Merged Teacher leads kindergarten class to vote boy with Asperger's out of class

[Prometheus]

I tend to agree, in that looking at this from the perspective of a teacher teaching a child without Asperger's one can see that the intentions were good. However, when you add Asperger's into the mix, things start looking bizarre. That's what leads me to believe that she didn't have the expertise to be able to teach a child with an ASD. Nobody who knows the first thing about autism would try to use peer pressure that way. And that isn't mere hyperbole in this case; the first thing to know about autism is that it is a social disorder, affecting people's interactions with other people. She might as well have tried to teach a blind child by showing him pictures.

Now we know that the diagnosis hadn't been delivered at the time, but I can't believe that there wasn't some very concrete suspicion of the child's condition. Someone in the school knew that this child very likely had Aspergers, and that someone allowed him to stay in a mainstream class with a teacher who didn't know the basics about teaching, or even managing the behaviour of, someone with Aspergers; and when she ran into problems, they let her carry on dealing with them without the expertise or the support to do it properly. Whoever that person was, they should be the one doing some explaining right now.

Dave

I don't know what the law is in Florida, but my brother is currently experiencing the New Hampshire version, as his son has just been diagnosed with Asperger's. The school wants to move him into a special ed class, but they are not allowed to do so without his parents' consent. My brother has thus far refused to allow them to do so (they've called him in for several conferences and tried to pressure him into signing the consent forms), until he gets a second opinion from a neurologist who specializes in the disorder and perhaps retains an advocate for his son.

 

[Prometheus]

Exactly my point, much more eloquently stated.

The very last thing any teacher should be doing is encouraging peer pressure and groupthink. Especially among children that age.

It doesn't matter if the situation was as bad as the mother claimed it was. The teacher admitted to setting up this little round of ostracism; and still doesn't think she did anything wrong. Maybe she could get a job programming reality television show; but she sure shouldn't be teaching.

If that is what the teacher actually did, it still doesn't warrant such an extreme response. A single lapse in judgement in a situation that, in general, teachers are not trained or certified to handle, only points to a need for better training and certification procedures. It does not mean that she's generally incompetent as a teacher.

 

[Dancing David]

I don't know what the law is in Florida, but my brother is currently experiencing the New Hampshire version, as his son has just been diagnosed with Asperger's. The school wants to move him into a special ed class, but they are not allowed to do so without his parents' consent. My brother has thus far refused to allow them to do so (they've called him in for several conferences and tried to pressure him into signing the consent forms), until he gets a second opinion from a neurologist who specializes in the disorder and perhaps retains an advocate for his son.

I would also hook up with someone who knows the special ed law in New hamshire, school social workers for example.

A special ed class may or may not be the best placement, but hey they can refuse to sign all they want. Depending on the kids strengths a planner and extended time on tests may be sufficient.

 

[applecorped]

5 year old with autism voted out of class

http://www.parentdish.com/2008/05/27/students-vote-autistic-5-year-old-out-of-class/

"It sounds like somebody has been watching too many reality shows. Namely, Wendy Portillo, a teacher at Morningside Elementary in Port St. Lucie, Florida. She turned her kindergarten classroom into a cruel version of Survivor by allowing her students to vote a fellow student out of the class.

The banished child is 5-year-old Alex Barton, who is in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning type of autism. Not uncommon to his condition, Alex has had some behavioral issues and as a result, spends a lot of time in the principal's office.

After returning to Ms. Portillo's classroom after a recent visit with the principal, his teacher decided to punish him with humiliation. She had Alex stand at the front of the class while his fellow students listed off what they didn't like about him. After informing him that they found him "disgusting" and "annoying", the class was instructed to vote on whether or not Alex should be allowed to stay in the class. By a 14 to 2 margin, they voted him out."



Disgusting.

 

[Cleon]

What. The. ****.

At what point in studying to become a teacher did she get the notion that this would be a good idea? Even your average babysitter would realize that this would be a horrible thing to do.

 

[Alt+F4]

Public school teachers (in the USA sense) have never been the cream of the crop of humanity generally.

Sigh.....I thought the teacher bashing threads here at the JREF didn't begin until after Labor Day.

 

[WildCat]

Sigh.....I thought the teacher bashing threads here at the JREF didn't begin until after Labor Day.

This thread was started in May 2008...

 

[Dancing David]

Sigh.....I thought the teacher bashing threads here at the JREF didn't begin until after Labor Day.

This teacher is a total jerk and should have been fired.

(From a card carrying member of the "I Heart Teacher's Club!"

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may...-side-incident-which/?partner=yahoo_headlines


ETA:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/nov/04/teacher-whose-students-voted-autistic-boy-out-clas/

After months of investigation, Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon recommended Portillo be suspended for one year without pay and lose her tenure. The school board approved that recommendation Nov. 18, 2008. On Portillo’s appeal, an administrative law judge upheld Lannon’s recommendation.

Lannon testified at the administrative hearing he would not approve Portillo returning to an early elementary classroom in the future.

The board later reinstated Portillo’s tenure, which meant she had a job waiting for her after her suspension.

She really is a jerk
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/20...100903_1_melissa-barton-autistic-student-vote

You just forgot the students's special needs and IEP, sure Wendy and youre two friends.

jerks.

 

[Alt+F4]

This thread was started in May 2008...

Ah, ok, so the same teacher is still being bashed after two years.

 

[WildCat]

This teacher is a total jerk and should have been fired.

(From a card carrying member of the "I Heart Teacher's Club!"

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may...-side-incident-which/?partner=yahoo_headlines


ETA:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/nov/04/teacher-whose-students-voted-autistic-boy-out-clas/

Disgusting. That teacher should never be in a classroom again.

It's funny how often we hear teachers say "children are not widgets", yet they pushed for and received the same type of union work rules appropriate for and in fact inspired by factory workers making widgets, rather than white-collar professionals charged with educating children.

 

[Alt+F4]

Disgusting. That teacher should never be in a classroom again.

We should set her on fire and throw her off The Golden Gate Bridge. Where's my pitchfork?

It's funny how often we hear teachers say "children are not widgets", yet they pushed for and received the same type of union work rules appropriate for and in fact inspired by factory workers making widgets, rather than white-collar professionals charged with educating children.

According to this silly logic, truck drivers, electrical worker, carpenters, firefighter, police, etc. shouldn't be in unions because they don't make widgets.

 

[WildCat]

We should set her on fire and throw her off The Golden Gate Bridge. Where's my pitchfork?



According to this silly logic, truck drivers, electrical worker, carpenters, firefighter, police, etc. shouldn't be in unions because they don't make widgets.

Wow, you're actually comparing an incompetent carpenter installing a door jamb incorrectly to an incompetent teacher failing 20-30 children every school year.

Because children are just like door jambs, right?

 

[Alt+F4]

Wow, you're actually comparing an incompetent carpenter installing a door jamb incorrectly to an incompetent teacher failing 20-30 children every school year.

No I'm not, I'm questioning your assertion that only certain professions should be in unions. Unions come about because workers decide to organize. It matters not one bit that early labor unions were mostly comprised of factory workers.

 

[WildCat]

No I'm not, I'm questioning your assertion that only certain professions should be in unions. Unions come about because workers decide to organize. It matters not one bit that early labor unions were mostly comprised of factory workers.

I didn't say they shouldn't be in unions. I said they shouldn't have the same work rules developed for workers making widgets in a factory.

For example, "last hired, first fired". No consideration at all as to the effectiveness of those they fire compared to those which remain. The only criteria is years of service.

Children are not widgets, remember?

 

[Alt+F4]

I didn't say they shouldn't be in unions. I said they shouldn't have the same work rules developed for workers making widgets in a factory.

For example, "last hired, first fired". No consideration at all as to the effectiveness of those they fire compared to those which remain. The only criteria is years of service.

Children are not widgets, remember?

Different unions have different rules based on the nature of the work. You know what they give you at the widget factory? Tools to make widgets! Imagine being fired for not making widgets when they didn't give you the tools to make them?

Here's an example. Next week school starts in NYC. Monday is Labor Day, school closed, Tuesday is Professional Develoment, Wed. students come in, Thursday and Friday school is closed for Jewish Holidays.

How many kids do you think are gonna come in for that one day? Would you? Attendance is gonna be a disaster but of course it's the teacher's fault. Attendance is the major reason why students fail in high school. Someone could be the greatest teacher since Socrates but it doesn't matter if the bodies aren't there. Kids play hookie...teacher's fault. Kid's can't learn because of learning disabilities, problems at home, limited English.

Please explain why a teacher should be held responsible for the failure of her students when half the class only speaks Chinese.

Would you be ok with being fired based on the accusation of a 5 year-old?

 

[Alt+F4]

Does anyone what the outcome was of the federal lawsuit the mother filed against just about everyone?

 

[shawmutt]

Correct, here in the USA many people switch to an education degree because it simply is the easiest to get. The test scores among those with that degree are among the lowest of any major. It's a very low paying job and most qualified people who choose to do it are doing it at a personal financial cost (meaning they could have gotten a much higher salary by going into a different field).

I'm not sure where all this "teachers get paid crap" stuff comes from. My wife is an elementary teacher, been doing it for only 5 years, and makes over 50K--median household income in this area is 51K. Most families in this area have both parents working.

She had her Master of Education degree paid for, and is currently getting her second Master of Education for administration degree paid for. Her health benefits better than what she could get in the private sector. She has tenure, meaning she can't be "downsized" because the economy sucks. Plus she has a pension--try getting that in the private sector. Add to that a couple paid weeks off every summer, guaranteed.

It's not a sweet deal, sure we could move and make a bit more money, but it's dirt cheap to live here and she's making relatively good money.

As far as the OT, a lot of folks already pointed out the obvious--there is a lot of missing information. That's one of the issues when a local news story gets picked up nationwide, local new reporting sucks and most of the context is lost to idiot commentators.

 

[roger]

Ah, ok, so the same teacher is still being bashed after two years.

Well, given that she did yet another thing to discriminate against a child with a disability, why not?

 

[quixotecoyote]

Well, given that she did yet another thing to discriminate against a child with a disability, why not?

Yet another? I thought this was a rehash of the old story.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

After returning to Ms. Portillo's classroom after a recent visit with the principal, his teacher decided to punish him with humiliation. She had Alex stand at the front of the class while his fellow students listed off what they didn't like about him. After informing him that they found him "disgusting" and "annoying", the class was instructed to vote on whether or not Alex should be allowed to stay in the class. By a 14 to 2 margin, they voted him out."

Who were the 2 little suck ups?