Special Education Teachers in Trouble for Autistic Student Abuse

In the past week, several cases of abuse toward autistic students by special education teachers have been making headlines. This has been, unfortunately, not a brand new crisis. Yet the abuse cases to be learned of are downright shocking.

The incidences took place in three different (but major) city-areas.

Miami Lakes, Florida

Special education teacher Sylvia Tangle is given two years probation for giving an autistic student in her class a soda tainted with hot sauce. Teacher's intention: She was trying to "teach the student a lesson". (Source: Palm Beach Post)

Tangle was found guilty by a Miami jury two weeks ago, at the same time that a full investigation was being launched in regards to two other autistic student abuse cases in the same area. (Source: Miami Herald)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A jury finds special education teacher Stuart Kaplan guilty of harassing, hitting, and restraining an 11-year-old student who has Autism and Tourette's Syndrome. Not much more information can be found on this with the exception of press releases being posted and spread throughout the pro-Autistic web community. (Source: Aspie Web Report)

But perhaps the most shocking case of autistic student abuse to come to light this week has occurred in my home city. No words can describe such a headline.

Indianapolis, Indiana

"Lawsuit: Indiana teacher tried to sicken autistic boy" (Source: Yahoo, AP)

Nope, you've read that headline right. A special education teacher, Trinda Barocas of Mary Bryan Elementary School in Perry Township, is currently awaiting trial for trying to trick a student in her class into eating a candy bar.

The target, 8-year-old Jacob Young, has a peanut allergy and Barocas gave him a candy bar filled with peanuts. The plan was for Young to fall ill from an allergic reaction so he would be unable to attend a class field trip to the Indianapolis Zoo. The teacher stated that the boy had been difficult and ill-mannered on past field trips and felt that such a move was necessary. She even spoke of her intentions to a classroom aide.

Barocas is not working at the school for the moment, but her exact punishment is yet to be determined. Hopes are high in the Autistic community, and perhaps for Jacob's mother, Anita Young, for the possible removal of Barocas' teaching license all together because this is NOT the first case against Barocas for abusing Young in her classroom to have come to light.

Earlier in the year, classroom aides have reported to school officials that Barocas had abused Young through various incidences of pinching, grabbing-and-dragging, cramped confinement, and even stomping on his foot. Barocas was giving only a paid administrative leave by Perry Township from this earlier case.

Along with Young, the classroom aides have also witness Barocas showing similar forms of abuse towards another student in her classroom...a girl with Down's Syndrome!

The allegations against this one teacher are so astounding, that outrage is bound to come from the Autistic community if Barocas is once again given a light sentence; similar to the one she was given back in March. There's more than enough testimony by classroom aides as well as the abused students and their families to ensure Barocas' swift firing.

However, in all three cases, the teachers are standing by their actions and are insisting that they were acting in the students' best interest without intention of imposing harm. This has been a common excuse, and unfortunately, it has also gotten some of these special education teachers off the hook in past abuse cases.

Hopefully, since this is clearly a repeated offense for Barocas (against the same student nonetheless) the Young family hopes for justice and a better school experience in the future for Special Education students at Mary Bryan Elementary.

Sources:

Palm Beach Post
Miami Herald
aspieweb.net
Yahoo