Wendy's not hot. Guilty!
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.
Very well said and worth repeating.
This incident shows how difficult it is to fairly handle children with disruption-causing disorders.
The teacher obviously wanted to get her students back in order, and Alex wouldn’t/couldn’t let that happen. He was obviously in the wrong classroom.
The vote was a complete act of cruelty and, I think, revenge from a teacher who had had it and just didn’t want any more to do with Alex.
“I’m NOT special. I’m NOT special.” I have tears running down my cheeks as I think about the despair that young boy was feeling. Five years old.
Teacher watched too many reruns of “Survivor”.
Did you go to public school? Because your comprehension is lacking.
Notice the second sentence; "The idea that one person's needs will be put above the other fourteen."
The destruction of the U.S. had nothing to do with the ridicule part. It had to do with the "The idea that one person's needs will be put above the other fourteen" part.
Why and how does one child's need become the standard while the other fourteen's needs are ignored? Simple. Because, even though the nanny state is decried on this forum, when it comes to autism, the nanny state is revered and even demanded.
"The state shall provide my autistic child everything he needs even to the detriment of everyone else in the class" is the underlying theme.
And, in the meantime, Alex (who has not yet been officially diagnosed autistic) gets to run the classroom.
“Perhaps, but there may have been a reason she did it the way she did?”
Perhaps that teacher is incapable of exercising adult judgment and should not be in charge of a classroom of kids. She took a stupid idea from reality TV and applied it to a classroom of kids, holding a child with problems up for ridicule.
This entire thing is not an easy situation, but this teacher is not part of the solution.
Or this vote was a wake up call for a disruptive student that may have autism or may not have autism.
A jury of his peers told him they weren’t going to put up with his disruptive behavior. I’m sorry his feeling are hurt by the truth of his actions, but the teacher only confirmed what her class was thinking.
The real message here is that if you don’t like Lil Alex the police will investigate why you do not and arrest your teacher so that the kid you don’t like will feel good about himself.
When I was was the kindergarten pest I got spanked.
“My eye! Maybe he’ll learn to stop being a jerk. Why are we so afraid to teach children a lesson in humility?”
And maybe you need a lesson in humanity, or perhaps just in medical conditions. The kid most likely has a mental syndrome he’s going to have live with the rest of his life.
It’s about as funny as you yelling at the paraplegic about how he’s slowing down traffic with his wheelchair in the hallway. Or the Muslim jackoff trying to get a seeing eye dog and his owner thrown out of school because he doesn’t like it. All 3 that I mentioned are suffering neurological deficiencies.
Why doesn’t wheelchair kid act more humble? And seeing eye dog man, why doesn’t he just take his mut and stay out of the public’s sight, lest he should offend anyone. In fact, why don’t we line him up in front of all the Somalis in Minnesota schools and let people tell him how much they hate him and his dog.
I’m being very mean-spirited right now, but I’ve actually dealt with Asberger’s kids as patients. Have you? Have you spent more than 5 minutes with one? They can’t help it. It’s something they’re born with and will die with—something they can make minimal progress with through behavioral therapy over time but will struggle with for a lifetime. The parents are trying to get him into a special needs class, which is where he belongs. It’s not like they let this lag on for years. This is the kid’s first year in school, afterall.
I’m all for discipline in schools. Ruling with a hard hand. Spanking. All that. But you can’t do that to a kid with Asberger’s. It will ultimately only be counterproductive.
And I don’t care who you are: it’s not the place of the students to kick a child out of class. That duty and that decision belongs solely to the teacher and the administrators, especially when we’re talking about 5-year olds.
I’m curious to know what would have been the correct way for this teacher to re-establish Law & Order in her classroom of five year olds, disrupted by young Alex?
She’s not allowed to spank him.
She’s not allowed to get the Principal to give him the cane.
She’s not allowed to single him out for special treatment.
She’s not allowed to use harsh language.
She’s not allowed to make him stand in a corner.
And she has 14 other energetic 5-year olds to contain: a challenge at the best of times, even if none of them are autistic or have Aspergers Syndrome. Or hyperactivity. Or dietary allergies. Or... or... or...
That’s quite alot to expect. She’s a kindy teacher, not a babysitter and not a surrogate parent or a miracle worker or a horse whisperer.
Her chosen method of a vote wasn’t right, obviously. But what would have been the correct thing to do?
It is false that all children can be treated the same in the same learning environments. Some kids cannot and should not be integrated into the main educational pool. And it is foolish to make them try to fit in because they cannot.
The Parents are clearly at fault for putting Alex in this position, and for putting this teacher in this position. And the school was clearly at fault for allowing this situation to develop.
Children are savages and need to be trained to behave. You don't let them vote on who stays in the classroom. The kindergarten teacher must watch too much “Survivor.”
My niece is going to end up a productive, working citizen instead of being on welfare the rest of her life. Would you rather spend the money now or later?
We have become a nation complete whimps! What the teacher did was over the edge, she should be told it was wrong to do, send her back to class, end of this ridiculous story!!!
No lawsuits, no disciplinary action, just a "Don't do it again," is fine!
No wounder were beginning to lose our freedoms in the country because we're become a bunch of self-serving, loser whimps!
It's spelled "peer" and "role" you dumb ass!
How'd you like that hard core peer pressure? How would have you liked that teaching method when you were 5 years old? Will you now always remember the difference between a dinner roll and a functional role and think fondly of your educational experience?
Human development is like a slow setting concrete. A child is highly malleable in the beginning then slowly gets harder and harder to form in a different direction. A 5 year old is highly malleable and has not developed a thick skin. Using group peer pressure to powerfully stamp REJECT into someone's mind is an appropriate tactic for a prison guard, not a kindergarten teacher.
Like training an animal a 5 year old needs kind and instant feedback when they do something right or wrong. Praise is far more effective than a treat or a whip. They also need acceptance and unconditional love. This teacher clearly has no love for this 5 year old.
This teacher's smackdown was totally unacceptable. She does not have the right disposition to be a kindergarten teacher and should find a new line of work.
Yes, that was sarcasm.
I do so love a salient point.:)
Ms. Wendy Portillo
portillow@stlucie.k12.fl.us
I agree with you, my feeling is that during the IEP meeting the team members should have made accommodations for his behavior (the teacher was a participant in this meeting, correct?) such as having a shadow who helps him learn how to control his behavior. I have seen this type of accommodation be very sucessful in helping children with rather severe forms of Autism fit into the regular classroom setting with no ill-effects for any of the children in the class.
As the father of a child with Autism I feel I need to address this thread...
I have been blessed. I do not fully understand autism (and haven't had to learn), yet I get the general idea that autistic children/adults need much help in their lives.
My dad is 86, and alzheimer's is claiming his mind. He posts twice daily to us, so we know he is alive, yet he wrote this morning, that he planned on doing his laundry today. He is a retired Episcopal priest, and never misses church, yet he taking clothes to the washer at 6am...
My dad does not want help. We are making sure he gets it. He is OUR responsibility, now. We will let him wash his clothes, if he wishes, but remind him it is Sunday.
I get the general impression from most of these threads, that people just don't like the beds they made! A child is a blessing. He is not someone else's responsibility, when he/she is born imperfect. We all have our burdens.
I just don't believe God makes mistakes. God tests us, and sometimes we don't understand the blessings we have received! I raised four children, with my wife yoked at my side,and have watched over them. My wife did not work outside the house, for many years, and we didn't have some of the "things" that many two-worker families had. It is their loss.
Gum't should have no role in nurturing your children. If you can't take care of your own family, you shouldn't be making children. If they come broken, it isn't someone else's responsibility to take your load. The Gum't should not be involved, to remedy personal problems. Sorry if I sound callous. My children brought their share of testing, to my door, and we paid the price.
It isn't just about socialization and mainstreaming. Some children just need to be properly loved and cherished... as the blessing God intended to be received, from His tests. We get what we can take, no more, according to His promises. If a gum't school is your answer to taking responsibility, I can only pray for you.
For the best example of God's testing, read the entire Book of Job, in the Old Testament. He was tested... and God knew His heart. God knows all our hearts! He knows our strengths, and weaknesses.
If you don't believe in God, I will pray that you find Him. He knows your heart, and is a big help in times of need!
Matthew 11: 25At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
27"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - NIV
Have you hugged your child today? Have you talked to God about him/her? He will gladly help you... and give you everything you need.
Wendy's not hot. Guilty!
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