Probe questions judgment of teacher who asked kids to criticize autistic boy
November 21st, 2008 by TCPalm.comWhile school district internal investigators said there’s no evidence Morningside Elementary teacher Wendy Portillo meant to cause harm or embarrassment to Alex Barton, they said in a report released Thursday there is a question as to her judgment.
And consideration has to be given on the effects Portillo’s action could have on Alex’s classmates because they were required to criticize the 5 year old, according to the report compiled by St. Lucie County School Board employment law attorneys Richeson and Coke, P.A.The report was sent to Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon, who earlier this week recommended Portillo be suspended without pay for one year and her tenured contract be changed to an annual contract.
The incident could cause Portillo to lose respect and confidence of her colleagues, students, parents and the public, the report said, citing the extensive national and local coverage of the incident.
The report said Alex may not have been the only one having trouble with Portillo last spring. Another parent provided a letter she said to the Department of Children and Family outlining issues she had with Portillo as the school year ended. She also gave an affidavit to the district investigators.
“According to (the parent), she was initially very impressed with Ms. Portillo, but felt her behavior changed dramatically towards the end of the school year,” the report said. Issues involved choice of songs sung at the spring dance and what the parent felt was rude and dismissive behavior toward her by Portillo.
The report outlines the May 21 incident, when Alex was voted out of his classroom, as told by interviews with Alex, his mother and school administrators.
Alex had previously been sent out of the office twice for disciplinary reasons. He returned after telling the assistant principal he wanted to apologize to Portillo for his behavior. Less than an hour later, he was back in the office saying he had been voted out 14 to 2.
The school assistant principal said Alex did not appear upset and was not crying at the time, the report said.
Portillo was not interviewed for the report, but opted through her attorney to rely on statements made to the Port St. Lucie police and a written statement given to the school principal, the report said.
Colleen Wixon, TCPalm.com
Tags: alex barton, autism, autistic, Morningside Elementary, Wendy Portillo
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November 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 am
This teacher was thinking a little outside the box. If it is too far outside the box, what is wrong with a written warning unless she stays outside the box. The studends are just a little to young for this kind of judgment by their peers but at some point in their lives they need to see they can’t disrupt everything around them, their peers won’t put up with it. Not a bad lesson, right now they were just a little to young for it, maybe. Teachers make mistakes and I don’t see this one being a one year off work type mistake.