Wednesday, 24 February 2010

• Autism and public school: Physical restraint leads to felony charges against young boy AGAIN

  So.
  
  I'm preparing to write up a report for my Examiner column for yet another case of a young boy being charged with assault of a paraprofessional during the use of physical restraint. This scares me beyond belief.
  
  Brandon does not nor even requires physical restraint although as he ages he does act out more. My techniques work with him and so far my experiences with the public school professionals have shown that they are willing to use those techniques to help calm him and redirect his attention.
  
  But what if that changes? I recently had decided to homeschool my children because the school is unABLE (not unwilling) to provide a FAPE for either of my sons. However, I had to give up on it because 1) the virtual school thing is taking so long to happen and 2) I still have cancer and am not getting treatment.
  
  The reason I'm not getting treatment for my cancer is because I was told I had done all the treatment I can do for now. It's a wait and see game. I go back in April some time to get scanned again and see if it's grown. In the meantime, I have symptoms left over from radiation as well as from the cancer itself. It makes it impossible for me to do the homeschool thing correctly.
  
  I cannot get my sons to as many social opportunities as I feel is good amount. I cannot sit at the table with them to help Brandon focus. The other day, his answer was "g" for Godzilla... no matter what the question was and he refused to do the work. I do not have the patience to do this right now. And it makes me feel guilty as it is.
  
  What if he was to return to public school and something like this happens to him? What if he experiences what Dallas and Zach experienced? I will do everything in my power to prevent it, of course. But these parents weren't able to do anything to prevent it because of the way that system is set up! What could I do differently? Nothing. So there is fear. A lot of fear.
  
  Thomas is 11 and acts it. He acts out and I can so see a teacher wishing to restrain him. I can't wait for the laws to pass to make this act illegal! It is so dangerous in so many ways!!
  
  Of course, there are times when physical restraint is necessary for the safety of others and for that child. But how does a person decide which is those times? Will they choose correctly?
  
  In the case of Dallas, it sincerely appears to me that the principal of the school and the teachers of that school sent a clear message: "Dallas doesn't deserve to be educated. We do not want to have to deal with him. He's taking away from the other kids in this school and THEY are losing out."
  
  Well, tough. He is not "less than" than those other students. He has every right, morally, ethically and legally, to an education as those other students. It's the teachers' job to discover the best way to educate him AND the other students. I am sure that having two grown adults lying on top of him (small six year old) is not the right way to get that job done. They just want him OUT of their school. That is evident and obvious. And it's sad.
  
  Yes, I understand the frustration teachers have when children with autism or ADHD get up and walk around the room or do other distracting things. I do. I get it. But just because your job is challenging or frustrating, does not mean that you get to walk away or to do other acts that are unconscionable. And it is unconscionable to charge a child with assault because he bit you when you restrained him so roughly that not only did you leave softball size bruises on his arm, but also carpet burns and lacerations. That is completely unconscionable. And no child should have to suffer that because he does not understand what you want from him.
  
  Dallas was put outside his classroom for a time out. No one stayed with him. Oh, and his classroom is a trailer in this case. A common practice when a school outgrows its physical environment and has no money to build onto the existing school. So, outside... in the cold of Missouri. WITH NO JACKET. And when he asked for his jacket? You call his mom to come get him because he's upset and NO ONE understands why!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
  
  Or how about the kid needs snacks 2 hours before lunch and after lunch because of the medication he is on, THAT THIS SCHOOL INSISTED HE BE PUT ON IN ORDER TO ATTEND SCHOOL, you restrain him because he was hungry.... and dared to ask for his mother-provided snacks??
  
  Dallas was made to stay home so that his mother could go through the process of getting his autism diagnosis clarified and to put him on medication. He was not allowed to attend school for six weeks. He was not allowed to attend summer school and we ALL know that autistic children often regress when not in school year round. Unconscionable.
  
  The principal wanted the mother to sign a statement written on a piece of notebook paper, hand-written, that would allow ANY staff member to physically restrain her son, regardless of his or her training in this area. Unconscionable.
  
  And because mother refused to sign said document? They press charges against a child. Unconscionable!
  
  And this is what I fear for my sons and for all the sons and daughters out there. Something needs to be done. Someone needs to let this school know they CANNOT bully this mother who is a good mother and does the best she can for her children. That is unconscionable!
  
  Please... listen to Autism Women Network's BlogTalkRadio show on Wednesday, February, 24, 2010. Tina, Dallas' awesome mom will be on air to discuss this case. Please show support!! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/autism-womens-network is the link to the radio site. Please listen in, join in the chat room... call in and show support!!
  
  Edit 3/2/2010: As requested, link to article: http://www.examiner.com/x-10560-Special-Needs-Kids-Examiner~y2010m2d24-How-you-can-help-support-Dallas-Obanion-autistic-child-facing-felony-charges
  
  At the top of the article click "next" to read the update. Charges were eventually dropped against Dallas but there is more to come.... I'll be writing another update soon as I get a few details confirmed and verified.
  

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