Special needs child "voted" out of classroom

[SuziQ]

My understanding of it is second hand Jenna because I don't have kids in the public schoool system. From what I have learned from Taximom it is a meeting with your childs teacher and guidence counselor. In that meeting a plan is written up about what they will concentrate on in the coming school year and how they will deal with any issues the child may have.

Just been there and done that with the IEP meeting and in Junior High school it is with 7 teachers! This story hits close to home for me. Poor little guy.

 

[Paladin]

Absolutely!!!! I grew up in the 60s and 70s, when we listened to EVERY adult, whether we knew them or not! We wouldn't dream of back talking a grown up.

However, I don't advocate hitting a child no matter what.

I got spanked probably...twice growing up. The parents saved that for REALLY bad things I did. And you know what? It worked. I never did those things again.

And by the way...these weren't spanks with a strap or a switch or a belt or anything that left bruises etc. Just spanks that stung a little bit. I think what hurt more than the spank itself was the impending fear.

I might consider doing the same with my own children.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I got spanked probably...twice growing up. The parents saved that for REALLY bad things I did. And you know what? It worked. I never did those things again.

And by the way...these weren't spanks with a strap or a switch or a belt or anything that left bruises etc. Just spanks that stung a little bit. I think what hurt more than the spank itself was the impending fear.

I might consider doing the same with my own children.

I got spanked at least once a day. I was spanked with everything from an electrical cord, tree limb, coffee table, belt, you name it.

It only made me angry. That's why, for me anyway, I don't think it works.

 

[SuziQ]

My now 10 year old son had a horrible time in first grade. He was in a class that was supposedly advanced, but the teacher was a first year teacher in the district. (she had taught elsewhere and not done well at all - per friends of ours with children in the other school) She had my poor sensitive boy so messed up that at 6, he told me that he couldn't wait until he was 16, so he could quit school. I went to his IEP like a woman possessed. She claimed that he had ADHD, when he'd never shown a single symptom. And when she flat out lied in the meeting, I went after her.(with words, not beating her like I wanted to!) She looked like a pathetic 12 year old when I was done with her. Grr Unfortunately, she still teaches at that school, but when she sees me coming, she hides. LOL
This thread just really pi**es me off!

Omg, you just told my story! I am horrified after reading this thread. How many cases do we have like this out there?

 

[Taximom]

I got spanked at least once a day. I was spanked with everything from an electrical cord, tree limb, coffee table, belt, you name it.

It only made me angry. That's why, for me anyway, I don't think it works.

Hey, weren't you first in line when was getting ready to hand out spankings? :waitasec: :crazy:



For another poster, I simply have this to say:

 

[txsvicki]

I think this child tribunal thing is a very bad idea. It could cause children to start taking sides against another child and isn't fair to those who are having medical problems and can't help some of their actions. I'll never believe that children act up horribly on purpose or because they're just mean. Children at that age take things literally. The poor child probably thought that he would have to sit at the office everyday at school or that his mom or daycare wouldn't be able to find him after school.

 

[LinasK]

Dear Floh,
I too was also bullied in school. I was so depressed that I had to be put on depression medicine in high school. It just seemed like it never stopped I was never invited to prom or any of my class reunions. our second high school reunion (10 years) is comming up and I have heard nothing.

I was also bullied for 3 years- 4th, 5th, and 6th grades and the teachers did nothing. It wasn't till the 6th grades became nobodys in Junior High- 7th grade scrubs, that life got better. My friends wouldn't be seen with me in public and I was pushed into a fight and they formed a ring around me hoping to see me get beaten up.
Fortunately at my last high school re-union, one of my main tormentors who started the name-calling voluntarily came up and said "hi" to me. That was big of him, he's finally matured!

 

[LinasK]

I am glad you said that because I am sure there will be people thinking how bad this child must be and that he perhaps deserved it.

"Behavior problems" span a huge gap and it's probably something as simple as not listening and tantrums, etc. The kid is 5, it shouldn't be anything that this "teacher" had to deal with like that. I wonder if there had been any discussion with the parents prior to this.

I have a good friend who has a 7-year-old autistic son who has behavior problems. He is taken out of his classroom when he has problems, and you can believe he has an IEP! This teacher definitely deserves to be fired. Doesn't matter whether the little boy's special needs caused his behavior problems or not, no child deserves to be ridiculed in front of their classmates like this!:furious: This teacher needs to be educated in the behaviors of special needs children and not continue teaching if this is how she acts!!!

 

[Beyond Belief]

Ooh, this makes me mad too. Why is the school evaluating and a principal initiating a proper diagnosis when the child obviously had caring parents who are capable to getting a medical doctor! I know the school is required if asked to do a full and individual evaluation and they can also help get in to see a medical doctor for diagnosis but the parent can get their own if they have medicaid or insurance. Why is the toddler victim of an abuser being blamed for this incident and having all his medical information drug through the public.

I have had two kids educated in this counties school system. The first one started in 1974 and the last one just graduated, so I have seen alot.
Here's some of this mornings news article:
Barton said Tuesday morning Alex was officially diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. He is not in school, but he misses the one friend he made in the classroom since he moved to the school in January, she said.
And the class vote didn't just affect Alex.
His friend and classmate Spencer Clawson has been upset by what happened, Spencer's mother Stacie Clawson said. Clawson said she talked with her 6-year-old son after she heard about the incident.
She said she asked him to close his eyes and imagine how he would feel if this happened to him. As he did, his face changed, Clawson said.
"He said, 'That was mean,'" Clawson said.
Clawson said Spencer originally voted to keep Alex in class. But his teacher pressed him further and asked if he was sure. So Spencer reluctantly agreed to change his vote.
"He's a good boy. He doesn't want to defy authority," Clawson said.
Clawson said the class had been learning about voting, which was why there was a vote taken. But she said she felt sad about what happened to Alex.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may/27/school-district-reassigns-teacher-after/

 

[Floh]

I was also bullied for 3 years- 4th, 5th, and 6th grades and the teachers did nothing. It wasn't till the 6th grades became nobodys in Junior High- 7th grade scrubs, that life got better. My friends wouldn't be seen with me in public and I was pushed into a fight and they formed a ring around me hoping to see me get beaten up.
Fortunately at my last high school re-union, one of my main tormentors who started the name-calling voluntarily came up and said "hi" to me. That was big of him, he's finally matured!

What a , LinasK!

i'm sorry you were bullied.

 

[Floh]

I have had two kids educated in this counties school system. The first one started in 1974 and the last one just graduated, so I have seen alot.
Here's some of this mornings news article:
Barton said Tuesday morning Alex was officially diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. He is not in school, but he misses the one friend he made in the classroom since he moved to the school in January, she said.
And the class vote didn't just affect Alex.
His friend and classmate Spencer Clawson has been upset by what happened, Spencer's mother Stacie Clawson said. Clawson said she talked with her 6-year-old son after she heard about the incident.
She said she asked him to close his eyes and imagine how he would feel if this happened to him. As he did, his face changed, Clawson said.
"He said, 'That was mean,'" Clawson said.
Clawson said Spencer originally voted to keep Alex in class. But his teacher pressed him further and asked if he was sure. So Spencer reluctantly agreed to change his vote.
"He's a good boy. He doesn't want to defy authority," Clawson said.
Clawson said the class had been learning about voting, which was why there was a vote taken. But she said she felt sad about what happened to Alex.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may/27/school-district-reassigns-teacher-after/

This Wendy Portillo woman really, really, really must not be allowed to work with children ever again! :furious:

or any vulnerable people, for that matter! :furious:

 

[Floh]

The vote is up to 973 signatures now.

The petition Let's vote Wendy Portillo out of her Kindergarten class! is here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Fire-teacher-for-unprofessional-conduct

btw, online petitions are of no earthly use, IMO, but it should send a message people are angry.

 

[XcomSquaddie]

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may/27/school-district-reassigns-teacher-after/

Thanks for that link.

Because the class was studying tallies and vote-taking, Portillo then led a class vote as to whether Alex should be allowed to stay in the class.

If you're studying voting then you hold up two kinds of snacks and vote on which one you have. Or have them vote on a mock presidential election.

District officials said Portillo — who has been a teacher for 12 years, nine at Morningside — was reassigned to the district offices.

A lot can happen in twelve years.

Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon said the district has to follow its policies and procedures and investigate the matter. If the allegations are true, the teacher could be fired, Lannon said.

"Fired" my a$$. If the allegations are true she should be barred from teaching permanently.

 

[Floh]

"Fired" my a$$. If the allegations are true she should be barred from teaching permanently.

Yes! :furious:

 

[SewingDeb]

IEP's are also drawn up for children with very high IQ's. We had to go to meetings every year for my two youngest daughters. They were way above the gifted classes even so they had individual education plans that were separate from the gifted IEP's. Unfortunately, the school's idea was to have them out of any classes and in the library doing their own research on their own. Since they were in different grades, they weren't even in the library together. They missed their friends and felt like they missed out on a lot that went on in the classroom. The teachers also seemed to think piling on homework was the thing to do. We didn't go to bed before midnight most nights. We finally had a little talk with the principal and that changed. We let him know we wanted them to be challenged but not stressed to the limit.

Back on topic, I heard on CNN this morning that this particular teacher has been reassigned out of the classroom pending further action.

 

[SewingDeb]

The little boy's mother was on this CNN this morning. She said the teacher had each student tell why they didn't like her son before the vote off. His mother said he put it as each one told why they "hate" him. The interviewer compared it to a reality show where you are voted off the island.

This makes me so angry! I am just livid that this poor child was put through this. His mother thinks other children may have gone through this as well.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Hey, weren't you first in line when was getting ready to hand out spankings? :waitasec: :crazy:



For another poster, I simply have this to say:

No, I simply announced that they were available.

 

[Floh]

IEP's are also drawn up for children with very high IQ's. We had to go to meetings every year for my two youngest daughters. They were way above the gifted classes even so they had individual education plans that were separate from the gifted IEP's. Unfortunately, the school's idea was to have them out of any classes and in the library doing their own research on their own. Since they were in different grades, they weren't even in the library together. They missed their friends and felt like they missed out on a lot that went on in the classroom. The teachers also seemed to think piling on homework was the thing to do. We didn't go to bed before midnight most nights. We finally had a little talk with the principal and that changed. We let him know we wanted them to be challenged but not stressed to the limit.

Back on topic, I heard on CNN this morning that this particular teacher has been reassigned out of the classroom pending further action.

She must be reassigned right out of the school and fired, never to return to a classroom.

 

[Beyond Belief]

This county is in a uproar over this. Acouple of weeks ago it was an issue overtwo coaches reading they had been replaced in the paper before the h.s. principal told them. Then the vice principal of that school quit.
I really would like to know what had been going on inthis kindergarden class all year to lead up to this vote. What I mean is why this boy?

 

[sherri79]

i am not buying this crap about how it was a lesson in voting. if the purpose was to learn to vote then why pressure the children to change their votes and why actually follow through and kick the child out of class when the vote went against him? the study of voting may have given the teacher the idea but she was setting out to hurt and punish the child not teach anything imo. unfortunately she did teach all the children in the process. alex learned school is not a safe place and teachers can not be trusted. the other children learned to bully.