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A Brooklyn father says he’s suing after viewing newly released video footage that shows a school official punching his autistic son in the head.
Anatoly Veltman Sr. is seeking $5 million in damages over the 2014 incident at Public School 225 in Brighton Beach, where a paraprofessional trained to work with special-needs students struck then-11-year-old Anatoly Veltman Jr.
Milton Parker was initially charged with felony assault for striking the boy in the school cafeteria. Parker pleaded guilty last year to a lesser charge – misdemeanor assault – and was required to attend anger management classes, according to WNBC
a I would like to see the video for myself
b if the man worked for 26 years without an incident, he sure as hell deserves his pension
c show me the video
a I would like to see the video for myself
b if the man worked for 26 years without an incident, he sure as hell deserves his pension
c show me the video
The video is in the link the OP provided.
I seriously don't see it. I see the pic of the kid, but not a video.
Maybe something with your browser? No worries. I found it on Youtube for you.
The guy was in the wrong and should be in jail. But $5 mil? Really? #lawsuitlottery
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a I would like to see the video for myself
b if the man worked for 26 years without an incident, he sure as hell deserves his pension
c show me the video
Are you just being cautiously unsure, here? Or do you feel that punching a child in the face is no big deal "given the right circumstances" - because it's hard to say.
Video begins: the black Staff guy (paraprofessional) is leaning over the boy and something is being said at the time, we don't know exactly what. The boy suddenly goes from seemingly normal posture to instantly punching. What caused that? Did the staff guy say something provocative in return?
Staff guy instantly hits back, with adult-male strength on an 11yo that's kind of a problem even in "self-defense".
Nobody died. Once upon a time when we were less namby-pamby this would have been a learning experience for all concerned. The kid to watch his mouth and not hit adult male authority figures. The staff member to mind his temper and not punch an 11yo with mental issues.
I don't see criminal charges... too easily called self-defense, and yes in the heat of the moment anyone might be provoked to hit back. Probably the man was already angry about the comment.
1. The man is a paraprofessional. As such, he is trained, one would hope, to let stuff like this go. To understand that the children in his care will say and behave in socially inappropriate ways and to never, ever respond in kind to any kind of provocation by a special needs child, unless a life is in danger.
2. If I'm namby-pamby for finding his behavior utterly without excuse and upsetting to the finest degree, then call me that. There is no excuse for an adult male to hit an 11-year-old. Especially not for something he said. I could not tell from the video exactly where the child's punch landed, but that is nothing in comparison to the blow landed by this man, which caused a black and blue bump over the child's eye and a concussion.
3. Children without learning disabilities can be expected to learn not to mouth off, but kids with autism and other emotional disabilities cannot be expected to understand this as the other kids do.
Again, as a paraprofessional, he should have been well trained to never be provoked by the actions of disabled kids. He should be prosecuted for assaulting that boy.
Good luck with that!OK, anyone taking the Professionals side in this one?
Guy's a douche. Kid's a little ****.
Hard to take a side, really.
Guy's a douche. Kid's a little ****.
Hard to take a side, really.
Lawsuits always start high.
I'm not calling anyone namby-pamby, Miz Gina. Poor choice of words perhaps; just saying that once-upon it wouldn't have been as big a thing. I'm thinking out loud and considering all sides and angles.... autistic does not mean completely oblivious to right and wrong or unteachable, in most cases. I know this first hand.
Criminal charges would depend on the specifics of state law, but I doubt they would stick in most states due to him having been struck first. There's also the risk that some juries would consider the racial taunt as an extreme provocation... not saying I agree, just saying that prosecuting him would be iffy for several reasons.
The man was wrong. Yes, the child was behaving very badly, autistic or not. He made a racist remark then clearly punched the man in the face. However, the child should have been immediately removed from the lunchroom and taken to school authorities to be dealt with.
I feel kind of bad for the guy, because not too many people could reign in an automatic reaction to being punched in the face, and after 26 years on the job, it's a shame he lost control. If the kid's father, after seeing what his son did to provoke the punch, actually does sue him, I frankly hope the lawsuit fails. This guy already has a misdemeanor assault conviction on his record, has been forced to retire, and is now an internet punching bag himself. Enough, already.
Good luck with that!
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