Posted on 05/25/2008 1:36:54 AM PDT by LibWhacker
PORT ST. LUCIE — Melissa Barton said she is considering legal action after her son's kindergarten teacher led his classmates to vote him out of class.
After each classmate was allowed to say what they didn't like about Barton's 5-year-old son, Alex, his Morningside Elementary teacher Wendy Portillo said they were going to take a vote, Barton said.
By a 14 to 2 margin, the students voted Alex — who is in the process of being diagnosed with autism — out of the class.
Melissa Barton filed a complaint with Morningside's school resource officer, who investigated the matter, Port St. Lucie Department spokeswoman Michelle Steele said. But the state attorney's office concluded the matter did not meet the criteria for emotional child abuse, so no criminal charges will be filed, Steele said.
Port St. Lucie Police no longer are investigating, but police officials are documenting the complaint, she said.
Steele said the teacher confirmed the incident took place.
Portillo could not be reached for comment Friday.
Steele said the boy had been sent to the principal's office because of disciplinary issues. When he returned, Portillo made him go to the front of the room as a form of punishment, she said.
Barton said her son is in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a type of high-functioning autism. Alex began the testing process in February at the suggestion of Morningside Principal Marcia Cully.
Children diagnosed with Asperger's often exhibit social isolation and eccentric behavior..
Alex has had disciplinary issues because of his disability, Barton said. After the family moved into the area and Alex and his sibling arrived at the school in January, Alex spent much of the time in the principal's office, she said.
He also had problems at his last school, but he did not have issues during his two years of preschool, Barton said.
School and district officials have met with Barton and her son to create an individual education plan to address his difficulties, she said. Portillo attended these meetings, Barton said.
Barton said after the vote, Portillo asked Alex how he felt.
"He said, 'I feel sad,' " Barton said.
Alex left the classroom and spent the rest of the day in the nurse's office, she said.
Barton said when she came to pick up her son at the school Wednesday, he was leaving the nurse's office.
"He was shaken up," she said.
Barton said the nurse told her to talk with Portillo, who told her what happened.
Alex hasn't been back to school since then, and Barton said he won't be returning. He starts screaming when she brings him with her to drop off his sibling at school.
Thursday night, his mother heard him saying "I'm not special" over and over.
Barton said Alex is reliving the incident.
The other students said he was "disgusting" and "annoying," Barton said.
"He was incredibly upset," Barton said. "The only friend he has ever made in his life was forced to do this."
St. Lucie School's spokeswoman Janice Karst said the district is investigating the incident, but could not make any further comment.
Vern Melvin, Department of Children and Families circuit administrator, confirmed the agency is investigating an allegation of abuse at Morningside but said he could not elaborate.
"Rawhide" is right. The kid MAY have autism. Even if he does does that give him the right to ruin the class?
You will find on these autism threads that a kid with autism should be allowed to disrupt the world and we should just keep our mouths shut about it.
How horrible for this poor kid. I think this teacher watched one too many episodes of Survivor.
“Even if he does does that give him the right to ruin the class?”
Didn’t say it did. But is that any excuse to allow a bunch of 5-year olds to vote against one of their peers?
Let me ask you what such a vote could accomplish. Could it actually expel him from the class? No. Could it be brought up as credible evidence in a board meeting? No.
Could it devestate the emotional well-being of a child?
Absolutely.
No child left behind, ya' know! It goes along with the new Mandatory Psychological testing programs...
Don't ya' just luv Amerika?
Exactly...I can’t imagine what this teacher thought she would accomplish by singling out this kid and ridiculing him in front of his class. In many ways, five year olds are still babies. He shouldn’t be allowed to disrupt the class, but there were many other ways this could have been handled. The teacher is an idiot.
My eye! Maybe he'll learn to stop being a jerk. Why are we so afraid to teach children a lesson in humility?
“Perhaps,”
This loone was using a frigen TV survivor show tactics to teach....she needs to be fired!
btt
He is five years old. The only lesson this kid learned was that he was singled out for ridicule. Good grief...how cold hearted can one be?
My kid was bullied for no reason - in a parochial school, no less! We enrolled him in a martial arts school to learn Kung Fu and it has helped tremendously. He is now 16, has an adult’s green belt, and is an assistant instructor working towards that ultimate achievement, the black belt.
Socialization: when I first started home schooling, I heard it a lot - about how he wouldn’t be properly socialized. Well, that’s bull! Why should he be socialized with children who use drugs and have emotional problems, when he or she can develope a closer, respectful relationship with his parents and siblings through home schooling?
We went on plenty of field trips to all sorts of places. He enjoyed it all and has become a well balanced person who gets along well with most people he meets, including adults.
He has been going to the Kung Fu Academy four times a week. Part of the course is dedicated to teaching the kids good character traits as well as staying away from drugs. I highly recommend schools associated with the martial arts.
I agree with you about martial arts. I think the personal traits learned extend to other areas of life.
For good reason.
Amazing. Focusing on one child and forgetting the other 14. How do you know what problems he's caused them?
This is what is destroying the U.S. The idea that one person's needs will be put above the other fourteen.
What about the rest of the children. Where is their IEP? Is their ideal 'least restrictive' environment in a class disturbed by a child with autism? Why are we handicapping a class full of children to benefit one?
We are only hearing one side of this. This teacher was found to not have done anything terribly wrong, so I think there is another side. Maybe no discipline at home, and the kid can not handle it when it is necessary.
I understand the argument that one child should not be allowed to hold back the achievements of others. But I do not believe that is the issue here.
There are diagnosis and procedures that need to be applied then followed. This is the educational equivalent of “The Rule of Law”. Much like evidence must be gathered and a trial held in a legal case.
This teacher has done a scaled down version of Rev. Al getting a bunch of like minded animals to burn down a store and kill someone.
Without “The Rule of Law” democracy is nothing but demagoguery, anarchy, and mob rule.
This teacher was a bully. There was absolutely no point to this exercise besides trying to look popular to her other students and belittling a possibly mentally disabled child that may not be responsible for his behavior.
‘nough said.
This is what is destroying the U.S. The idea that one person's needs will be put above the other fourteen.
Wow....how do you make the conclusion that singling out a five year old for ridicule is what is destroying the US. I am not suggesting that this kid is some angel. He may have caused problems in class. If that is the case, this teacher should have gotten the principle involved and together with his parents, come up with the appropriate discipline. Her method of punishment may end up damaging the child emotionally. And what message did it send to the other kids? Perhaps, if the whole class doesn't like me, I will get voted out too. Better to be a sheep...
Of course, this would NEVER be taught in a government indoctrination center.
Mark
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