Posted on 09/23/2007 7:43:27 PM PDT by Graybeard58
A six-year-old autistic boy has been charged criminally after an incident inside his school where he allegedly assaulted a teacher's aide.
It's a story you saw first on 9News.
The incident happened earlier this month at Taylor Elementary School in Brooksville, Ky., located in Bracken County.
He is in kindergarten at Taylor Elementary, but 9News was told that due to his autism and other conditions, his mental capacity is the equivalent to a child half his age.
But despite that condition and his age, it still hasn't stopped a school employee there from holding him accountable: criminally.
Whether it's playing outside with his parents, or coloring SpongeBob Squarepants pictures, Nathan Darnell isn't much different than other kids his age.
But two things that do make him different from many other six-year-olds is his autism – and his criminal rap sheet.
"We are not denying that he did what they are saying, but we are denying he is culpable," said Tony Darnell, Nathan's father.
It was just last week when Nathan's teacher's aide, Glenda Schiltz, filed a juvenile fourth degree misdemeanor assault charge against him.
"What human being with a heart would do that to a six-year old?, asked Cathy Darnell, Nathan's mother. "Seriously, who would do that? I know I wouldn't."
According to the affidavit which 9News obtained, Schiltz alleges that on September 5, Nathan grabbed her by the shirt, pulled her backwards and began punching and kicking her.
"He admits to shoving her down, but he says he didn't pull her backwards," said Tony Darnell.
"She is no small person, she can defend herself," said Cathy Darnell.
So what does the school have to say about the matter?
Superintendent of Bracken County Schools Tony Johnson would not appear on camera but did say in a statement, "I believe we followed proper procedures and I have full faith in my staff".
Despite being autistic, Nathan is integrated with all kindergartners at Taylor Elementary.
His parents believe Schiltz and other teachers there are ill-prepared to handle special needs students.
His mother openly questions Schiltz's credentials.
"[She believes] you need to take him behind the woodshed and teach him something," Cathy Darnell, said. "That is her mentality, beat it out of him."
"Most of the time it [Nathan's behavior] is whining and screaming. I am sure that is hard on teachers and stuff, but we find a way to deal with it," said Tony Darnell.
On Wednesday the family went to the county courthouse, where an inquiry was held and it was decided the criminal case against Nathan will indeed move forward.
It's likely then that Schiltz will have to be there.
But until they get a chance to tell her personally, Nathan's family, in the meantime, does have something they want to say to her.
"She is a cold-hearted woman, that she has made every teacher look bad," said Cathy Darnell.
Repeated attempts to contact Glenda Schiltz were unsuccessful.
9News also was in communication with several school board members and none wanted to comment on the matter.
This is all heading to a proceeding scheduled for next week in which six-year-old Nathan will appear in juvenile court as a defendant.
Well said. Bravo
Right, let's stand around and sing “Kumbaya” while American schools are furthered hobbled and weakened.
This nation still has enemies who will exploit such weakness.
“Yeah, the ADULT should know better. She was supposed to be managing the classroom, not he other way around.”
The very purpose of my comment referring to that was “What about the children?” Who’s responsible for THEIR safety when they turn their backs on a child like this?
Sheesh!
Then what is she doing with a job where she’s responsible to teach him?
Again, disciplinary action, moving him to a different program, placing the incident on his school record, etc. would be the proper responses. But criminal charges are a waste of court time and taxpayer dollars.
“This nation still has enemies who will exploit such weakness.”
I think a bigger threat to our nation are people like you walking around loose.
It’s ok to not know something, but to be willfully ignorant, and to still insist that you know what you’re talking about, when all evidence points to the contrary, that’s a lot scarier
than than a mainstream program.
The responsibility should rest upon the parents.
Autism is a severe mental disorder that severely inhibits socialization and communication skills. It is NOT the same as being unable to walk or even blind, where social skills are not limited, and communication skills are limited to a much smaller extent.
And yes, I know MD's who treat autistic children, as well as the parents of a seven year old autistic yound man. Most of the former agree with me, while the latter agrees with me 100%. "Mainstreaming" the autistic is a feel-good pipe dream that does a great disservice to the child and those around the child.
And it seems they love to continue to tell us what they don’t know.
The autism & sleep issue is rough. She can go on next to nothing most of the time. Not fun. We all go through those feelings of not being able to do it another day. And then we get up & do it again & God willing we will again tomorrow. I wouldn’t wish this life on anyone but at the same time I feel that I am quite blessed. There’s never a dull moment. That’s for sure.
“There is an old quote, it is better to remain silent and have other think you are ignorant than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
You’re absolutely right. You should remain silent. Your post has left no doubt in my mind, and I don’t have time for your ignorance and rudeness.
Well that explains a lot. But I’ll trust my own personal experiences over that of a scientology whack job.
“”Mainstreaming” the autistic is a feel-good pipe dream that does a great disservice to the child and those around the child.”
Depends on the child, and the particular class. You’re trying to put all people in a “One size fits all box”. That’s the same as your opposites who think every child should be mainstreamed. My son was mainstreamed in a language class in 1rst grade. After 1rst grade it was my opinion that he wasn’t getting enough out of it to warrant breaking his schedule. Speech therapy has had a wonderful effect on him tho.
” I wouldn’t wish this life on anyone but at the same time I feel that I am quite blessed. There’s never a dull moment. That’s for sure.”
Yeah, at this point I’m pretty comfortable with what I have.
I always tell people that ask how we do it, that it’s not that hard, you just have to get your own mind right, and stop wishing that you’re raising a typical child, then get on with doing the best you can with what you have.
Some may have the funding but not all. One of the mantras when she was in the PS system was “no money” & “budget cuts eliminated that”. Many systems these days are just interested in moving them through until they’re 18. They have no interest in providing the needs of the child. They just want to provide what they’re legally obligated to do as minimally as possible.
[It’s ok to not know something, but to be willfully ignorant]
Acutally, I've given a fair amount of thought to this subject.
I consider mainstreaming to be a human form of the parasitic behavior exhibited by certain species of birds.
Do you have any thoughts of your own that don’t connect to a link of someone else’s thoughts?
“Acutally, I’ve given a fair amount of thought to this subject.”
I’m sure you have, and I’ve given a fair amount amount of thought to space travel, but that doesn’t mean I’m an astronaut, or that I know anything about space travel.
As long as it’s a free country, people like yourself can log on to a discussion and hold forth with anything you can think up, but that doesn’t mean you know anything about your subject. You obviously don’t know much about this subject in particular, so maybe you should stick with Do Do Birds.
It’s amazing when the closet socialists come out on a thread like this.
Why should my reproductive resources be diverted to benefit your offspring?
With all due respect you are totally lacking the possession of a single clue.
Why should my reproductive resources be diverted to benefit your offspring?
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