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.
Violent, dangerous, high maintenance psychotic children (and teens) are now dumped into the public schools, often with extremely demanding, uncooperative parents. It would surprise me to find this as the true scenerio here.
In such a case, the school may have no option. Teachers are not to be assaulted. It IS a criminal matter.
Violent, dangerous, high maintenance psychotic children (and teens) are now dumped into the public schools, often with extremely demanding, uncooperative parents. It would NOT surprise me to find this as the true scenerio here.
In such a case, the school may have no option. Teachers are not to be assaulted. It IS a criminal matter.
They don’t say what the little angel did until the second half of the article.
They spend the first half telling us what to think about the situation.
And here’s the money quote from the woman who spawned the little angel when asked about her child’s victim.
“She is a cold-hearted woman...she has made every teacher look bad,” said Cathy Darnell.”
How do you charge a six year old with any offense requiring intent. Autistic or not, six year old children are incapable of sufficiently evaluating the consequences of their actions. There are instances where uncontrollable children must be placed in institutions that are equipped to handle them, but the whole concept of trying to use the penal system to deal with a child fails to solve the problem and harms the system.
I am sickand tired of morons who believe that physical violence is okay and should be tolerated. Oh, the poor dears, they need to be understooooood.
So do you think that infants should be criminally prosecuted if they strike someone? What age do you draw the line at?
Tony, how about the other little NORMAL kids in the class, having to listen to this screaming nightmare all day? Not to mention, living in fear of an assault by young Nathan, who seems quite strong and (let's be frank) has a history of unprovoked violent assault from the rear?
How about medicating your little angel? How abot NOT demanding that your precious be imposed on mainstream classes?
I think under the current inclusion BS that the only way you can get help for the kid is through the penal system.
That is not necessarily the parent's fault or wish but the unfunded federal mandate of "least restrictive environment" requiring mainstreaming as the default.
You have to fight to get your kid INTO special ed.
How about not teaching if you can’t even handle a six year old.
Nice attitude you got there, Cathy. What about the poor rest of the children in the class, obviously now living in terror of young Nathan? Who, when he isn't screaming 24/7, is assaulting people from the rear?
This is not a normal six year old. He screams all day in class and assaults people from the rear.
Autism cannot be medicated against nor can it be cured, so medication isn’t an option. What could be an option is to make sure their kid has behavioral therapy before he enters the school system.
Personally, I think the poor kid got overstimulated and attacked the teacher. Happens a lot when it comes to Autism.
It sounds like she finally reached the end of her rope. It probably wasn't the first time the kid had done it to her or someone else and maybe nobody ever does anything because he's "special". Maybe a trip to the woodshed isn't a bad idea. Clearly nothing else is working.
There are other ways to handle it. Filing criminal charges against a six year old...? Especially one who’s autistic? The right way to handle it would be to separate the child from the class immediately, to make him sit in another room (detention), call the parents in immediately, and have a meeting between the principal and the parents. Demand the child be put into a different class/program.
Physical punishment for a 6 year old because he exhibits symptoms of his malady is not the answer. He should be placed somewhere where they are equipped to handle his kind of problems, Leaving him in with other kids is asking for trouble, he won't always be 6 years old and when he is older it will be even more of a problem to handle him.
It sounds like this was the last straw for the teacher. She probably had to have him charged criminally as a last resort to have him removed from her class. Most public schools cannot have kids removed for disruptive behavior until an actual physical assault occurs. I applaud the teacher for putting the rest of the students education ahead of one out of contol kid who is not mentally capable of remaining in her class. The kid obviously needs special therapy and should get it elsewhere.
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