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.
Kudos to your daughter. She is the kind of person that I have mostly encountered in my sons education. As for a cash settlement for this teachers aide, I don’t know who she can sue. The school district i guess. I can’t imagine she can sue the parents and win.
[There’s no right or wrong,]
Until he learns right from wrong he does not belong in a normal classroom where his behavior is disruptive.
Let the nanny state take care of him somewhere else.
That was my first thought on the article, he is six. If you can’t deal with a six year old maybe you should be sitting a desk listening to easy listening music radio stations. Get over it...
“Until he learns right from wrong he does not belong in a normal classroom where his behavior is disruptive.
Let the nanny state take care of him somewhere else.”
Well, it’s a good thing that’s not up to you.
If he’s being mainstreamed, then that’s where the nanny state has put him. If you don’t like it...lump it. There, now you can type socialism some more LOL
“Frankly, you couldn’t walk a step in my shoes or anyone else’s who are parents of special needs children.”
But why such anger and viciousness toward others? This is unbelievable! Does belittling others and calling them idiots make you feel better?
You have been doing this throughout the ENTIRE day....I know because I’ve been here! I would think you would have spent time with your “special” child instead of berating FReepers.
[Well, it’s a good thing that’s not up to you.]
Good for you maybe. I don’t see how it’s beneficial for those of us whose children don’t have special needs.
“Good for you maybe. I don’t see how it’s beneficial for those of us whose children don’t have special needs.”
Well, maybe one day you will see it. Good luck with that.
OK, you know much more than we do about autism.
I will, however, disagree with you on a few things.
You seem to think that the whole thing should be set up for your child. There are other children, and their safety, learning and needs must be considered. The world does not have to bend for your son.
Also, if your son learns from violent cartoons, take them away. If your son can learn behavior from watching tv, he can learn his good behavior this way.
I expect you to love your child. I love mine. I don’t, however, expect the world to move over for their special needs.
From what I understand from the article he was in a mainstream class, he WAS NOT in a special ed class where the student/teacher ratio is very small and they are equiped to deal with violent outbursts. One of our elementary schools literally has a padded room off of the special ed room just for violent outbursts. I would bet this was not the first time this child turned violent. And I would also bet there are a lot of parents in that class breathing a sigh of relief that he attacked the teacher and not one of their kids. I’ve seen some of these kids go off and it is scary. We’re not talking temper tantrum, or a little slap. I know of a teacher whose was arm broken by a 4 yr. old who was in such a rage. Autism is a horrible thing, but you can’t brush aside the safety of the other kids. My niece is autistic so I do have an idea of what the challenges are.
Do you have a special needs child? Do you teach special ed?
"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."
Maybe someone who is tired of being physically attacked by an undisciplined brat? Maybe, Ms. Darnell, if you hadn't excused every bratty action by your spawn this would not have happened.
On, the other hand. Let's suppose that the kid cannot be trained not to attack other people. Let's suppose that his autism makes him untrainable. If that is the case he should be caged for life and fed through the bars, not inflicted on the public for he is an animal, not a human.
“You seem to think that the whole thing should be set up for your child. There are other children, and their safety, learning and needs must be considered. The world does not have to bend for your son.”
The law states that each child is due an education, to whatever degree they can be educated. For instance, if your child is able to understand the material and participate in the class, but requires the help of an aide, then an aide must be provided.
In the case of this 6 year old it’s a kindergarten class, so what part of that, I wonder, would any 6 year old, even an autistic one not be able to participate in.
As for the other children in the class, I’m sorry but if the aide can’t control one six year old, autistic or not, she needs more training or a new job. Being an aide to a disabled child isn’t babysitting, and it’s not playing with them. It’s a real job skill. Somebody here dropped the ball, either the school, or the aide, or more probably both.
In such a case, the school may have no option. Teachers are not to be assaulted. It IS a criminal matter.
Comment:
What an awful comment, enough said.
It is obvious you know little of which you comment.
“Let’s suppose that his autism makes him untrainable. If that is the case he should be caged for life and fed through the bars, not inflicted on the public for he is an animal, not a human.”
Yes, and lets also suppose that you’re sterile so as not to pass on the stupid gene that must make your life so difficult.
Stigmatizing!!! We had a child with a serious heart defect, the parents insisted the child ride a regular school bus instead of the special needs bus. The special needs bus has a driver and an assistant who is trained for whatever medical problems that could arise. Regular ed buses it is just the driver. The parents insisted and the driver was a wreck the entire time worrying should something happen she could not react fast enough. Risk your childs life and stress out an innocent person, just so they won’t perceive being stigmatized.
Some day that ‘child’ will be large and strong and still wild. You should hope you don’t meet him.
It is evident this aide is looking for 15 minutes of fame and a huge payoff at the expense of the tax payer.
That should make you angry but yet you choose to comment against the kid.
Teachers aides are supposed to know how to handle autistic children or else the child was assigned to the wrong class.
ladyjane wrote:
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.
Comment:
Color me a moron but still I say shame on you.
Let the nanny state take care of him somewhere else.
The problem is that even if they put him in a special needs classroom his violent behavior will still be a problem. The other kids in that room will be less able to protect themselves and more likely to go off on him if he injures or hurts them.
The problem here is his behavior, plain and simple. If he can not be controlled then he can not be allowed to interact with other children that he might hurt. They kick violent kids out of school all the time. Why should this kid be any different? If he stabs another kid with a fork will it hurt less because he is a special needs kid? If he is a danger to his teachers and to the other students then he can not be there. My wife is a teacher with a lot of time in special needs classrooms. She has a bandage on her hand right now from a Downs kid who cut her with a pair of scissors.
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