RE: Re: Update on Dangerous Student

[Guest guest]

At our school hiring a male teacher (who had experience with autism) for the student that was violent seemed to help. The student acted out less with him. Of course, male special education teachers are hard to come by. Tonya From: Texas-Autism-Advocacy [mailto:Texas-Autism-Advocacy ] On Behalf Of Sent: Friday, January 28, 2011 6:17 AMTo: Texas-Autism-Advocacy Subject: Re: Update on Dangerous Student You just described the behavior classroom I work in, but I'm in Round Rock ISD. We have two students who regularly seriously injure us (luckily so far no broken bones). I've only been in this classroom for 3 months now (I moved from a PPCD classroom at the same school), but from what I've observed, there truly isn't anything anyone can do. At our school, everyone thinks the two dangerous kids would be most appropriately placed in an in-patient treatment center (which both have been sent to for short periods of time after particularly heinous behavior at school). But unless all the parties involved in the kid's ARD agree, the placement remains our behavior classroom. In the case of our two boys, the parents don't want them in a treatment facility, so we're stuck. We have one-on-one aides with them, but that isn't always enough.In our district, the " ticket " to get them involuntarily admitted to a treatment facility seems to have to do with bodily fluids, not out-of-control behavior. In both cases when these two boys were sent in-patient, it was after they had done really gross things with their bodily fluids (one boy had smeared feces all over the classroom, the other peed on the floor and tried to drink his own urine). - >> Well, the head of the special ed department at my sons school and where this dangerous student is, once again had to go see the doctor because of an injury done to her! HER husband went to administration today raising kane and telling them his wife would NOT be returning until she can be guaranteed a safe environment!! (I don't know how many times this same student has injured her, but at one time it resulted in a broken foot) Now there are FOUR staff out - for how long, don't know! Which means the department is now UNDER staffed. Which means that one of my sons who is in a behavioral class does not have the trained staff to deal with behavioral issues. Also, another mother's child who has a severe seizure disorder, will not have someone in her classroom who knows what to do with about seizures. And what happens if this dangerous kid gets loose? > > So now what???? I am so glad the husband went in madder then heck - maybe HE can draw attention to this dangerous situation. AND the doctor who has handled most of the injuries is writing a letter to the district - he said this has got to stop!!> > And I'm wondering who in the district I can call to voice MY concern? This has gone way too far - he could kill someone!!!>

[Guest guest]

At this point your best bet would be to take a group of parents and address the school board. Do it during the public comment portion so that it is on record. You might point out that although schools have sovereign immunity (aren’t liable legally) that right is waived in the case of gross neglect. I heard this many years ago in a TCASE training so they should be aware of it but knowing you are aware of it might give them some more incentive to act. I’m sorry, I don’t have the statute that discusses this, but someone on this list or the one associated with www.topaa.org should have it. Tonya From: Texas-Autism-Advocacy [mailto:Texas-Autism-Advocacy ] On Behalf Of mayflowers53Sent: Friday, January 28, 2011 6:53 AMTo: Texas-Autism-Advocacy Subject: Re: Update on Dangerous Student Ok - REALLY????????????????????????This kid is 6 foot 3 inches in HIGH SCHOOL - he is not a kindergarten student nor an elementary student!!!!!!WHEN THE HUSBAND gets pissed off this is serious!!!!When a teacher had to have SURGERY and is probably out for the year - this is serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!When the head of the department gets a broken foot - this is serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!When the department is now short handed because of a dangerous kid - this is serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THIS STUDENT is the ONLY one in this ROOM - I am regretting I even posted because of some of the comments that have been posted - YES the deputy superintendent KNOWS - we told him!!!I don't know if this student is in a group home or still lives at home! THE POINT is that this has gone too far!>> > I think you need to remember the things you are hearing are second hand. If things were really this bad they would have sent this kid out to one of the autism centers. Has he hurt your child or any child that you know of for fact? I am only saying this because my son is a so called " dangerous " student. He hits his teachers if he's scared. He's never injured one and he's never hit a student...it's mostly just posturing and making noise. I can't tell you how isolating it is to be the Mom of a student whom others fear because they've heard half truths. If the situation really is this bad I'm assuming you could go to the principal and let your fears be known. If that doesn't do the trick try the autism person for you school district. Another reason I find this hard to believe is because my son like I said has never injured anyone...he slaps hands or half heartedly kicks at teachers. I can tell you for a fact they'd remove him in a New York minute if he injured somebody...they've told me so. The fact is this kid you're speaking of is a kid who is hurting and scared, he's somebody's child. Chances are more than good the things you're hearing are beefed up.We all know how isolating autism can be in our lives and our kid's lives. Let's not make someone else's hell worse by listening to or spreading gossip>

[Guest guest]

I agree with Tonya. But the other parent below is not understanding that this can be very real. Teachers noses broken, kids bitten, teachers arms broken.I have seen this with my own eyes and my son has been bitten many times. When these kids get bigger and stronger they can become a danger to themselves and others but what to do? Schools don't want to pay for residential placement. Ann Hart at ASA might remember the name of the residential ABA school in Dallas I have forgotten the name but that is the school I would recommend.

 

At this point your best bet would be to take a group of parents and address the school board.  Do it during the public comment portion so that it is on record.  You might point out that although schools have sovereign immunity (aren’t liable legally) that right is waived in the case of gross neglect. I heard this many years ago in a TCASE training so they should be aware of it but knowing you are aware of it might give them some more incentive to act.  I’m sorry, I don’t have the statute that discusses this, but someone on this list or the one associated with www.topaa.org should have it.

 

Tonya

 

From: Texas-Autism-Advocacy [mailto:Texas-Autism-Advocacy ] On Behalf Of mayflowers53

Sent: Friday, January 28, 2011 6:53 AMTo: Texas-Autism-Advocacy Subject: Re: Update on Dangerous Student

 

 

Ok - REALLY????????????????????????This kid is 6 foot 3 inches in HIGH SCHOOL - he is not a kindergarten student nor an elementary student!!!!!!WHEN THE HUSBAND gets pissed off this is serious!!!!When a teacher had to have SURGERY and is probably out for the year - this is serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When the head of the department gets a broken foot - this is serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!When the department is now short handed because of a dangerous kid - this is serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THIS STUDENT is the ONLY one in this ROOM -

I am regretting I even posted because of some of the comments that have been posted - YES the deputy superintendent KNOWS - we told him!!!I don't know if this student is in a group home or still lives at home! THE POINT is that this has gone too far!

>> > I think you need to remember the things you are hearing are second hand. If things were really this bad they would have sent this kid out to one of the autism centers. Has he hurt your child or any child that you know of for fact? I am only saying this because my son is a so called " dangerous " student. He hits his teachers if he's scared. He's never injured one and he's never hit a student...it's mostly just posturing and making noise. I can't tell you how isolating it is to be the Mom of a student whom others fear because they've heard half truths. If the situation really is this bad I'm assuming you could go to the principal and let your fears be known. If that doesn't do the trick try the autism person for you school district. Another reason I find this hard to believe is because my son like I said has never injured anyone...he slaps hands or half heartedly kicks at teachers. I can tell you for a fact they'd remove him in a New York minute if he injured somebody...they've told me so. The fact is this kid you're speaking of is a kid who is hurting and scared, he's somebody's child. Chances are more than good the things you're hearing are beefed up.We all know how isolating autism can be in our lives and our kid's lives. Let's not make someone else's hell worse by listening to or spreading gossip

>

[Guest guest]

Sent from my LG phone

Tonya Hettler wrote:

>Love your attitude ! Please know that people like you are angels

>sent to our kids. Our son has a heaven sent angel in the form of a behavior

>re-director. She is calm and consistent with the kids and holds high

>expectations for them but the biggest tool in her arsenal is she truly cares

>about them and lets the kids know it. I can't tell you the changes she has

>brought about in our son and am so very grateful for people like her and

>you!!!

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>Once, in another workshop, lol, the presenter pointed out that our kids'

>behavior is constantly under a microscope and to think about our own

>behavior. Could we survive that type of scrutiny without making multiple

>mistakes? Useful thought to bring up at ARDs...

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>Tonya

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>From: Texas-Autism-Advocacy

>[mailto:Texas-Autism-Advocacy ] On Behalf Of

>Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2011 9:32 AM

>To: Texas-Autism-Advocacy

>Subject: Re: Update on Dangerous Student

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>I can totally see the school / neighborhood " rumor mill " creating the

>scenario you described, . The previous two school years, my pretty

>severely affected ASD son was that kid at his old school. If something

>happened, he was almost always blamed because he was so volatile, and it

>became a self-fulfilling prophecy - they expected him to be " bad, " so he was

>bad. This year, he's in a life skills class at my school, and although he's

>had his flare-ups, they're nothing compared to the previous two school

>years, mainly because he's in a more positive environment.

>

>Also, with the emotionally disturbed kids I work with, I hear all sorts of

>snarky comments about them from the general ed teachers. Just last week, we

>had a 4th grade assembly in the library with a visiting author, and one of

>the general ed teachers loudly asked the assistant principal if the reason

>she was attending was because there were 7 ACHIEVE (my behavior program)

>kids in the audience (e.g. implying that they would act out and need her

>intervention). My behavior kids are always the first blamed for " bad "

>behavior, even if it's no more severe than any other kid's. I have one boy

>who is doing amazingly well, going to his general ed 4th grade class (with

>my supervision), but all the teacher can tell me is how little of his work

>he's completing. Heck, it's a miracle he's even managing to attend

>behaviorally, who cares about doing the work at this point! I get it that

>general ed teachers are stressed about TAKS, and our " bad " kids make it

>harder for them to teach the required lessons, but quite frankly, tough luck

>for them - our students are their students, too.

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>Sorry for my rant!

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>> If this is true, then I'm not sure what can be done...particularly after

>the teacher commented saying that she's had students that got stuck there

>because there was nowhere else for them to go. I say if this is the case and

>you are 100% sure, then maybe you need to threaten them with going to the

>press if they won't make a change. I'm sorry to make you feel like you

>regret posting. It's just that I have seen some absolute witch hunts on some

>kids, one of them being mine. You shouldn't have access tot he fact that her

>husband came in or that she had surgery or any other private matters of the

>school. That's why I questioned how valid what you were hearing was. My son

>had the cops called on hima t school because he tried to run away...he

>didn't hit anyone, he just tried to run home. If a child steps off school

>property the police must be called. So then some teachers who didn't know or

>teach my son and their friends told everyone he attacked somebody and got

>arrested. The neighborhood kids weren't allowed to play with my son

>anymore...except for the ones who's parents actually knew us and knew it

>wasn't true. Sometimes things can look like one thing and be

>another...that's all I'm saying. I hope you can find a resolution to your

>problem. Have you tried getting an advocate or an attourney?You could get an

>attourney to just attend a meeting with you and it shouldn't be too

>expensr‰

[Guest guest]

Actually, my son's intervention teacher teaches classes on that method...i think at the Arc, not sure though. He gave me a schedule for the parent classes, so I'll check

[Guest guest]

Oh my goodness that is so cool! My son would go nuts over that:) My son goes to middle school next year and leaves this teacher behind:( I do know the school psychologist at his middle school and he is awesome, so I hope it works out next year as well.

To: Texas-Autism-Advocacy From: LAUC174@...Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2011 09:45:16 +0000Subject: Re: Update on Dangerous Student

Same at our school. My son hated him for the first two years, and then all of a sudden, realy likes him this year. They also started a Wilderness Adventure program for the boys who need more guidance as a sort of leadership/character building class. My son was one of the first students picked and he loves it. They are learning things like how to build a shelter, archery, etc... He is now bringing in other boys and using the first couple like my son as the leaders/teachers. My son's confidence is so much better and he is really making friends this year. >> > My son has a male "intervention" teacher. This man's sole purpose is to come in if there is a problem and take whatever action is decided upon. He also has the kids in his room sometimes for a sensory break or tutoring help. This man also has an aide just for him. Then there is an intervention team as well that helps if the situation requires more than one person. The team includes somebody who is trained to watch and make sure the child is not in distress. My son is in a regular ed room with an aide...it's not only my son's aide, but she mostly works with him. This school is amazing. The male teacher has the heart for the job and the knowledge, which are also majorly important>