blackstone
30th May 2008, 22:42
Is this what you want your communist/anarchist society classrooms to function?Is this crueltly or giving the kids power to say who they want in their classroom.
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 Wendy Portillo said they were going to take a vote, Barton said.
By a 14 to 2 margin, the students voted Alex — who is in the process of being diagnosed with autism — out of the class.
Steele said the boy had been sent to the principal's office because of disciplinary issues. When he returned, Portillo made him go to the front of the room as a form of punishment, she said. She forced him to stand in front of the class and asked each student to tell Alex "why we hate him."
The other students said he was "disgusting" and "annoying," Barton said. They also complained that he "spins around" and "eats crayons."
After having each child ridicule the boy, she says the teacher continued belittling him.
"Then they had a vote on if he deserved to stay in the class or not," says Barton.
Like a twisted reality show, Barton says in a 14-2 vote, his classmates voted the five-year-old out of the classroom.
"I never thought she would subject my child to such mental abuse," says Barton.
Then they voted to kick him out of the class.
Barton said after the vote, Portillo asked Alex how he felt.
"He said, 'I feel sad,' " Barton said. Portillo asked him "Where are you going to go?" Alex said "To the office" and Portillo told him "They don't want you their either."
Alex was made to leave the classroom and spent the rest of the day in the nurse's office, she said.
"He was incredibly upset," Barton said. "The only friend he has ever made in his life was forced to do this."
Barton said her son is in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a type of high-functioning autism. Alex began the testing process in February at the suggestion of Morningside Principal Marcia Cully.
School and district officials have met with Barton and her son to create an individual education plan to address his difficulties, she said. Portillo attended these meetings, Barton said.
Thursday night, his mother heard him saying "You told me I'm special, I'm not special" over and over.
Barton said Alex is reliving the incident.
Melissa Barton filed a complaint with Morningside’s school resource officer, who investigated the matter, Port St. Lucie Department 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 — 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 Wendy Portillo said they were going to take a vote, Barton said.
By a 14 to 2 margin, the students voted Alex — who is in the process of being diagnosed with autism — out of the class.
Steele said the boy had been sent to the principal's office because of disciplinary issues. When he returned, Portillo made him go to the front of the room as a form of punishment, she said. She forced him to stand in front of the class and asked each student to tell Alex "why we hate him."
The other students said he was "disgusting" and "annoying," Barton said. They also complained that he "spins around" and "eats crayons."
After having each child ridicule the boy, she says the teacher continued belittling him.
"Then they had a vote on if he deserved to stay in the class or not," says Barton.
Like a twisted reality show, Barton says in a 14-2 vote, his classmates voted the five-year-old out of the classroom.
"I never thought she would subject my child to such mental abuse," says Barton.
Then they voted to kick him out of the class.
Barton said after the vote, Portillo asked Alex how he felt.
"He said, 'I feel sad,' " Barton said. Portillo asked him "Where are you going to go?" Alex said "To the office" and Portillo told him "They don't want you their either."
Alex was made to leave the classroom and spent the rest of the day in the nurse's office, she said.
"He was incredibly upset," Barton said. "The only friend he has ever made in his life was forced to do this."
Barton said her son is in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a type of high-functioning autism. Alex began the testing process in February at the suggestion of Morningside Principal Marcia Cully.
School and district officials have met with Barton and her son to create an individual education plan to address his difficulties, she said. Portillo attended these meetings, Barton said.
Thursday night, his mother heard him saying "You told me I'm special, I'm not special" over and over.
Barton said Alex is reliving the incident.
Melissa Barton filed a complaint with Morningside’s school resource officer, who investigated the matter, Port St. Lucie Department 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.