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.
That doesn't make it right when mainstreaming a “special” child prevents the un-special students from reaching their potential.
“Some day that ‘child’ will be large and strong and still wild. You should hope you don’t meet him.”
Well, they’re not like herd animals...they’re not set free to roam the earth. If you read my post you would know I have an autistic 13 year old. He’s already large and strong, and sometimes wild, but we’re working on that. To advocate that anybody be caged and fed through bars, is just stupid, even you’re trying to be stupid that’s beyond the pale.
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.
Courtesy Comment:
Thank you for a common sense comment about a situation that many posters seem to have a great deal of ignorance.
I could say more but I suspect that the commenting FReepers have no clue of which they make judgment.
I know that autism comes in a variety of forms, and varying levels of impairment. I have an autistic child in my school band. I have dealt with several different aged groups and have had a few autistic children in class over my 14 years of teaching.
Every autistic child (again, the term is rather broad)I have had as a student knew that hitting was wrong (pretty much as well as the other kids in the same age group).
Maybe I did not have any "profoundly" affected autistic children. But I didn't notice the article listing how sevier the child was disabled by autism (or they type), only that the child had a facilitator (which is not unusual even for relatively mild disabilities now, because of the threat of lawsuits).
If a 6 year-old is incapable of grasping the concept of not assaulting someone, then they have no business in the "regular" classroom.
Cathy Darnell, Nathan's mother, is excusing his attacking people. As some people on this thread are also doing.
If the kid uses a knife next time, will that also be excused?
Your username is so very appropriate!
A child in that position has ZERO business in a regular classroom, or even a standard public school.
And did the article describe the child in question as such?
Exactly, he shoudn’t. Put him in juvenile detention with the other individuals who can’t distinguish right and wrong.
I agree, there is no easy answer for this sad problem but if schools are to be a place for children to learn they need to be kept as free of distractions like this as possible, the schools need to have rules that are applied evenly and not adjusted for every little excuse, but then the goverment should not be in the education business
“Sorry about your kid, it sounds like you are doing what can be done.
Cathy Darnell, Nathan’s mother, is excusing his attacking people. As some people on this thread are also doing.
If the kid uses a knife next time, will that also be excused?”
First off thanks, yes we’re doing what we can. I don’t know this kids family so I can’t comment as to excusing her son, but I can say, just by reading your post and some of the posts on this thread, that lots of ya’ll are commenting on something you know nothing about. Yes autistic kids can act out and if you’re not trained it’s scary, and can be dangerous...but autism isn’t the same as psychotic, an autistic kid isn’t going to grab a knife, and hold anybody hostage. They tend to lash out when they’re frustrated and there are always signs of agitation first. Secondly these kids can be taught not to do this, but not always by conventional means, I used to spank mine when he would hit, then he got where he would hit just to make me spank him. That’s counterproductive so we moved on to timeouts, that mostly works now, but not always, and it took about 5 times longer with him than with the other kids. You can’t beat autism out of somebody. As for this case, I think the aide wasn’t qualified to handle an autistic kid, but even at that he is 6, and I’ve seen plenty of normal 6 year olds that acted worse than my son, and she knew the job involved untrained kids when she took it.
no
Teachers aides are supposed to know how to handle autistic children or else the child was assigned to the wrong class.
I’ve seen and experienced so damn much that it seems a waste of time to get angry. What would I do? Shake my fist at the sky and scream?
My criticism was primarily at the writer of this “article.”
Concerning the situation? Clearly a whole lot of people screwed up. The parents should have fought tooth and nail to get the kid where he can do his best. He was not ready for a “normal” classroom. The school screwed up by not insisting the kid go where he could get the most benefit. The real teacher screwed up by not making damn sure the aid was acting accordingly. The aid should have insisted on having the necessary training instead of getting placed in a vulnerable situation.
The mother’s comment that the aid was “big enough to defend herself” is inexcusable. Her child was out of control. Had he attacked another student in that manner the situation would have been much worse!
OKIEDOC, I really respect what you do. I worked with some special ed kids when I was in high school (they were elementary school age). They genuinely wanted to learn. I’m sure that damn fine people like you got them to that point with more patience and devotion than I could even imagine.
Regardless you must admit the article was written to evoke a particular emotional reaction. Reread my comment at # 6 and then reread the article (particularly the first half) and tell me my assessment of the article was wrong.
Big mistake. Retards and nutcases do NOT belong with normal kids.
Comment:
Shame on you.
What an immature, ridiculous, childish, mindless, absurd, inane, stupid, dreadful, comment you have made.
Retards and Nut cases, showing that your ignorance of Autism is huge.
Actually I didn't break a sweat with you. My son is 3 and he has already coped with a lifetime of challenges that would break you in a minute.
Like I said earlier, go pump my gas and we'll do the heavy lifting.
My brothers daughter is autistic, I think it is so frustrating because you don’t know what causes it. She is one of triplets and it is hard on my brother because you see that she does not “play” and laugh with the other two. She is as sweet as can be though. She was diagnosed early and has been in school since 2 and has teachers come and work with her every day. Believe me I have compassion and see what goes into having an autistic child.
I have also seen the violent kids mainstreamed. When my son was in the third grade he was in a class with a boy who had very violent tendencies. His outbursts were bad, throwing chairs, knocking the desks over, throwing the books. The boy liked my son and as a reward, if he could make it through the week without any outbursts, they could both go and have lunch with the Principal in the courtyard and get icecream. Over the years he has been in school off and on but he could never mainstream.
[we’ll do the heavy lifting.]
Try not to let the garbage spill from the can when you empty it into the truck.
[we’ll do the heavy lifting.]
Try not to let the garbage spill from the can when you empty it into the truck.
“Like I said earlier, go pump my gas and we’ll do the heavy lifting.”
Don’t be so cocky.
At least your son has a father. My grandson does not..since he’s been six..now who’s doing the heavy lifting?
Go, teach, come on
Teach me about violence.
Teach me what qualifies as violence.
Teach me about right and wrong
Teach me about time and how it is linear and that I can’t go back and do something wrong over and get it right.
Teach me that Violence is wrong and that I have to get my estimates right the first time because I can’t go back and fix it later.
Courtesy Comment:
Excellent comment and I love the above excerpt.
Many are commenting and showing their true ignorance of Autism and how children react in different situations.
I wonder how many of those commenting about Retards and Nut Cases can be classified by themselves as compassionate conservatives...GEEESHHHH.
Some of these same lame comments I have heard in person from people who should know better.
It is easy to slime those who can not fight back.
I am a member of the Autism Society of America, San Diego chapter.
I have contact on a weekly basis with the San Diego County Regional Center.
I wish you luck and the best for your son.
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