How can we help this mom, so other parents kids wont suffer the same fate. PORT ST. LUCIE — Melissa Barton said she is considering legal action after her son's kindergarten teacher led his classmates to vote him out of class. After each classmate was allowed to say what they didn't like about Barton's 5-year-old son, Alex, his Morningside Elementary teacher said they were going to take a vote, Barton said. By a 14 to 2 margin, the class voted him out of the class. Barton said her son is in the process of being diagnosed with Aspberger's, a type of high-functioning autism. Alex began the testing process in February for an official diagnosis under the suggestion of Morningside Principal Marsha Cully. Alex has had disciplinary issues because of his disabilities, Barton said. The school and district has met with Barton and her son to create an individual education plan, she said. His teacher, Wendy Portillo, has attended these meetings, she said. Barton said after the vote, Alex's teacher asked him how he felt. "He said, 'I feel sad,'" she said. Alex left the classroom and spent the rest of the day in the nurse's office, she said. Barton said when she came to pick up her son at the school on Wednesday, he was leaving the nurse's office. "He was shaken up," she said. Barton said the nurse told her to talk with the child's teacher, who told her what happened. Alex hasn't been back to school since then, and Barton said he won't be returning. He starts screaming when she brings him with her to drop off his sibling at school. Thursday night, his mother heard him saying "I'm not special." Barton said Alex is reliving the incident. They said he was "disgusting" and "annoying," Barton said. "He was incredibly upset," Barton said. "The only friend he has ever made in his life was forced to do this." The child's mother filed a complaint with the school resource officer, who investigated the matter, said Port St. Lucie spokeswoman Michelle Steele said. But the state attorney's office concluded the matter did not meet the criteria for emotional child abuse, so no criminal charges will be filed, Steele said. Port St. Lucie Police is no longer investigating, but is documenting the complaint, she said. Steele said the teacher confirmed the incident did occur. St. Lucie School's spokeswoman Janice Karst said the district is investigating the incident, but could not make any further comment. Vern Melvin, Department of Children and Families circuit administrator, confirmed the agency is investigating an allegation of abuse at Morningside, but said he could not elaborate.
tc wrote this reply on May 24, 2008 3:58 am
OMG wth was this teacher thinking? I would be holding my own vote for the worst teacher!!!
KevinLivsDad wrote this reply on May 24, 2008 4:44 am
Geez, can we at FR vote her out of teaching ;) Turn about is fair play. What can I say. Plenty of terds in the world,
iansmom wrote this reply on May 24, 2008 6:52 am
How can they sayit doesn't meet criteria for emtional abuse. They had every member of the class get up and say what they didn't like about this child. Did everyone get the same treatment? Just think what could have been accomplished if she had each child say one nice thing about each other or one thing I like about....
ADifferentDrummer wrote this reply on May 24, 2008 8:53 am
Sometimes I am just amazed by a person's ignorance! What more can I say? Deb
mercurymom wrote this reply on May 24, 2008 11:57 am
When did going to school beome a copy of getting voted off Survivor? The teacher needs to be fired at once. The childern need someone to come to the class and teach about excepting individuals as they are...and about compassion. This is an outrage..but honestly..not a shock at all.
shannonj wrote this reply on May 24, 2008 8:42 pm
This incident seems to come from a place of pure ignorance on the teacher's part....I think that children with Aspergers or HF autism are often not seen in the right perspective because they "appear" so "normal" and it can seem like they are just making bad choices behaviorally...What a huge disservice to this population...many of whom grow up to have severe depression because of such treatment throughout their educational career. It breaks my heart.
hilary wrote this reply on May 24, 2008 11:36 pm
I for one am copying this and requesting that friends and family send an informative letter and or e-mail letting this school know exactly how we feel about this so called educator's teaching standards! Anyone interested? Their address is 2300 SE Gowin Drive, Port St Lucie, FL 34952,'One whisper joined by a thousand others can become a loud voice of support'
- lisadianne wrote this reply on May 25, 2008 1:59 am
I agree. I am definitely getting in contact with that school and my 6 year old daughter also wants to let the school know her opinion! At least the child's mom should know that she is understood and supported!
- mercurymom wrote this reply on May 25, 2008 1:49 am
thanks for the address I understand that you can also go to the school website and actually see the teachers email..hum..I for one..am sending the school a letter, nicely worded and pointing out some well known aspies...
- lisadianne wrote this reply on May 25, 2008 1:57 am
I am appalled. I told my family about this and even my 6 year old daughter easily understood how terrible this was. If this had happened to my son, he would have tried to kill himself...and I do mean this literally. How can this not be emotional abuse??? And besides that, isn't this child protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act? There are definitely other legal avenues which should be pursued! At the very, very least, that teacher should be fired! It is because of situations like this that we have removed our son from school and we are homeschooling him and his sisters.
- Caliboo818 wrote this reply on May 25, 2008 2:53 am
Thank you alla few of my friends and myself have sent out letters voicing our concerns this is just a case of fearing what you dont know. Teaching children to discriminate at and early age people that are different from them
- smiles wrote this reply on Dec 04, 2009 1:05 am
Wow! I heard about this but did not believe it could actually happen. I can't believe the teacher is still teaching. Or at least I hope she is not..
I wonder if the family can come back with bullying. The federal government has very tough anti-bullying laws.
I don't know what I would do if that happened to my precious angel. The tiger in me would come out.....
Hugs to all,
Zurama wrote this reply on May 27, 2008 3:50 am
I can't believe a piece of crap like her is allowed to teach. It just goes to show you that the world does not value our special kids.
IMForeman wrote this reply on Oct 24, 2009 12:52 pm
Despicable behaviour. Did the poor boy have to sit through that humiliation? Good grief, a neurotypical child would be devastated by that, never mind someone especially sensitive. He could be scarred for life! I had plenty of my peers say horrible things about me at school and that took it's toll, believe me. Something like this would make me want to never leave home again.
