Sometimes I have to just shake my head. Today is one of those days.
In Port St. Lucie, Florida, a kindergarten teacher named Wendy Portillo forced her students to say what they didn’t like about an autistic classmate, and then encouraged the children to vote the boy out of his class. She then sent the child to spend the rest of the day in the nurse’s office.
No, I’m not making that up. I wish I were.
In case you are wondering what the teacher who did such a horrible thing to a disabled child looks like, here’s a photo of her from the St. Lucie County Public Schools site. Does she look like a monstrous individual? No, not at all; she actually looks like a very sweet lady, so I can see why the school was fooled. Yet I can’t help but think that anyone who would do something so cruel to a very young disabled child is capable of all kinds of abhorrent behavior.
There is no doubt that she is aware of the boy’s disability, given that she has sat in on IEP (Individual Education Plan) meetings. In fact, her principal was the one who suggested the boy be tested for autism, so there is no doubt that this teacher knows the boy is disabled.
The child in question has behavioral problems due to Asperger’s Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. He has repeatedly been sent to the principal’s office for his behavior. While I certainly understand that having a student with severe behavioral problems can be a serious problem when you’re trying to teach a room full of young children, and it’s not really fair to the other students since it disrupts their learning experience, it is absolutely unacceptable to subject a young disabled child to such cruelty. What she did to that child would hurt my feelings pretty badly if it were done to me, and I’m 45 with no emotional disabilities. I can only imagine the damage she has done to that child, which may not ever go away. Shame on her.
Of course, in the process, she has also taught the other children that cruelty toward the disabled is a good thing. Shame on her for that, too.
The cops decided that her actions did not reach the threshold for the crime of emotional abuse, so no charges have been filed. However, that doesn’t mean that no crime took place, much less that her actions are acceptable. It only means that the cop who investigated it thinks it doesn’t reach that threshold. Then again, cops are known to do all kinds of things that they don’t think are crimes, up to and including killing unarmed people. I therefore don’t put much stock in what cops decide are (or are not) crimes. After all, most cops have only a high school diploma, and zero training in law. I may as well ask Jay and Silent Bob what they think about it, for all the good it will do; at least then I’d be amused by the response.
I think it’s obvious that this teacher should be removed from the classroom, whether what she did is a crime or not. Anyone who would engage in such cruel behavior toward a disabled child has no business being in a position of authority over others’ children, especially in the public school system.
Source: Sun-Sentinel
Many thanks to Sandy at “It’s An Insane World” for bringing this story to my attention!
I think in a larger point of view, it’s not just the disabled child issue (I have a child with autism) – I hope we would be in an uproar if she had done this to ANY child. ANY 5 year old! Sure, we can talk about bad parenting and bad behavior, but there is no excuse whatsoever to do anything like this to any child. Period.
And I didn’t mean to imply that you are talking about bad parenting and bad behavior, but rather wanted to say that it shouldn’t matter the reason or the extent of the behavior by a 5 year old. There are far better ways to handle this issue than the way it was handled. Special needs kid or not, no 5 year old should be forced to suffer this kind of abuse.
I agree with you 100%. No adult should ever do anything that cruel to any child, disabled or not.
You know what is really sad…when the little boy asked what he felt about the treatment…he said he was really sad. The article also mentioned that the teacher forced the ONE FRIEND the boy had made to tell something bad about the boy that he didn’t like.
This poor little boy has a mental/behavioral disability…if she couldn’t handle him then she should have said something and maybe gotten an aid to help her out at the very least. He may have just needed more one on one attention…or they could have went ahead and put him in special classes.
This teacher should be ashamed of herself for promoting the hate and dislike of those not “normal” or like the rest of us.
[...] it again my response to a post has grown into a post of its own.. This started out as a response to Elfninosmom’s piece about a Wendy Portillo, kindergarten teacher, Port St. Lucie, Florida who encouraged her students [...]
Sandy,
Autism is not really a mental disability but more of a developmental disorder.
ENM,
I thought you had fell into a blackhole in cyberspace. I started writing a response but it grew into its own post. Wrote a post earlier this week about a church that banned an autistic boy from services.
One last thought one of the most well-known people with Asperger’s is Bill Gates. Who knows Alex could be the next up and coming genius.
Hi, Sandy and Dee!
I kind of did fall into a black hole in cyberspace, that black hole being covering the Libertarian Party’s national convention (and the resultant fallout, with libertarians leaving the LP in droves because they completely oppose the resultant presidential nominee, who arguably is not even a libertarian) for my other blog, Last Free Voice.
I’m just glad that’s done, so now I’m back to this blog.
Yes to all of the above [found you via the Dee Zone] and I’ll repeat what I said there.
When the children in the class were encouraged to describe what they didn’t like about Alex, it made me think of what happens in my own boys’ special education class.
Every week on a Friday the children are encouraged to describe something they like about their fellow classmates during that week. Each week the whole exercise dissolves in a mass attack of the giggles.
Best wishes
Hi, Maddy! It sounds like your children are lucky to have a very good teacher, who fosters not only their education, but also their emotional well-being.
Maddy,
I didn’t realize that your son’s class was a special education class. That is a very good activity especially for children that may have problems with socialization and self-esteem issues.
ENM & Sandy,
Did you read what I wrote this week about the boy being banned from church? It is related to this.
Hi, Dee! I haven’t seen that one, I am WAY behind on my Google Reader. I’ll go look for it right now.
ENM,
Just read on another blog (the one that linked to both of our blogs) that not only was Alex kicked out of class but he was left to find a place to go on his own. According to the other blog, the teacher asked him where he would go. When he replied the office. She told him they don’t want you.
It is an accepted practice for teachers to have an arrangment with another teacher to take in a student who needs to be out of their regular classroom for some reason. The most common time I used this was if a student had been accident the day of a test and I was going over the test with the rest of the class. I have used this practice when I student that needed time away from the situation in the class, either the student just needed a quite place or maybe needed to get themselves under control. Why didn’t the teacher try something like that.
Oh I found another blog that linked to the emails of the teacher and others from the school.
I too have a five year old girl…without disabilities and I am outraged! I cannot believe that an adult could find it appropriate to do this sort of thing to ANY child! I do not believe in sparing the rod of discipline but I do however know that there are better ways…more private ways of handling behavioral problems than to forge an all out assault on the child’s esteem! I hope this teacher realizes that she has done nothing more than re-enforce that hatred, negativity and demeaning someone is socially acceptable. Although she will be judged eternally, it will be a shame and a grave reflection on our society if she suffers no recourse for her actions.
Kenna,
Thank you for your comment. I am not a parent but as an educator I’m outraged by what the teacher did.
On the subjuect of abuse in school. We had a situation going on for a few years at the EASTERN Suffolk BOCES (Sayville Learning Center) to be specific. My daughter was constantly being ridiculed and outcasted. She was constantly put in a time out room and couldn’t leave her seat except for a bathroom break. Her classmates mocked her and treated her badly because the teacher would reprimand her constantly in front of the students so they felt the right to tease her. I get outraged when I hear stories like the one. My daughter now attends the WESTERN Suffolk Boces (James e. Alan Elementary) and the approach they used is refreshing. I am just so sorry it took 3 years to make the switch.
Kristine,
Glad you got your child out of there. I had to endure 8 years of teacher endorsed torture.
Asperger’s isn’t “high functioning autism”; it’s a stand-alone disorder. (this from my own research on the subject) I am believed to have Asperger’s and was emotionally abused severely by my adoptive mother – hell, I still am!
And emotional abuse of any child is disgusting!!
Hey There,
According to the DSM (the standard for diagnosing Asperger’s and Autism) Asperger’s is on the Austim Specturm. Several years ago the definition of autism was broadened to include related disorers including Apserger’s and PPD.
I was told by a psychologist that Asperger’s is “high-functioning autism”, when I was discussing a criminal case with her, involving someone diagnosed with Asperger’s. She testified to that before a jury, too.
I am very sorry you were (and are) emotionally abused. That is always terrible. Honestly, I think in many ways emotional abuse is the cruelest form of abuse.
I have never heard of Asperger’s being caused by bad parenting though. From what I understand, Asperger’s is a neurobiological disorder.
ENM,
Technically Asperger’s is not autism but it is a related disorder. True Austism must have onset before age 5 and is very limited. The standards for defining autism was changed to include related disorders hence the Autism Spectrum.
When speaking with those not in field it often easier to simply the definition for things like Autism and Aspergers. For example when I am discussing dysgraphia it is much easier to explain by saying it is a form of dyslexia because most people have a basic understanding of dyslexia.
Abuse does not cause Asperger’s however it may cause emotional problems that have manifestations similar to Asperger’s.
Thank you for the clarification, Dee.
ENM,
Sorry wasn’t trying to sound no-it-all.
I didn’t think you sounded that way at all, Dee. I just appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge.