Port St. Lucie Teacher “Reassigned”
I’m sure by now you have all heard, or read, of the 5-year-old kindergartner, Alex Barton, who was cast out of his classroom last week by his own teacher and classmates.
If not…
Port St. Lucie, Florida teacher, Wendy Portillo, was removed from her duties as kindergarten teacher because she held a vote in her classroom in which students literally “voted-out” Barton because they did not like him in the classroom. Often a behavior challenge and often either in the principal’s office or nurse’s office for acting up, Alex is currently being tested for Asperger’s Disorder, a form of autism.
The problem here is not necessarily that she humiliated him in front of his peers, that she teased and bullied him (and allowed other students to do it as well), and not that she even committed emotional abuse in a classroom.
The problem here is that (and thanks to Daily Kos and Thinking in Metaphors for their fabulous interpretations) she took matters into her own hands when she got frustrated with his behavior. Instead, she was required BY LAW to give him services under IDEA and to help participate in the creation of his IEP if he is found to be autistic.
Because Barton has yet to qualify for special education do those laws apply to this case? I sure hope so because what Portillo has done is an outrage to any child, let alone a child with autism.
Currently, Portillo has been reassigned to administration desk until the investigation is over. However, the state’s attorney’s office found that the matter did not meet the criteria for emotional child abuse so no actual criminal charges will be filed.
Additionally, the Port St. Lucie Police are not longer investigating but they are documenting the complaint.
So, who is handling this case? Bloggers?
For more reading:
Chicago Sun Times
USA Today
Thinking in Metaphors
Daily Kos
TC Palm
Sun Sentenial
May 28th, 2008 at 10:31 am
She should be voted off the planet. What a terrible waste of oxygen, water, and food.
May 28th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
How does such an ignorant, insensitive woman become a teacher of small children? I hope she is exposed, photo and all for the world to see and what she did. How cruel can a teacher be? A teacher of all people should be more understanding of disabilities. We try to teach other children tolerance and the teacher humiliates this little boy. As the mom of an autistic son, I would like to drive my thumbnails thru her eyes.
May 28th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Yes, I totally agree Karen!
May 29th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
[...] no wonder children in Alex Barton’s class were able to succumb to Wendy Portillo’s request so easily…they were accustomed [...]
June 1st, 2008 at 9:55 am
This is an outrage. It is unfortunate enough that children participate in social aggression amongst themselves, but for an adult in a leadership position to not only condone it but instigate it is inexcusable. Unfortunately, a lot of educators make questionable decisions, especially when it comes to students with special needs. My little sister (now 22) has Asperger’s, and throughout her education it has been an ongoing struggle for my parents to ensure that her IEP is complied with. My only hope is that media coverage of examples such as this latest one will spread the word that such marginalization of students with special needs is absolutely unacceptable.
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
[...] Discussing Autism [...]
November 20th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
How sad! I am very disapointed and embarrassed to think there are teachers like this in the teaching community I am about to enter. You have to wonder, how much of this is due to this teachers lack of education. Although it is EXTREMELY wrong (what she did) I have to wonder if this individual felt scared, helpless, or lost as a teacher. Yes, she should have looked for resources and asked for help….but the case very well may be that some teachers feel unqualified to handle students who pose a challange to their room and instruction. I only hope that the movement toward better preparing our future educators to handle these type of wonderful children, begins to show in more and more classrooms accross the country! Then again, maybe I am wrong and this is just a case of an ignorant and selfish person working in the wrong profession?!