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.
“Then what is she doing with a job where she’s responsible to teach him?”
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I dunno, maybe she didn’t expect having to contend with a “student” with the mental age of a toddler. I seriously doubt that the idea behind mainstreaming these children has anything to do with teaching them at all. More like publicly-sponsored daycare for the parents’ benefit.
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“Again, disciplinary action, moving him to a different program, placing the incident on his school record, etc. would be the proper responses.”
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I doubt that there are alternative programs and anything less than removing him from the class would be ineffective.
I’ve been out of school for a long, long time, but I still remember the disruption caused by these “developmentally challenged” children. I seriously doubt that any of them learned a damn thing and I’m sure we “norms” learned a lot less because of them.
You seem like one of the many caring and practical parents I’ve worked with to best serve their child.
However - my area in not special ed and I worry when I see a kid pushed into a US History classroom, for example. for “exposure” and no one is asking “What is going to happen to this person when they are done with high school?”
As you mentioned earlier, many of these parents are in denial or (I think) subconsciously believe their kid is going to be “cured” by mainstreaming.
As a father, my heart very very deeply goes out to the parents of kids with disabilities. I had a severely retarded cousin who was institutionalized for most of her life and I agree that those places were barbaric.
As a teacher and taxpayer - I’m frustrated and angry. There has to be a better way. It looks to me that someone like you could be a force for positive change.
Got time to run for School Board? ;)
I know it is off subject but it irritates me to no end, please understand, the schools do not support the athletic programs anymore. I as a parent have to fork over roughly $500.00 per sport in High School. $500.00 for Basketball, $800.00+ for football and $1500.00+ for baseball. That is out of pocket, that does not include all of the fundraisers. I hate when people assume that the athletes get everything and their kids are getting nothing. Add onto that parent workdays painting, field prep, and working concessions and cleaning the stadium. It’s not what it seems.
“I happen to be a Master Teacher smartass.
People like you get wrapped up in the emotion of the situation.”
Now, why didn’t I think of that? lol!
I really thought when I originally read the article that an under trained worry wart called the police because she could not match wits with a little boy. I was thinking of “Ransom of Red Chief”.
After reading your post, I now believe she was a sociopath trying to score points with the crowd that beat up special education students when I was in school.
“As a teacher and taxpayer - I’m frustrated and angry. There has to be a better way. It looks to me that someone like you could be a force for positive change.
Got time to run for School Board? ;)”
I’m really involved in my sons education. In fact i have a 9:00 AM meeting tomorrow to address some concerns I’m having about his behavior. Since he’s started puberty we’ve seen some aggressive violent outbursts, and I want his teachers to know I’m aware of it, and discuss possible behavior redirection. Every available person in the districts Special Ed. dept will be there, as I’m trolling for ideas and they’re the experts.
You’re obviously educated, and I agree with you about inappropriate inclusion. My wife is a lawyer, so we know what the schools responsibility is. That helps a lot, you wouldn’t believe how many parents have to idea what their position and options are, and lots of times the schools won’t tell you, because then they have to re appropriate resources from somewhere else to your child.
I also think the parents of special kids on this board took exception to some of the cruder blow-hards, and you can see who they are by back reading the last 50 posts.
“All those experts, just for you. That’s got to be expensive.”
They’re not just for me. They’re for all the kids in district.
“WHERE Somewhere else, Bob? Whose kids do without for the benefit of your special child?”
Well since the other kids have the same rights mine do, my guess it comes out of their administrative budget.
“Your wife is a lawyer, but you can’t afford private school? Please explain that.”
Sure, I like the school system here. We looked at a private school, but the ones available weren’t as good as the public school my son goes to.
“Other FReepers are flocking to private schools and homeschooling. Why on earth, IF you’re a conservative, would you want to leave any child, special or otherwise, in the jaws of the public skools?”
That’s a personal choice. I don’t have a problem with public schools. If you want to home school, by all means you have my permission.
We need to do less for the ego of parent and administration and the numbers games and more for these children and what is truly in their best interest. Not only does mainstreaming interfere and interupt the rights of other students to an education but it puts unnecessary strain on the child. Once again ...these kids can and many do lead “normal” lives with proper attention. Too many laws these days center around the rights of an individual and ignore the rights of the many.
Just an observation...this incident did not happen in the classroom but in the lunch room by the sounds of it. Does this school only have one teachers aide in the lunchroom? Where are the other adults? This was not the childs teacher but a teachers aide monitoring lunchtime.
Not that it makes a big difference ...just an observation.
Before coming to Japan, I would have thought so also. I think 10-15 years ago, it was still strict, but like America, they became more passive and absolutely no strictness.. :(
MJ
Oh I see. You mean like....Mike Nifong?
Yes you are.
I happen to be a Master Teacher smartass.
Looks like another black mark for academia.
People like you get wrapped up in the emotion of the situation .
You bet. That's why we love our children.
The laptops and equipment you referred to represent a TINY fraction of the costs of special education. The programs don’t work. It makes parents and some addled-headed teachers/administrators feel all fuzzy - but it’s a charade.
Those darn pesky special need kids, always taking all the money.
I’ll go toe to toe with you anytime pal, and we’ll see who’s uneducated and whose operating on emotion.
Book smart life stupid. You have delusions of adequacy.
It is especially stigmatizing to have one’s child picked up in a special ed school bus! Good heavens, what would the neighbors think?
This whole thread interests me because I have a daughter who is developmentally disabled. She was mainstreamed throughout grade school and attends some regular classes now in high school but she functions at a fairly high level and she was never disruptive or violent as this autistic 6-year old is. However, she is also in a program designed for special ed students and is not mainstreamed for all of her classes because that is what is best for her.
I can’t believe that the parents of this 6-year old think that it is a good thing to put him into a regular kindergarten class since he isn’t going to derive any benefit from it and since he is actually a danger to his classmates and teacher. The only explanation can be that they think it stigmatizes a child to put him into a special ed class or school. The truth of the matter is that the other children know that he is different and they aren’t going to treat him as though he were normal whether or not he is mainstreamed.
Agreed. I can’t believe the number of people posting here who think that charging a six-year-old with assault, autistic or not, is a rational thing to do.
I do think, though, that mainstreaming is a flawed strategy. It doesn’t work, and it harms all parties involved.
Just a simple question - no flame war intended - but exactly what makes the redistribution of taxpayer money to take care of students who might possibly be better served in a completely different setting right?
I have been the first-hand witness to how school districts can get into financial difficulties because of lawsuits which result in a judgment against the school to take care of “special” kids. What makes the school responsible for physical therapy, speech therapy, mental health therapy, dental care, medical care, feeding kids two (or even three in some schools) meals per day?
And where does the money for all of that come from? Taxes. And every time another child comes into the system that the schools are not prepared to handle (nor should they be in a position to handle some of them), money has to come from somewhere - cut programs for the majority of students, or raise taxes. What is fair about that? Personally, I think that rates almost up there with folks who home-school, pay for private schools, or don’t even have kids in school - yet still have to pay the same property tax rate as those with children in public schools.
“Agreed. I can’t believe the number of people posting here who think that charging a six-year-old with assault, autistic or not, is a rational thing to do.”
I really don’t think there is more than one person on this thread who believes that should have been done.
“I do think, though, that mainstreaming is a flawed strategy. It doesn’t work, and it harms all parties involved.”
Yes. This is how the majority of people on this thread feel.
[They’re not just for me. They’re for all the kids in district.]
How many Kids and How many experts?
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