[Apple Pan Dowdy]

Maybe I misread, or missed something in the article..... but do we know if the teacher indeed even knew that the child was in the process of being diagnosed with autism? Perhaps she was not aware of this. Do we know if in fact the parents had spoken with the teacher about the possible diagnoses or had they kept it private?

Until you have been in a teacher's shoes, trying to control a class full of undisciplined children who are raised by overly permissive parents, you will never understand how a teacher will sometimes search for innovative ways to bring a child to the understanding that some behavior is NOT socially acceptable by his peers. Sometimes the only thing that will make sense to a child is being accepted by peers.

Naturally, this would not hold true for an autistic child, but as I said before..... do we know the teacher had any idea that this child might be autistic. And lets be honest, the child has not yet been diagnosed, perhaps they will find that he is not autistic after all. As Rawhide so appropriately pointed out, "who knows?" So let's don't be so quick to judge this teacher!!

[sitetest]

Dear Apple Pan Dowdy,

“...a teacher will sometimes search for innovative ways to bring a child to the understanding...”

Sorry, but wanton cruelty directed toward a five year-old isn't an “innovative” anything.

The teacher should be canned, barred from teaching everywhere and for all time, and given a job more suitable to her talents, gifts, and apparent educational attainment levels.

Like cleaning toilets in a flophouse.

sitetest