Posted on 04/05/2024 4:50:00 AM PDT by V_TWIN
The family of a West Clermont High School boy who was allegedly taped to a chair by school staff talked about the incident for the first time.
Two former staff members are facing charges after police say one of them recorded the whole thing on her cell phone. Mark and Angela Hodge said they wanted to wait until the investigation was complete and charges were filed before they spoke.
With a former teacher and a teacher's aide now due in court, they're breaking their silence about the issue that's left them shocked and shaken.
“He’s a very resilient kid though. He’s always happy. You can pretty much do anything with him and he’s always laughing, smiling, and having a good time,” said Mark Hodge.
Mark Hodge was joined by his wife, Angela, and their 15-year-old son, Dustin. They said that Dustin loves going to school every day.
“Dustin has down syndrome and also has autism, he’s very loving and very funny,” said Hodge.
But on March 1, something at school left his parents shaken. Police say that a teacher and a teacher's aide restrained Dustin by taping him to a chair. One of them even recorded it on her cell phone.
“I saw his arms down to his side and he was completely taped from his arms around his waist and around the chair. He could move his hands at the bottom of the chair and that’s it,” said Angela Hodge.
His parents said that Dustin isn't very verbal and this took away his ability to communicate.
“You hold his hands and it’s like putting a piece of tape over his mouth, that’s how he expresses himself, he’s constantly moving his hands,” said Mark.
His parents said the video showed Dustin begging someone to come over and cut the tape.
"He doesn’t like to be restrained in any way, whenever he’s restrained he kind of starts freaking out,” said Mark.
Both staff members told police they didn't do it as a punishment, but that they did as a joke.
“It was disgusting how they were laughing at him for their own fun to get kicks,” said Mark.
Police have charged the now-former staff members, Allison Vestring and Rachel Smith, with misdemeanor unlawful restraint.
“I’m sure the teachers did not do this as a joke.”
You might wanna take the time to actually read the article.....the teachers THEMSELVES state it was done as a joke.
Do you think the teachers are lying when they say they did it as a joke? What could they be covering up that would be even worse than the lie?
I read the article and I know they said that, but I don’t believe it was a joke. It’s not funny and everyone knows it’s not funny.
Why do people do this? I remember in one book reading that Hitler prorogated his worst policies "under four eyes". Meaning of course there was no record.
The problem is that people with an 80 IQ should not be in the public school system in the first place... that is, when they are the teachers.
FWIW, I’m with you. I can scarcely believe it was done as some kind of joke. (Not these days and not with special education students.) So much disinformation appears in the news these days (and particularly where Trump is concerned) I just get the feeling we’re not getting the whole story or we’re getting a slanted one.
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