlier poster that 16 other kids were affected by this boys problem and now thier education and that is a failure of the school board, the adminstration of the school and the parents.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:24 am
This %^&*@ makes me want to vomit. I don’t care what he did, humiliating a child is not the answer to the problem.
She is the kind of person that made me choose to home school my non-verbal son.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:59 am
Part of the problem is the one-sidedness of the reporting. The teacher, bound by confidentiality, cannot reveal all of the facts that led up to her actions. At one point, there was an article that interviewed other parents of students in this class. Those parents reported that their children had suffered abuse and bullying by this child. HE treated his peers badly (beyond the disruptive behavior in the classroom). I believe the teacher may have been trying to get his victims to stand up and tell him how his behavior made them feel (that was implied in the article I read).
Outside of that one article, everything has been from the mother’s point of view. Having taught a variety of children with varying disorders and issues, I take what this parent says with a grain of salt. She places all of the blame on the teacher and takes no responsibility for the fact that her son may have caused problems in the classroom and for other students.
Students are very tolerant of students with disorders. They will put up with a child who is “different” and does odd things. However, based on the comments of the other parents, this case went beyond being “different” and displaying “odd” behaviors. He was bullying and abusing his classmates and they (and their teacher) had had enough.
I have several autistic students and the other children in their classes would never vote to kick them out. The ones who they want to be gone are the bullies. I think that is what REALLY needs to be investigated in this case. What was this kid doing to his classmates to make them want him not around anymore? It was NOT about his autism. It was about his bullying.
Just my opinions…..
November 25th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
What you all fail to realize is that Aspergers is HIGH FUNCTIONING. It is a mental disorder that is not fully understood. Getting an IEP isn’t simple! It is very difficult and can take years to get all the bureaucratic documentation necessary to qualify.
Children are “main streamed” and therefore they try to place special children in regular classrooms. This child IS A KINDERGARTNER! Add the Aspergers and you have a recipe for disruption and misbehavior. HE isn’t to blame…the PARENTS are NOT to blame…The TEACHER should not have done this! It was wrong and inexcusable for her to do that to this child or the other children in class.
The boy would have likely been given a Para once the IEP was in place. They would have ironed out a behavior plan to help quell his issues in the classroom. I understand that we all want our kids to learn and not have the disruption, but that is not always how life is.
Blame the bureaucracy and bs…but do NOT blame this child or his parents. This teacher should be fired and the school district should pay for home bound services till this child is able to go to school again.
Aspergers/autism kids do not deal with change. They don’t get social cues and boundaries. It is a slow process to help them learn. This child may be homeschooled for a very long time if not permanently because of the trauma this teacher caused. How dare she do something like this…