From CBS News, Scripps Howard News Service in the Chicago Sun-Times, the Palm Beach Post, USA Today and elsewhere:

A Florida mother is considering legal action and a kindergarten teacher has been removed from the classroom after the teacher led her students in voting to eject a boy with behavior problems from class.

Melissa Barton said her son Alex (above) is in the process of being evaluated for an autism spectrum disorder at the recommendation of the principal of Morningside Elementary School in Port Lucie, Florida. She said her son’s behavioral difficulties are caused by a disability, and that she has met with school and district representatives to create an individual education plan for her son.

Port Lucie police said Morningside teacher Wendy Portillo told the boy to stand in front of the classroom while she polled his classmates, who voted 14-2 to send him away.

“The teacher decided to bring him in front of the class and let the other kids tell him what they didn’t like about him, kind of ridiculed him,” said officer Michelle Steele, spokeswoman for the Port St. Lucie police.

An investigation by the state attorney’s office concluded the matter did not meet the criteria for emotional child abuse, so no criminal charges will be filed.

In an interview with CBS News, Barton said:

This is not Survivor. This is reality. This is a child’s life in kindergarten. How can anybody possibly decide on if my child is worthy of staying in kindergarten based upon a disability? Even if he was not disabled, my son has every right to have an education … it’s just wrong and it’s not fair.

CBS headline: Tag, you’re out! Special needs child voted out of classroom

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 at 2:51 pm and is filed under Asperger's, NOT2BEMISSED, abuse, advocacy, autism, behavior, public attitudes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post