Video: Special needs kid voted out of class by kindergarteners
posted at 10:55 am on May 28, 2008 by Allahpundit
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A little ray of sunshine to get your day started right courtesy of the big A. It’s almost too bad to be true, especially the bit about the kids being encouraged to tell him what they don’t like about him, but the teacher’s been disciplined and has supposedly confessed. She’s not the only one guilty of something here, though: Watch the clip and ask yourself how the school administration could have thought this poor kid might be able to function in a general ed environment.
Special bonus feature: The most gratuitous Al Qaeda analogy evah.
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Is it necessary that the entire nation get involved to solve this problem?
indythinker on May 28, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Yeah, yeah, the usual outrage and stupidity (btw, anyone who doesn’t understand the levels of stupidity capable by our public school teachers just needs to do some basic googling; it’s striking). Big yawn.
For me the story is the morning news ninnies. This story was instantly more stupid the moment that Harry Smith opened his pandering mouth.
Jaibones on May 28, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Excellent question.
shick on May 28, 2008 at 12:12 PM
I have an 8yr old daughter with ADD,ODD and multiple life-threatening food allergies. Let me tell you, (deep breath) life is definitely a challange. But my daughter is very courageous, and she constantly inspires me to fight the good fight.
It is a constant battle. If I could home school her I would, but with her ODD, it isn’t possible.
After having both my children in a total of 4 public schools since kindergarten, we finally found a generally good public school with a better IEP.
I feel for any parent whose child has to deal with this type of situation, but in my experience it is not uncommon.
The stories I can tell you,,,,,,,,,,
After my intervention about what was going on in my daughters kindergarten class, her Teacher was FIRED!
Conservaboomer on May 28, 2008 at 12:12 PM
What are you talking about. The kid was studying the microphone. He probably knew whether it was a condenser or piezoelectric and what the pick up pattern was.
There is no reason kids like this should not be in gen. ed. It is kindergarden for chrissake. (Maybe the district needs to provide the kid with a shadow until he matures and gets integrated into the mainstream, but putting him with the retards is not the answer.) The reason the teacher wanted him out was because the kid actually required attention, which the teacher was too busy or too lazy to provide.
From a current lawyer (who was taught fourth grade in a book closet), and the father of a five-year-old who “requires” a constant state provided shadow (teacher’s aide), some kids (mostly boys) are just wild in their mind at that age. They mature and become Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.
In 20 years, we will all be working for this kid or be anxiously awaiting his next version of the iPhone.
tommylotto on May 28, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Where “mainstreaming” means my kid is at an increased risk of injury or needlessly has to endure the lunatic asylum atmosphere these kids bring to the classromm, I’ll pass and gladly be seen as an inconsiderate jerk.
Alden Pyle on May 28, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Some parents do not want to face the reality that their kids cannot be mainstreamed. I have seen children with more severe symptoms, and some of those parents thought their children could be in a regular classroom. Sometimes parents are a big impediment to their childs progress. That being said I have not seen him in the classroom. Could be the teacher deserves to fired, could be the kid is too much of a distraction to the rest of the children to be in the class. The clip does not, cannot tell you that.
Theworldisnotenough on May 28, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Yeah, we should just get used to the fact that teachers suck and accept it as part of America.
Oh wait, I thought the point of this country was holding people responsible for their behavior. Silly me.
MadisonConservative on May 28, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Exactly how much more information is needed in this particular situation. PLEASE enlighten us all with the case to be made that this teacher acted appropriately and we should be bashing the little autistic child for not being less disruptive in class. Obviously there was enough of a situation to remove the teacher from the classroom.
highhopes on May 28, 2008 at 12:14 PM
indythinker on May 28, 2008 at 12:10 PM
If in fact this teacher did what these articles and interview say she did, and, according to Blake, neither the school or law enforcement acknowledge the clear problem.. then maybe
stlpatriot on May 28, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Did you ever think that some on here have family whom are special needs?
I have a cousin who’s child is so severely disabled that he can not do anything without a wheel chair. The Kid is a freaking Genius, yet has no way to get around and at one time could only communicate via a computer. He was like Hawkin’s, who is this child’s hero as well.
Are you stating that some children should be put on a mountain and be left to the wind as they did back when? The world isn’t perfect, so deal with it.
upinak on May 28, 2008 at 12:15 PM
I was wrong. From his book:
RushBaby on May 28, 2008 at 12:16 PM
The fact that he wasn’t on the news isn’t proof that he isn’t there or is uninvolved. He might just be at work and couldn’t get out.
Esthier on May 28, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Work?
Jaibones on May 28, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Not at all, a classroom is not a Democracy, it’s a controlled environment for learning with an authority figure put in charge call a “teacher.” That teacher is suppose to know better than to humiliate a debilitated child. What she did was totally unprofessional and proves she has no business in a classroom.
Maxx on May 28, 2008 at 12:22 PM
I feel for this little boy and his family. My twins turn 3 next Friday, and the elder is just now starting to string words together (his twin has maybe 10-15 words period). Tom went through a rough period a few months ago where he would get very frustrated and lash out because he could not use words to get his point across. Now, his behaviour was not acceptable, but it was considered normal. His teachers at preschool worked with him (and he made great progress), but in the end, it was another parent that forced us to leave.
I don’t know what the future holds for my twins. They have not been diagnosed with anything yet (no autism or learning disorders), and honestly nobody’s sure why they’re behind in speech. I do know that we’re going to be working our butts off to get them ready for kindergarten in two years so that they can interact fully with other kids their own age. I worry, though, after hearing about such cruelty. I had a tough time in school from teachers (I was very condescending to them, my own fault), but I don’t want my kids to suffer at the hands of other adults simply because they aren’t ‘perfect.’
This ‘teacher’ should never be allowed near children again. And Florida should reevaluate what it considers mental abuse to be.
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 12:24 PM
I too have a special needs child. My son has ADD, ADHD and Autism and its an uphill battle dealing with public schools. We had to pull him out of kindergarden once, and in battles with the school principle and his former teacher we prevailed and forced the school to give him an IEP. The school also has a new principle ;-)…
Their are professional advocates that will work on the school’s administration, but they’re expensive like lawyers, so we had to go it mostly on our own. It was a struggle just to get him back in.
After two years now and finding the right medication and dosage, Donovan is at the top of his first grade class and reading at a third grade level.
This poor kid is more then likely on a similar precipice as we were on with our son at five. I wish them good luck and good hunting!
liquidflorian on May 28, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Maybe she doesn’t always wear a wedding ring either.
Firmworm on May 28, 2008 at 12:25 PM
I know quite a few women who do not wear their wedding rings, because of the height. It has been known that the rings and the settings have been able to scratch the heck out of a child.
upinak on May 28, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Everyone is getting all upset, on both ends of the arguement. You cannot tell jack from the clip.
The child could be too disruptive to have in the class. The teacher might be a jerk and have a problem with him just being in the class. You cannot tell from the clip. Sheesh.
Theworldisnotenough on May 28, 2008 at 12:28 PM
I very rarely wear my wedding ring, and it doesn’t even look like a wedding ring at all (it’s a cushion-cut aquamarine with diamond accents). And if I were in this situation, you’d never find my husband – he’d be hiding in a safe place far away from my rightious outrage.
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Where’s the beef?
Kini on May 28, 2008 at 12:31 PM
My son has Asperger’s and had a lot of the same issues at 5. I’ve definitely gotten to points of frustration and said things that I probably shouldn’t but I can’t believe that the teacher didn’t catch herself a quarter of the way through the tirade and think “what the hell am I doing?”
Even though we’ve settled in to a great public school with a ton of support, what really got him to where he is today (at 7) is spending every extra dollar we had on OT, speech therapy, etc. This mom should get off the TV, forget about the stupid card drives and get to work.
noodle on May 28, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Ah, years from now, people will ask this “teacher,” “how does this job compare to when you worked with children?”
Seriously, apart from being curmudgeonly, does anyone really think it’s appropriate for a schoolteacher to encourage students to gang up on another student and publicly humiliate them?
If you do, please, please, get out from under your bridge now and then.
Half of those kids have had a solid taste of the power of sanctioned bullying, and the other half don’t trust teachers anymore. Way to go, Miss Stupid.
Merovign on May 28, 2008 at 12:33 PM
This is, quite frankly, a childish distraction from the point. But I watched the video again and she does have a wedding ring. So perhaps those who wish to cast aspersions because they think she isn’t married can find some other stupidity to focus on?
NotCoach on May 28, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Tenure and a stronger teachers’ union might be great for teachers. But they seem to have caused a progressive increase in students graduating without ever being educated. And, if present trends continue, more and more kids will be subjected to the kind of abuse this child was.
snaggletoothie on May 28, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Actually, you can assume he was being too disruptive but even then, having the class insult you and vote you out, as the teacher admitted she did, still makes her a jerk.
Maybe she doesn’t. Maybe they’re not married but live together. Maybe he left. Maybe he’s dead. Maybe she just lost it recently and needs to get it replaced.
There’s so many maybes. Feel free to pick your fav.
Esthier on May 28, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Anna,
You might check out the Baby Bumblebee line of DVDs and teaching aids. My sons was speech delayed (at 2 he only used a couple of words; he was recently diagnosed with autism so that’s the reason) so bought those videos and used the flash cards everyday. His vocabulary shot up very quickly and the tantrums decreased as he was able to express his needs.
SPCOlympics on May 28, 2008 at 12:35 PM
A couple of obsevations…
I noticed Mom did not try to discipline her child at all, or even control him, during the video. Very limited data, but very disturbing and may be a symptom of the problem. Even “special needs” kids should be disciplined.
School teachers have NO means of discpiline… except sending them to the office… something this child by his comment of “sitting with the principal” seems to have been somehow aware of. Me thinks there is much more to this story than Mom is saying.
And as much as folks with “special” children don’t like it? Sorry, but why don’t they spend as much of my tax dollars on MY kids as on those kids? Why is MY kids education being hampered by being in classrooms where the resources are being driven by law to a select subgroup?
I recently lived with a Middle School teacher for 5 years, I would, on a DAILY basis hear all about her trials and tribulations with a select group of students… almost all special needs… I know way too much about IEPs, and counselors…. and as she dealt with these children, the others in her class got LESS attention… LESS of an education….
I’m all for EQUAL rights, not granting a select subclass MORE rights.
Just a guess, but I could see a GOOD teacher allowing other kids to tell a disruptive one how THEY felt, how the disruptions hurt THEM… especialy when there is not other form of discipline available… cause it sure looked like Mom would not control the kids, cause he’s “special”.
Romeo13 on May 28, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Fixed that for ya.
I don’t see how anyone here can try to defend this teacher’s actions. No matter the child’s behavior in the classroom, this teacher is a menace. Who knows what else she has done?
mesablue on May 28, 2008 at 12:37 PM
I am so glad that you stir the question of why he was in a general education class. My son is mildly ADHD, but another boy in his class is full blown autistic. The other boy is definitely a special needs kid, and a huge distraction for my son’s concentration. He gets in trouble all the time, and my son has a bit of difficulty understanding that the other boy’s actions can’t be helped. The kid should not be mixed in with the other kids just for the sake of “inclusiveness” and “feel good”. He should be placed in a class catered to his needs where he can recieve a lot of individual attention and not be a distraction to the other kids.
On that note, what this teacher did was terrible.
Jay on May 28, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Those are GREAT DVD’s for children of all ages and speech issues. I got a friend using them now… her child has a terrible lisp and from cleft palate. He is doing much better.
upinak on May 28, 2008 at 12:38 PM
No, I’m putting in my two cents about the article. You are saying that because you disagree with my opinion I must leave. You have repeatedly suffered under the delusion that you run this site. You don’t. You have taken it to such an extreme that you have posted many obscene comments warranting those that do run the site to threaten you with banning. I tell you what — send an email to Allahpundit and demand that I am banned. Have at it. lol
Blake on May 28, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Oh, and while you sure can’t tell everything from the video, you can tell enough.
Or is there some ethical rationale we’re all missing for a teacher organizing a verbal firing squad against a small child?
This case is the poster child (for today) for the phrase, “There are other ways to deal with it.”
Merovign on May 28, 2008 at 12:38 PM
We will look into that. Thank you.
One of our problems is that they watch Dora with their sister, and know as many Spanish words as English words. This is a problem for their non-Spanish speaking mother. At three, they can finally get help from the schools in MD (where we’re moving); we’ve had trouble getting help because they’ve not been diagnosed with anything (other than being premature, boys, and twins).
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM
May I ask what ODD is?
Redhead Infidel on May 28, 2008 at 12:40 PM
The child has no value to add to the community of their classroom, therefore he has no value to the classroom. The good of the classroom outweighs the good of the individual. Steve Taylor wrote a great song about it.
29Victor on May 28, 2008 at 12:40 PM
That child was rather well behaved for his age and ability in my view. I think you are doing the proverbial “talking out your ass” bit quite well.
NotCoach on May 28, 2008 at 12:42 PM
But would a good teacher have the class vote the kid out?
Besides, your evaluation is based on how she is responding to her child while she is on camera. Most parents don’t discipline their children during a nationally televised interview.
In fact, I’ve never once seen a child disciplined in that instance.
Esthier on May 28, 2008 at 12:43 PM
Romeo13, I take it you don’t have an autistic kid, or even a ‘normal’ kid. You can’t just say ’stop it’ and expect the boy to go limp.
For one thing, boys at that age, especially autistic ones, view themselves as the center of the universe. And the fidget, fidget, fidget. And talk, and talk, and talk. They don’t understand that his fidgeting and talking is bothering others.
Secondly, discipline at that age would involve something like taking the boy off camera and giving him a talking to and a lengthy time out. Given the spontaneity and time constraints of news media, I doubt she would be given the opportunity to do multiple takes until they got an interview where the boy acted ‘normal’.
SPCOlympics on May 28, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Anyone here that has a five year old boy (Asperger’s or not) will tell you that his behavior on TV isn’t too bad, especially considering Mom is probably wheeling him around to anyone who’ll listen.
noodle on May 28, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Perhaps they meant PDD (pervasive development disorder)?
SPCOlympics on May 28, 2008 at 12:48 PM
WOW! Have you ever thought that when you were a child? Do you think all children who are “special” should be left on the sidelines.
What a jerk.
upinak on May 28, 2008 at 12:49 PM
My own observation…
You have never, ever worked with an Autistic person or know anything about Autism.
29Victor on May 28, 2008 at 12:50 PM
No, just speaking as a Parent who raised my 17 year old twins by myself.
A simple, “leave that alone” would not have been out of line on National TV. They do have this little thing called EDITING you know…
Romeo13 on May 28, 2008 at 12:51 PM
No, I’m saying if you dislike what content is covered, you are free to leave. Since you seem to fail to note this point, I feel someone might as well point it out to you. You can feel free to talk about “obscene” comments you think I have made, and ramble on about banning and emailing Allah and all the rest of the inane babble you’re skewing off to, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re whining that there is outrage over a damned teacher humiliating a five-fricking-year-old child who is autistic in front of all of his classmates, and her not seeing a damn thing wrong with it. Getting defensive because I point out your freedom to go to a site without “daily outrage” is not my problem, it’s yours.
MadisonConservative on May 28, 2008 at 12:51 PM
My 5yo little girl would have been 500x worse than the little boy on camera… she becomes a little ham in front of any type of lens. Kid must be tired from all this excitement, so his behaviour on camera should be weighed against that.
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 12:52 PM
No. I have never thought that when I was a child???? Do you happen to translate Japanese video games into English by any chance?
And… you didn’t follow the link, did you.
29Victor on May 28, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Go ahead and try teaching discipline to an autistic child, then come on back and tell us how it was just a matter of willpower.
You obviously have no experience with autism whatsoever. I do, and let me tell you, you’re completely off the mark.
MadisonConservative on May 28, 2008 at 12:53 PM
ah, the usual jump to a conclusion…
full time single parent, 17 year old twins… boy and girl.
Point being the kid was not being given ANY direction. Mom was ignoring the behaviour, not even telling his not to do it. Didn’t even seem to be paying ATTENTION to the kid… she was too busy being on TV.
Romeo13 on May 28, 2008 at 12:54 PM
The link isn’t working for me. Not sure why.
I apologize if I took it wrong.
upinak on May 28, 2008 at 12:54 PM
I did. I was outraged at what you said, but then I clicked on the link. The lyrics took me by surprise.
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Interesting, when Military members say this type of thing to Civilians, about military matters, its called the Chickenhawk arguement, and the one who makes it is immediatly dismissed as not having valid opinions….
Romeo13 on May 28, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Romeo13…I’m with you. I’m sick of throwing out the “experience” and safety of 99% of the class so that the parents of the other 1% can say how well their “special” child has “mainstreamed” at their next tea party.
Alden Pyle on May 28, 2008 at 12:58 PM
But isn’t that the point? It isn’t that easy to deal with an autistic or special needs child– even when he is the only child in the room. (as an aside, this child has not yet been diagnosed).
Someone that is frustrated may make the wrong choice- a bad choice. Are there no second chances- no teachable moments?
MayBee on May 28, 2008 at 12:58 PM
That almost always doesn’t work with autistic children. At best the child will ignore the command. A typical reaction, however, will be for the child voice, loudly, something like “Why can’t I touch it!”. In the worse case, the boy will have a very loud meltdown, making the interview impossible. Exerting more discipline will only make it worse.
Autistic children can easily become self-absorbed in inanimate objects. What parents learn is that if you are out in public and the child is relatively quiet and safe, you don’t interrupt them; you pick your battles wisely.
SPCOlympics on May 28, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Ok I got the link to work… quite cute. Lets hope it will be the answer!
upinak on May 28, 2008 at 1:02 PM
The end was quite funny with the teacher I think.
upinak on May 28, 2008 at 1:03 PM
Yeah it was.
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 1:04 PM
In point of fact that is not the “Chickenhawk” argument. Chickenhawk is a noun that supposedly refers to people who have not served and have no intention of serving being willing to let others go and fight and die for them because they love war safe at home. Thus since you are not willing to serve you have no right to express an opinion on any matters concerning war according to those who insist on calling others Chickenhawks.
And I am sorry, but you are totally off base in your assessment and I have no children myself. But I have observed enough young children to consider the child to be very well behaved considering the fact he has autism.
NotCoach on May 28, 2008 at 1:04 PM
I see, so your point is that autistic children are allowed to pretty much do what they wish, as the parents “choose” their battles… and the rest of society, including the other kids (and the teacher) in a classroom, are forced to deal with the behaviour?
And thats OK for the other kids?
Romeo13 on May 28, 2008 at 1:06 PM
The subtitles on the Chinese version of Star Trek are equally horrible.
http://winterson.com/2005/06/episode-iii-backstroke-of-west_19.html
Esthier on May 28, 2008 at 1:06 PM
That teacher is an idiot and should be fired. It was a horrible lesson for all the kids in the class. If the child was disruptive, which is probably the case, there are other ways to deal with him. Who in their right mind would berate a five year in front of his class and encourage the children to do the same!
Aggie85 on May 28, 2008 at 1:07 PM
upinak on May 28, 2008 at 12:54 PM
’sokay. I was sloppy and didn’t add any kind of tag.
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 12:54 PM
I’m glad you were outraged, I guess that was kinda my point (maybe I’m a performance artist and don’t even know it).
But more and more, this is what our society believes and teaches our kids. I remember twenty years ago doing “values clarification” exercises in class. The people who didn’t help the community were deemed as less valueable than those who did, so their lives mattered less then those who had something to add.
I see now that it was a backhanded way to teach us that things like abortion and active euthanasia are okay because a life has only the value to the extent that it benefits society, whether that society is a family or a country. As soon as it is no longer able to contribute it begins to loose rights until, eventually, it looses the right to live.
It’s Hegelian philosophy taken to one of its logical ends (some others being Marxism, Nazism and European Socialism).
29Victor on May 28, 2008 at 1:08 PM
The kid didn’t need to be on television in the first place…they weren’t interviewing him.
James on May 28, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Yeah, ’cause its the same thing. So, what’s next, you going to instruct people on how to drive the Space Shuttle? Because, by your logic, your lack of experience with piloting space shuttles shouldn’t in any way prohibit you from commenting on how they should be properly piloted.
29Victor on May 28, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Romeo13 on May 28, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Ah, so now raising an autistic kid is like being a Rocket scientist, which takes YEARS of special education and training?
So I guess you are for taking all these kids from their parents then? As the parents do not have the skills needed to raise them? That is the logical conslusion of your comment…
Or… is it as I suspect, just a silly comparison?
Romeo13 on May 28, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Your ignorance knows no bounds apparently. If a child, because of a disability, is incapable of understanding how his behaviour is not appropriate disciplining the child is not going to magically solve the problem. The issue with autistic children is first teaching them what normative behavior is so that you can get a normal response from them eventually when you do react to their behaviour.
I stand by my original comment. Talking out your assitus.
NotCoach on May 28, 2008 at 1:13 PM
Esthier on May 28, 2008 at 1:06 PM
LOL. Thanks for that, it has to be fake. Please tell me it’s fake.
29Victor on May 28, 2008 at 1:13 PM
He at least didn’t need a mike.
Esthier on May 28, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Props usually don’t.
James on May 28, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Tell me, are your children ‘normal’ or on the spectrum. Because it’s an entirely different world.
I have 2 sons. The older is the one who’s autistic. Until the second came along, we thought all of the older one’s problems were because we weren’t doing it right, that we were too lax with the discipline. When the second came we came to understand just how different autistic children are and how you have to be more accepting of the autistic child’s annoying traits. Normal discipline is largely ineffective.
A normal kid will eventually learn that behaving makes mommy happy and a happy mom makes me (the kid that is) happy. They understand that if I frown, they are doing something wrong and will probably stop.
Autistic children don’t have that kind of empathy. Or if they do it’s impaired. They have a hard time understanding that good behavior makes parents happy and bad behavior makes parents sad. And because of that impairment, controlling an autistic child is very difficult.
SPCOlympics on May 28, 2008 at 1:15 PM
No, not so interesting. I agree with the others even though I do not have children of my own because I actually do have SOME knowledge on the subject unlike yourself.
NotCoach on May 28, 2008 at 1:15 PM
I wish I could. It’s just too good though.
anakin: “that’s… that’s wonderful”
(”this… this is really too stick”)
anakin: “we’re not going to worry about anything right now, alright? this is a happy moment, the happiest moment of my life”
(”i no longer worried the other thing now. good. this is a happy time, the most happy time of inside of whole life”)
And that’s just one link. There was another that doesn’t seem to be working, and it’s got even more.
Esthier on May 28, 2008 at 1:17 PM
Right.
And sometimes someone might make a bad choice in trying to control the child, because nothing else has worked.
The person making the bad choice- whether its a teacher or a parent- does not need to be destroyed in a fit of national outrage.
MayBee on May 28, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Well, I’ll grant you that it’s not any sillier than your “chickenhawk” comparison. But, yes, it is an extremely silly comparison. Most parents of Autistic children will have some sort of training that probably lasts quite a bit longer than the training it takes to pilot a space shuttle. That training will be from counselors, instructors, doctors, videos and books, other parents of autistic children and from the child himself as he grows and the parent discovers his individual needs and how to “handle” him properly.
It will go on for years and years, quite possibly into the adulthood of the child.
The point, however, is not that raising an Autistic child is any easier or harder than piloting a space shuttle, the point is that you know not of what you speak, and yet you speak so boldly.
29Victor on May 28, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Maybe if mommy had a daddy around he would have enough commonsense to demand that be placed either in a self-contained class or with a full-time aid to control the kid.
The mother over thinks her importance. I hope her 15 minutes of fame is about 13 minutes short and the ride down is fast and hard.
Tim Burton on May 28, 2008 at 1:22 PM
I’m not sure I understand your issue here. Your child is in a private institution. If you don’t approve of the way it’s run, specifically that some special needs children are dangerously uncontrollable, then why does your child continue to go there?
SouthernDem on May 28, 2008 at 1:26 PM
Of course the teacher does. Apparently that’s what the teacher believes should happen. It’s what she did to the kid.
If someone does something that the others find disruptive they should be held up to public ridicule and their worthiness to remain a part of society should be judged by the majority of those present. Yes?
29Victor on May 28, 2008 at 1:29 PM
Why is the assumption that the boy’s father is not around? Just because he is not being interviewed? I’m curious.
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 1:30 PM
When I was in 4th grade, a teacher mistakingly thought I had made another student cry. The crying kid was hiding in the bathroom and the teacher made me go down and apologize. When I got back she had organized the whole class so they would call me names. They did. Some of the kids were privy to a sensitive family situation I was in and included it in the taunting. It’s the only thing I remember about that teacher. She soured me on school for a long time.
In high school, our principal carried on a long time sexual relationship with a student. Two teachers transferred to other schools because of it. (One of those teachers took me aside and told me the affair was why she was leaving) The principal and the student continued the relationship until well after our 10 year reunion. The student is now on the downhill side to 50 years old. She has severe mental and emotional issues. While the principal can’t be blamed for all her problems, he was a huge part of them.
While teachers are bound to make mistakes from time to time and lose their tempers, this lady needs to be fired. Kids can and WILL be scarred for life because of the actions of the teacher. They can make a lasting impression for good or bad.
GoodBoy on May 28, 2008 at 1:32 PM
A bad choice would be yelling at or smacking the kid.
Humiliating them and involving the entire class in the humiliation is not a bad choice. It’s a vindictive, petty, disgusting choice.
MadisonConservative on May 28, 2008 at 1:34 PM
I think what this thread teaches us all, is that some people will take a position simply because it’s unlocked and there’s no one in it.
Merovign on May 28, 2008 at 1:35 PM
Anna:
The argument seems to be, “there’s not enough information in the video to judge the teacher, but the complete lack of information on the father is enough to judge him!!!”
Which is, of course, hi-larious.
Merovign on May 28, 2008 at 1:36 PM
Uh Huh.
ODD = “oppositional defiant disorder”
Kids with ODD are a real problem in a classroom and can be a threat to physically harm a teacher or another student.
But it is almost impossible to exclude them from public schools. It’s one of many problems that have turned public schools into babysitting services for kids with disabilities or who just don’t care about learning.
funky chicken on May 28, 2008 at 1:38 PM
29Victor- the teacher did not hold the child up to national ridicule, and did not parade him around on television and in news stories. We don’t know exactly what she did, but whatever it was happened among his peers not in front of a national audience.
If you want to say her treatment should be analogous to his, it already was. In fact, she has been judged by her peers and her employers. They decided how to handle her.
MayBee on May 28, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Oppositional-Defiant Disorder.
The teacher should be fired. Out of a cannon.
DrSteve on May 28, 2008 at 1:39 PM
funky, I owe you a Coke.
DrSteve on May 28, 2008 at 1:40 PM
So smacking the child would be a forgivable mistake in your book? And not humiliating?
In the schools I’ve been around lately, yelling at and smacking a student is definitely less accepted than talking about how the student makes you ‘feel’.
MayBee on May 28, 2008 at 1:42 PM
How do you know that she didn’t try very hard to reach the kid, and the mother, and her administration many times to try to communicate that this kid was ruining the learning environment for the rest of the people in that classroom?
funky chicken on May 28, 2008 at 1:43 PM
It gets me that people assume that if the father is not right there, he must not be there at all. I get looks when I go out with all three kids (usually without my ring on)… my husband is military, he cannot possibly be around all the time. Heck, I’m waiting for someone to jump on the mother for looking well-put together – obviously, if she has time to do her hair, she must not be caring for her child properly (or some other nonsense like that).
Anna on May 28, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Smacking a child would likely be an instant reaction that doesn’t require much thought. I’m not saying it’s excusable, but I am saying it’s something that often happens in a second, and you immediately regret it.
This woman set up a whole situation to humiliate him, and carried it out. She had plenty of time to stop and consider her actions. Major difference. You can’t see that?
MadisonConservative on May 28, 2008 at 1:51 PM
Check out http://www.mommylife.net for a brief explanation of why Alex Barton was in the mainstream and not a special ed class.
Nolamom67 on May 28, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Disgraceful. The teacher should be forced to stand in front of 16 school administrators and told whether she will be fired and never be allowed to teach again. I wonder if she will get 2 votes against firing?
awake on May 28, 2008 at 1:59 PM
My first grade teacher used to send me home crying with my papers full of red marks and comments. FIRST GRADE! She went as far as to state that she believed that I was retarded. She tried the same shenanigans with my older brother. We weren’t dumb, we were bored.
My mother went down to the school and told my teacher that if I ever came home with another such paper she would have her in the principals office so fast it would make her head spin.
This teacher barely registers in my memory; a credit to her teaching style and personality (read: lack of). I remember nearly every other teacher from elementary school for they had impact (positive impact) on me. Who knows where this sad little creature ended up because she was gone not long after I finished her class.
There has got to be more to teacher education and training than being able to create and implement a lesson plan. Please, teachers out there, tell me there is. I have a three-year-old that will be heading (at this point) to public school.
ej_pez on May 28, 2008 at 2:01 PM
What I can see is if she would have smacked the kid, she would have been in a boatload of trouble.
The other thing I can see is that I don’t know anything about the teacher, anything about what she’s been through regarding this student, anything about what she’s learned from this situation, and that I would feel immoral calling for her firing with so little knowledge of the situation.
MayBee on May 28, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Hmmm… lets see… chickenhawk arguement…
I a military member, speaking based on my EXPERIENCE in the military disagree with your opinion… you a civilian who has never served. If you wish to speak with authority on this issue, then go serve, or, you are a chickenhawk, and thus not entitled to your opinion.
Here, people who don’t know my background, and jumping to conclusions about it, disagree with my opinion, and am told I KNOW NOTHING because I don’t have an autistic child, and so my opinion is “a$$tastic”?
If you can’t see the corolary in the arguement style, I can’t help you.
Romeo13 on May 28, 2008 at 2:09 PM
yep…..taught jr. high. “Mainstreaming” is a disaster for the disabled and the normal kids. And it tears the teachers up. One teacher can’t be academic instructor, counselor, nurse, and physical restrainor…..but that is what public schools tell teachers they have to be.
One can occasionally find parents of special needs kids who are very eager to do whatever they can to help make sure that their kids get what they need and get the kid to grasp classroom expectations for behavior. As a teacher, those parents are like gold…..but usually the parents are either in total denial or are experts in playing the system to maintain their free babysitting service at any and all costs.
funky chicken on May 28, 2008 at 2:09 PM
Please don’t lie about what I said. I stated that it was obvious that you have no experience with people with autism. That was based on your cavalier attitude towards their ability to take typical commands, particularly as children. Therefore, I can only assume that you are speaking from a position of no actual knowledge. I never insulted you, so don’t accuse me of such.
MadisonConservative on May 28, 2008 at 2:15 PM
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