Re: Re:Autistic child arrested - 9 years old- at school- This is...

[Guest guest]

Oh my Lord....this makes me very frightened.

--Suzanne

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/25/2006 10:17:34 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, meredith_von@... writes:

Reynolds and firefighters managed to get the boy back inside and took him to the principal's office, where he grabbed the principal's paddle and raised it in a threatening manner, fire Capt. Goldy said.

I find the whole issue appalling and there is no way a 9 year old should have been put in this situation. IMO there is a lot of incompetence in the school when they allow other children to pick on a disabled child (I have had to deal with the same issue) And why on earth was did the child have access to a 2nd floor open (or unlocked) window?

But what really got me ... a paddle? Why was a paddle in the principals office? If a school is going to physically intimidate neuro-typical children into submission, I can't imagine that a child with autism wouldn't be intimidated in the same way. And yes, I believe by having a paddle in the office is physical intimidation, used or not.