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.
Update: 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25:
Nathan Darnell's family has confirmed to FOX19 that charges in this case have been dropped.
Charges Dropped
Also, more info on the boy, and his parents, here.
Bracken Parents Say System is To Blame
Looks like there is some Oppositional Defiant Disorder as well. Note comments below article.
“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’m not sure what “completely different setting” you mean. My kid is in a life skills class, he’s not mainsteamed. Or did you mean all special ed classes? As for the redistribution on taxpayer money, I’ve never been to the city park, but i still have to pay my share for it’s upkeep. I take the pragmatic view of this, and not an idealistic one, we’re going to pay taxes whether or not the special ed classes are functional or not, so why not make them functional.
“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.”
So maybe it would have been better financially for the schools to have just taken care of the kids in the first place.
“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?”
I can’t speak to all of that. My kid doesn’t get dental and mental, and his meals. He gets the class and a speech therapist twice a week.
I’ll say this again. You’re debating me about taxes and their use. I started posting to a particular situation, that being criminal charges being filed against an autistic 6 year old. Suddenly there are lots of “NO TAXES EVER” pointing to this as solid proof that spending any money on special kids is a waste of time and money, but this incident is an exception, not the rule.
“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?”
Life aint fair, and that’s a fact.
People with severe mental illnesses/disabilities belong in special programs so that they 1. get the help that they need and 2. don’t drag down the education levels of able-bodied students.
And don't forget his MENSA freepermail to me. Here is his statement.
From VxH | 09/24/2007 11:32:04 AM PDT replied You don’t really want to engage in a public discussion of how “dumb” parental behavior is often a significant factor in the incidence of Down’s syndrome, do you?
He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.
“If you are open to another idea, I tried jumping jacks (just with the arms) on mine, we would move him through the routine of ten or so controlled arm movements, up over the head and back down, he hated it, it worked faster than a time out,”
Thanks, I’ll try it. I’m having some luck with redirection as well, since I’ve incorporated one of those mini-trampolines. When he starts to get agitated I make him go jump for a few minutes. So far so good.
“eating their clothes,
It’s an oral stimulation thing, ask the parents to buy them a teething ring, then use it as reward / punishment for stuff, they’ll grow tired of having to earn it and wean themselves off the need for it.”
We couldn’t get my son to wean himself, now he wears a string necklace with a piece of surgical tubing over it. He still chews, but we’re buying less shirts.
Public schools are like public health care. Those who actually need help to become educated receive none. It’s considered a waist of tax dollars to educate autistics. In England people with bad teethe also receive no help. It costs to much to fix bad teeth. I think any school district which gnashes its teeth at integrating high functioning autististics( those who talk and are quiet) should be forced to forfeit all the tax dollars, they have ever taken from the family with interest.
“Autistic children would be better off being tutored at home..”
I agree.
“Autistic children would be better off being tutored at home..”
“I agree.”
Well there’s that “One size fits all box again.” I’ve seen parents with the best intentions screw it up completely. Apparently many here can’t seem to shake their pre-conceived notion that these are just brats, or that their parents don’t use enough discipline, or that these kids are best out of sight, so as not to make the rest of us uncomfortable.
The autistic kids have the equivalent of a short circuit in their brain, understanding, and dealing with that requires training, even the homeschoolers parents are pretty well trained, they have to be. Still that’s not realistic at all to think that every special needs parent can homeschool. for the ones that can. I salute you.
“Apparently many here can’t seem to shake their pre-conceived notion that these are just brats, or that their parents don’t use enough discipline, or that these kids are best out of sight, so as not to make the rest of us uncomfortable.”
I NEVER say any of that! And I also don’t believe this six year in the article is a criminal!
GET IT STRAIGHT ALREADY!
I AM saying that children, with special needs, who act out every day in a “regular” public school classroom, do NOT belong there. It’s not fair to the other children who are in school expecting to learn without unnecessary interruptions!
You still won’t get it, but I tried.
“I AM saying that children, with special needs, who act out every day in a “regular” public school classroom, do NOT belong there. It’s not fair to the other children who are in school expecting to learn without unnecessary interruptions!
You still won’t get it, but I tried.”
If you’ll go back and look at my posts, you’ll notice I don’t advocate blanket mainstreaming. It should be on a case by case basis. Here’s the post i responded to:
“Autistic children would be better off being tutored at home..”
I agree”
That’s you saying you agree they should be home tutored, nothing mentioned about “regular classes”
Sorry if I misunderstood your intent.
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