Teacher allowed class to vote Autistic child out of class

[brittone2]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358956,00.html

In light of the recent mainstreaming discussion I thought this might be of interest. How terribly sad.

eta: he is a Kindergardner

[VClute]

Sigh.... I wish I hadn't read that. DS has recently lapsed into "autism overdrive" (I thought we were making so much progress!) and it hurts my heart to think that he may have THIS kind of thing to contend with in just a couple of years...

[octmom]

That is absolutely horrible. :cry: :nodno: That poor little boy!

[nov04]

I'm in complete shock that something like this could happen. Was the teacher temporarily insane to have such a lapse in judgement??? And this incident was not categorized as emotional abuse by the principal???

[MamaMolly]

Shame on that teacher!! I am stunned.

[annasmom]

I saw this last night on the news. I cannot get my head wrapped around it.

It is so horrible for a teacher to do such a thing to ANY child. Knowing that the child has Asperger's just makes it so much worse.

[DrSally]

I saw this on the news last night, but they didn't go into specifics. Some people are so ignorant! I also read recently that a priest (I think) had a restraining order put out on a teenage autistic boy so he wasn't allowed to come to mass. The family is getting a lot of support from the community and activist groups on this one.

[maestramommy]

Wow, this was totally not what I expected when I clicked on the link. How barbaric.

[MartiesMom2B]

Excuse my language, but that's the most f'd up thing that I've heard of in a long time. That teacher should be fired.

[Twoboos]

That's just so messed up, I cannot comprehend. Teaching her class that it's OK to vote someone off is bad enough but a boy with Asperger's?? In Kindergarden???

Sounds like she'll be getting voted off next... Rhymes-with-witch.

[Puddy73]

Excuse my language, but that's the most f'd up thing that I've heard of in a long time. That teacher should be fired.

Ditto. That is absolutely horrible and heartbreaking.

[kransden]

What in the world was she thinking?

[lmwbasye]

"Each student was also allowed to say what he or she did not like about Alex. By a 14-to-2 margin, the students voted Alex out of class, according to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel."

What is really sad is something extremely similar to this first part of this statement occurred in my school this year (kindergarten as well) and no one does anything about this teacher!

This is absolutely uncalled for and just the meanest thing I have ever heard. And here we are pushing for inclusion. Ugh!!! Makes me want to scream!!!!!

[Emmas Mom]

She should absolutely be fired & not allowed to teach again until she has a PhD in Child Development with a specialty in Autism!!! I would be LIVID if my child was in that class & she actually put it to a vote! Sign me up for her jury trial so I can give her a piece of my mind!! :nono: (ok, I know there won't be a jury trial but there should be....on her competence as a teacher)

[bubbaray]

http://www.wave3.com/global/Story.asp?s=8388558

I hope both teachers are fired. Period. No excuses.

[VClute]

Gah! And wouldn't you know it? The TEACHERS UNION is backing the teacher! ARGH!

[bubbaray]

Gah! And wouldn't you know it? The TEACHERS UNION is backing the teacher! ARGH!


They might have a duty of fair representation. Not that I'm not as horrified as you are about it, but they might have no choice. Or, the union might condone such behavior. Which is a different issue all together.

[mommy111]

WTF?????? Excuse my language, but WTF??????????? What qualifies this person to teach 5 year olds? I would rather my child learn good behavior and empathy from a teacher than learn her ABCs.

[Radosti]

When I was little, in Ukraine, I know my mom went to bat for me several times. The fact that I was main-stream was all through her efforts. Aspergers wasn't even a diagnosis back then (and especially not in Ukraine), so she devised my therapy and did not allow my teachers to treat me badly. I was ostracized by many of the little kids, and the teachers made quite a few off-hand comments. But if one of them behaved like that, she'd have taken her down quite a few notches.

If one of those teachers made my DS vote like that, I'd be livid. We are teaching him to be sensitive, loving and understanding. And the teacher even made the kid's best friend vote too. How nasty!!!

[mudder17]

Oh my gosh, I'm just crying for that poor boy! I don't know what that teacher was thinking, but she should NOT be allowed to teach again until she's done some mandatory sensitivity training and done student teaching (under a mentor) in special ed.