School evacuates all students ~ except 2, in wheelchairs

When a Carroll County high school had an emergency evacuation, everyone got out except for two students who were confined to wheelchairs.

They were abandoned in the stairwell on the second floor.

WBAL-TV 11 News reporter John Sheman said there is a policy at Westminster High School for what to do with the two students in wheelchairs in case of a fire.

The policy said because their classrooms are on the second floor, teachers are to lead them to the second floor stairwell and leave them there and wait for the fire crews to come to their rescue while everyone else evacuates.

Jeremy Freeze, 16, has cerebral palsy. His parents, Cassie and Tom, said what happened to their son at Westminster High recently could have killed him." There was a fire at Westminster High School just prior to the Christmas break, and I was alerted to the fact that Jeremy was left in the stairwell as the other children were evacuated,"

Cassie said."If children are to be evacuated from that school, I want our children evacuated with them," Tom said.

Jeremy wasn't alone waiting in the school stairwell as it filled with smoke. Robin Miller's son Brian, the only other child in the school with a wheelchair, was with him."

I got a call from a teacher the day there was a fire and they said (Brian) was hysterical because all the other children were evacuated, he was left in a stairwell with Jeremy," Robin said.Robin, Cassie and Tom all said they think the common sense solution is move their kids' classes to the first floor. They said they were told the second floor is best because it's closer to the lunchroom and therefore more convenient.

"He won't be late for lunch, but he'll burn if there's a fire,"

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/education/4048808/detail.html

This doesn't surprise me at all.........

fivekidz4me said:

This doesn't surprise me at all.........

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It wouldnt happen in Australia, dont you guys have "equal opportunities" laws or "descrimination" laws or "civil right" laws or even "Oc Health Safety" laws.

Do you have any laws that are in place to protect SP N kids at all????????
Thats an honest question there because the more i read (these articles) the more i think you dont :waitasec:

~aussieb

Those parents need to follow all the procedures--go to administration, go to the school board, and then file a hefty lawsuit. Maybe when the papers are served, someone will "see the light" and make some changes in what has to rank among the top five stupid policies I've ever seen. Leave behind the ones who cannot help themselves......what insane jerk ever came up with THAT?

I am a teacher in Georgia, it is MY responsibility to get ALL of my students OUT of the building. It doesn't matter if they are deaf, blind, or in wheel-chairs. (I have taught all of these disabilites and more in a regular education classroom.) These parents need to raise H*#$ at the next school board meeting and consider contacting child advocacy groups with lawyers.
I am ashamed of the school's behavior!

This wasn't even a drill.. it was a real emergency

Common decency, humanity would not allow you to leave a child in a school filling with smoke ~ I don't know how big/heavy these kids were but a few of the teachers could have carried them down the stairs if they had to.

If impossible to carry them out ~ a decent person would have stayed with them until the fire resuce arrived.

Pandora said:

I am a teacher in Georgia, it is MY responsibility to get ALL of my students OUT of the building. It doesn't matter if they are deaf, blind, or in wheel-chairs. (I have taught all of these disabilites and more in a regular education classroom.) These parents need to raise H*#$ at the next school board meeting and consider contacting child advocacy groups with lawyers.
I am ashamed of the school's behavior!

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Hi Pandora,

I'm a Special Needs advocate here in Aussieland.
I posted earlier that this would never happen in Aussieland because of our laws.

For this school to have this policy would have to mean that you DONT have laws to ensure "equal opportunity" or "anti-descrimination" for those who are ability impaired in your school system.

If those laws where in place no school council could inforce such a policy as it SCREAMS discrimination and its no where near "equal opportunity".

:waitasec: hmmmmmmm am i making sense to you?????? lol

I'll try it this way lol

An aussie school could not enforce/implement such a policy because of our laws. It (policy) wouldnt even get off the ground lol

sheeeeesh i shouldnt have tried this post lol its 3am here i need sleep!!

~aussieb

The laws here (in the US) regarding special needs students are FEDERAL; however, schools, school districts, and school boards often create rules and policies which are AGAINST the federal (and sometimes state) laws. Public school systems do not have the funds to hire school law experts. Teachers and parents here are seemingly responsible for MAKING schools (and other government run institutions) do what they are required to do by law.

The policies in question are enforced/implemented until the schools are FORCED to follow the law.

Why not move the classrooms for these two students to the ground floor? Doesn't seem like it would be that difficult.

Pandora said:

The laws here (in the US) regarding special needs students are FEDERAL; however, schools, school districts, and school boards often create rules and policies which are AGAINST the federal (and sometimes state) laws. Public school systems do not have the funds to hire school law experts. Teachers and parents here are seemingly responsible for MAKING schools (and other government run institutions) do what they are required to do by law.

The policies in question are enforced/implemented until the schools are FORCED to follow the law.

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And our children are covered under ADA (american with disabilities act) to prevent discrimination. Three of my friends filed a class action for discrimination...back in 2001...still having hearings...the process is soooooooo
long, and soooooo expensive, many just move away, or grow old and tired.
*Public school systems HIRE THE BEST LAYWERS TO GET THEM OUTTA TROUBLE-they pay BIG BUCKS to LAW FIRMS to save money-at the cost of children.....

How interesting that NO teacher decided to stay with them. There were hero's that lost their lives staying with wheelchair bound in 9/11. Lousy horrible terrible. I cannot believe this.

Just because you are a teacher or an administrator apparently doesn't mean that you can also think.

I can't believe anyone with ANY morals would leave a person in a wheelchair in the stairwell. How rediculous... Leave the chair if you cant manage it maybe - but you can always drag the person out !! This is absolutely rediculous!!

How would you dare look the parents of those students in the face and explain to them how you left their precious child alone to burn???????? SHAME ON THEM!!!!!