June 13, 2009
Teacher Reinstated after Allowing Kindergarten Classmates to Vote Student with Aspergers out of Class
Posted in Alex Barton, Asperger Syndrome, Autism, Behavior Intervention Plan, Discrimination, Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), Inclusion, Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Least Restrictive Environment, Participation, Peers, Safety Concerns, School, Special Needs, Wendy Portillo, http://JonsRoom.com at 5:52 pm by jlewicky
I haven’t written for awhile, but watch out – I’m seething. My husband knows to stay away from me right now. In fact, he just crawled out on the roof to paint the house just to stay away from me (I can’t blame him). I’m so mad my stomach hurts, and I’m having trouble catching my breath. And I’ve been this way for at least an hour. And to quote the Incredible Hulk, “You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry”.
Wendy Portillo has been reinstated as a teacher in Port St. Lucie. For those of you who don’t know the story, teacher Wendy Portillo of Morningside Elementary, Port St. Lucie, FL, was suspended without pay for one year after encouraging her Kindergarten students to tell Alex Barton how they felt about him, and then vote whether or not to let him stay in her class. At the time, Alex was being evaluated for Aspergers Syndrome, and has since received the diagnosis.
Alex was made to stand in front of the class and listen to his classmates call him “disgusting” and “annoying”. Then a vote was taken, and losing by 14:2, Alex was removed from the classroom and sent to spend the rest of the day in the nurse’s office. Alex has not returned to the school since the incident, having been traumatized by the experience. For awhile, he screamed everytime his mother brought him along to drop his sibling off at school. (I’m not sure I would be able to let Kate attend a school where Jon had been treated so terribly, but I digress.)
Sure, Alex misbehaved, and very likely disrupted the classroom. He had spent a good time of the year in the principal’s office due to his behaviors. Newsflash: HE HAS ASPERGER’S SYNDROME. He needed to be TAUGHT acceptable behavior. He needed an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), and a documented Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). __________________________________________
Portillo’s lawyer, David Walker, is quoted on the news:
“For a brief 10 minutes on a certain day, she used bad judgment,” said Walker. “She acknowledges that. She apologized for that.” Walker said his client made a lapse in judgment but believed the punishment was too severe.
__________________________________________
Excuse me, but WTF? Sorry for the language, but I really can’t think of a better way to express that. In all of my soul-searching, the most generous I have been in my thoughts about Ms. Portillo is that MAYBE she was having an exceptionally bad day, and that this was an incredibly bad gut reaction that went too far and she didn’t stop it when she should have. And if that were the case, I would be somewhat close to agreeing with her lawyer’s statement. But then I re-read the articles. At the time of the incident, his teacher was involved in IEP meetings. She knew what was going on. She had been in the IEP meetings! She KNEW that he was being evaluated and very likely would fall under the Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) umbrella. That knowledge, even in the worst of days, should have tempered her actions.
There is no question in my mind that the school is also at fault. IF you are going to have special education inclusion, do it correctly. Educate your teachers and give them the appropriate resources to deal with special needs students. Don’t throw all students together under the guise of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), and let everyone suffer for lack of support. If you can’t do it correctly, have separate classrooms for special education. And I should note here: I am an advocate of inclusion, in theory. Clearly, in this school, it didn’t work.
And now, by a unanimous vote of the school board, Ms. Portillo will keep both her contract with the St. Lucie County school district and her tenured status. This occurred at a hearing where the school board heard the testimony of thirteen individuals on behalf of Ms. Portillo, including her own sons, and no one testified for Alex Barton. Why? Because the Barton family was apparently not notified of the hearing. Again, WTF???
How can this happen? I’m dumbfounded. (Clearly, I’m not speechless.) And I’m heading over to our community, www.JonsRoom.com, to start a conversation about it. Come over – I’ll accept all opinions on the matter and consider them, really I will. But, you know already where I stand. See you there - http://www.jonsroom.com
Shea's Mom said,
June 15, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Sickening! I read this story when it first came to light and hoped that teacher would get the permanent boot.
Adults behaving badly, very badly and the school board allowing it to go on.
Yuk!
Shea's Mom said,
June 15, 2009 at 7:47 pm
BTW – thanks for linking to that Roald Dahl post. I have never gotten so many hits!
XO
Cathy D. said,
June 16, 2009 at 8:50 am
This is sickening. This type of behavior, er, excuse me “10 minutes of bad judgment” on the part of a teacher should not be tolerated. Regardless of diagnosis or not! Even more so considering the child’s needs.
We still have so much work to do to not only raise awareness, but understanding as evidenced by this teacher that was aware, but did not understand in the least.
The lessons she taught in that “lapse” of judgment cut very deeply for Alex and all ASD persons. Think of what the other students (particularly the 14) learned on that day. How do we as a society reverse the damage the teacher did there?
BTW – I use the term teacher merely to describe the position held by this woman. Her actions are not appropriate for an educator!
Stacey Reed said,
June 16, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Cousin Jud,
You are amazing. Did you ever think that someone with a former “.com” career background like yourself would end up helping people the way you are? Jon has a very special mom!
Love, Stacey R
jlewicky said,
June 16, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Awwww, shucks, Stacey! Whoever thought someone from our family could get upset and raise their voice about something?
.
I love you and miss you all. Hope to see you soon!
Stacey Reed said,
June 16, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Kids can be mean as we all know. Adults are supposed to know better. Actually, I even feel for all the five year old children in the class who were put in this position.
5 yr. olds should be deciding on what cartoon to watch, not something so awful and judgemental as this. All these students will live with this (consciously or subconsciously) for the rest of their lives.
When did I become my Mom said,
January 5, 2010 at 10:49 am
I was searching for blogs of kids with Aspergers and your post came up in the search results. I remember this story and being mad about it. And that was before my son’s diagnosis. After the turmoil we’ve been through and understanding how alone and isolated he feels even when he’s in a group of people who love him just brings the hurt of this child home even more.
She may never understand how she has scarred this child, and how those thoughtless actions no doubt shook him to the core.
The “better” side of me hopes that she gets the training and sensitization she desperately needs. The baser side of me is very Dr-Banner-seething like you were when you wrote this.
I think the salt in the wound is the careless thoughtless “apology”.