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.
“SpEd directors do not fear or bat an eyelash at attorneys who represent special needs children.”
SpEd directors do however tend to be more cooperative to parents who know how the law works and what the districts are required to do. I’ve seen first hand how willing a school has been to set up a workable IEP after my wife made a few calls to advocate for the child and his family. But you’re correct they won’t falsify records to do that. Mostly when my wife got involved it was about needing a classroom aide, and parents had been told they couldn’t have one. Parents that are new to this often have no idea what their rights, and options are.
I absolutely agree. They will steamroll a new trusting parent in a heartbeat, and usually do. NICHCY has some great “outrageous things said at an IEP meeting” quotes, and I can attest that in the time that I have assisted parents get the services they need for their children, I have heard most of them.
“I absolutely agree. They will steamroll a new trusting parent in a heartbeat, and usually do. NICHCY has some great “outrageous things said at an IEP meeting” quotes, and I can attest that in the time that I have assisted parents get the services they need for their children, I have heard most of them.”
My wife is my sons stepmom. When we first got married, I had been trying to get him included in a language class for about 6 months. I had been to 4 or 5 ARDs and kept getting told that he couldn’t because he couldn’t be included unattended, and he didn’t qualify for an aide. She fixed that real quick, got his private speech and occupational therapists on the ARD committee, that was when his SpEd aide gave up her free period. The teachers were great, the admins. were not as great LOL
The Nuns who hit the knuckles of bored misbehaving students with rulers were right. Correction (I was trying to two things at once)
I’m just satisfying NP’s request.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1901175/posts?page=570#570
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1901175/posts?page=553#553
I do wonder how I passed judgment on him by simply saying what he does on a daily basis?
That doesn’t make him a bad kid. When I am able to truly work with him one-on-one, things are fine. But, that is extremely rare due to the content I am teaching.
I have to help everyone, and I have no aide or para to assist.
Thus, he can be very disruptive. Today was great since I had the rare opportunity to give him the one-on-one attention needed....but I normally can’t.
“I have to help everyone, and I have no aide or para to assist.”
I don’t remember if I asked this already, but why doesn’t he have an aide, if that’s what’s is needed for inclusion in your class.
“Are you on his ARD committee? Also what grade, and what subject do you teach.”
I have not heard of an ARD committee. I teach middle school, sixth grade Language Arts and Social Studies.
“If that child cannot do inclusion, he should not be doing inclusion. Parents are only one part of the IEP team. Teachers need to document his behaviors and call for a team meeting to show he just isn’t ready for inclusion yet.”
I agree and we are documenting his behaviors. I am told that we might decrease his time in class, but that is about it.
I said it before and I will say it again. ANYONE who would file criminal charges against a 6-year old, much less a 6-year old who has autism and is intellectually equivalent to a 3-year old, is an idiot. If that person is a teacher, she deserves to lose both her job and her teaching license.
You say that she has the right to do what she wants legally. Yes, she has the RIGHT, but doing so demonstrates that she has very poor judgement. And, if her judgement is that impaired, she should not be teaching children. Especially special needs children.
Have you ever met an autistic child or cared for one?
You are a little little man.
Good Bye
I am not a core course, just public speaking and TV production.
Wonder no more:
“””I am having a rough time with a sixth-grade autistic kid in one of my classes. He constantly claims other kids are attacking him etc., AND IT IS RIDICULOUS. He should not be in class, but thanks to the federal government least restrictive environment regulations, I have to deal with it and my entire class is disrupted.”””
Of course the better way to present that would have been:
I have an autistic child in my class who was given no supports by our school district. He can be disruptive to the class and I do not have the training to deal with his aberrant behaviors. Without supports inclusion cannot work, and makes class nonproductive for all students.
The Djin gives what people ask for, not what they want.
FWIW, I do respect the devotion you show to your son. Perhaps “Loving Father” would make a better tagline than “Proud Father”?
Good luck.
Your link to prenatal testing is not germane to the question he presented, which was show your source for your comments made to him via email. You have still not done that, and I don’t expect you will.
Your parting shot to him about “loving” being better than “proud” is just bizarre.
Go see a priest!
Ask him to explain arrogance. If you can’t see it, when you look in the mirror you every morning, you must be blind.
I believe you and the other posters who have implied that parents who want their children to be educated are too proud are incapable virtue.
One thing is certain you are incapable of seeing the spirit of God in those who are not carbon copies of self. God pity you miscreants!
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