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“God, they do not have my son in that bag …”
That’s what Sandra Baker, of Harrodsburg, Ky., said she thought when she walked down a hall toward a big green bag, with a teacher’s aide sitting beside it, at her son’s school, on Dec. 14.
“Mama, is that you?” a voice coming from the bag said.
Christopher Baker, 9, is autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Sometimes his school calls Baker, 35, to come to the school to help calm him down, she said.
“They said he was ‘bouncing off the walls,’” Baker said, describing the call she got — relayed by her mother — on Dec. 14.
The bag was not mesh; it was opaque cloth, with a drawstring, which was pulled tight, Baker said. Christopher could not see out, she said, adding that he asked “Who’s out there?” before asking, “Mama, is that you?”
“You need to get him out of that bag, now,” Baker said she told the aide, who struggled to open the bag, according to Baker. “That startled me: What if he aspirated on food, or a fire broke out?” she said.
They had not been contacted by Mercer County Schools Interim Superintendent Dennis Davis. In a statement, Davis said he couldn’t comment because of confidentiality laws. “The employees of the Mercer County Public Schools are qualified professionals who treat students with respect and dignity while providing a safe and nurturing learning environment,” Davis said in the statement.
Bags are used to calm and control special-needs children, the Bakers said, but they are elastic and allow the child to stand, move around and get out if they need to. “This was like a gym bag,” Sandra Baker said.
Parents Angry After School Put Autistic Son in Bag - ABC News
My oldest son is mildly autistic - when he was younger we had a lot of issues with the school he attended. As he grew older some of his issues sort of faded - he learned about to be in more control of his self, etc. . . making it easier to teach him and he distrupted the class less.
However frustrating it might have been for the teachers - they did NOT treat him like ****.
If I had come to school at some point and FOUND him in a ****ing bag in a hallway - I'd likely lose my temper. I've been on edge of losing it several times with teachers concerning just how they talked about him . . . I don't think I would have maintained control if they violated his rights, physical self and dignity. I would have beat the **** out of them.
This story INFURIATES me - and more so: the school DEFENDED their actions by saying "bags are used to control . . . they're a gym bag that they can get out of" **** YOU YOU **** - let me stick you in a bag and leave you there and see how you like it you disgusting pigs.
More so: the mother heard that they 'used bags to handle them' and just didn't know 'how' they used the bag - that's bizarre. . .obviously you can NEVER EVER assume that they're doing what you THINK they're doing. You must ask question and lots of them!
I think this is exactly WHY the dissolve of special-needs-only classrooms was horrible. . . regular teachers have 20+ kids and special needs children require extra attention that the average teacher can't provide, doesn't have instruction in . . . I think it sets everyone up for a poor and failing school experience.
As special needs children grew THEN they should be in a regular classroom more IF they can control their selves on their own and with less interaction from the teacher.
I found that my son being shuffled to and from classroom 4 times a day was more disruptive than anything else - and this was so he could have individualized instruction time. At least years ago they would have a small classroom for one-on-one cognitive (etc) related activity to strengthen their skills in school but now they just stick tehse special needs kids who have attention deficit and physical issues in the hallway - with countless others shuffling past all the time (yeah, they're going to focus and learn then) :roll:
Schools are failing miserably to keep up with the growing number of students who have issues.
One of my kids has aspergers and my wife is a special ed teacher who routinely deals with autistic children and one thing should be known to all.
Often autistic children have sensory issues and can easily become over or understimulated (each kid is unique in this area). Putting children in a bag is actually a form of therapy.
So lets not rush to judgement about this.
However, if the school did something like this without the parents knowledge and consent, this is against federal regulations and the IEP process. So its a huge no-no and that teacher's certification should be looked at very closely.
There are so many things wrong with this that is difficult to know where to start.
The kid is 9. From the photo he doesn't look like a future linebacker with a black belt. I'm 73 and not particularly athletic, yet I have no doubt I could handle him. If I felt I could not, I would have gotten some help. The statement that the aide bagged him at the request of the teacher tends to indicate that there was no immediate danger calling for drastic action. Reportedly they had a room set up in the school for just this situation.
Apparently the teacher, the aide, or the administration sees nothing wrong with this action. Makes me wonder how often it happens The aide was sent alone into the hall with the boy and was waiting for the mother to show up. I would not have sat in that hall with a bagged child and waited for the mother.
"The employees of the Mercer County Public Schools are qualified professionals who treat students with respect and dignity while providing a safe and nurturing learning environment,” Davis said in the statement."
Really? Does this even require comment?
.,
I realize that this is only one side of the story, but the words of the administration do not seem to dispute the story.
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http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/12/parents-angry-after-school-put-autistic-son-in-bag/
My oldest son is mildly autistic - when he was younger we had a lot of issues with the school he attended. As he grew older some of his issues sort of faded - he learned about to be in more control of his self, etc. . . making it easier to teach him and he distrupted the class less.
However frustrating it might have been for the teachers - they did NOT treat him like ****.
If I had come to school at some point and FOUND him in a ****ing bag in a hallway - I'd likely lose my temper. I've been on edge of losing it several times with teachers concerning just how they talked about him . . . I don't think I would have maintained control if they violated his rights, physical self and dignity. I would have beat the **** out of them.
This story INFURIATES me - and more so: the school DEFENDED their actions by saying "bags are used to control . . . they're a gym bag that they can get out of" **** YOU YOU **** - let me stick you in a bag and leave you there and see how you like it you disgusting pigs.
More so: the mother heard that they 'used bags to handle them' and just didn't know 'how' they used the bag - that's bizarre. . .obviously you can NEVER EVER assume that they're doing what you THINK they're doing. You must ask question and lots of them!
I think this is exactly WHY the dissolve of special-needs-only classrooms was horrible. . . regular teachers have 20+ kids and special needs children require extra attention that the average teacher can't provide, doesn't have instruction in . . . I think it sets everyone up for a poor and failing school experience.
As special needs children grew THEN they should be in a regular classroom more IF they can control their selves on their own and with less interaction from the teacher.
I found that my son being shuffled to and from classroom 4 times a day was more disruptive than anything else - and this was so he could have individualized instruction time. At least years ago they would have a small classroom for one-on-one cognitive (etc) related activity to strengthen their skills in school but now they just stick tehse special needs kids who have attention deficit and physical issues in the hallway - with countless others shuffling past all the time (yeah, they're going to focus and learn then) :roll:
Schools are failing miserably to keep up with the growing number of students who have issues.
"
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Lycra Spacial Socks are fun, therapeutic sacks constructed from four-way stretch Lycra® and has a velcro to keep the sack closed."
You know - I let my kids PLAY in cardboard boxes for fun - but I wouldn't FORCE them to go into a box as a punishment and make them stay there. How would it be if this child was taped up in a cardboard box and couldn't get out?
The 'body sack' link there is not what this child was in - that appears to be a fun and safe (when monitored and enabled properly) velcroe child safe product made to move around in and have fun in. I'm sure if it was a theraputic and appropriate product the school was using they would have defended it as such.
He was tied up in it, couldn't get out as punishment for his behavior, couldn't see out, and even the attendant couldn't get it untied. Is that child-safe? AS the mother questioned: what if there was a fire? He was being treated like trash in a trash bag.
I'm disturbed that people are trying to excuse these actions by drawing a connection between this situation and what other kids do in performing arts for fun. . . .Can you (and others) not see the DIFFERENCE between this situation with this school and what htey did as punishment as opposed to play? Can you not differentiate play for a BAD situation at all? Just WOW
Emotions run high, here. Logically, what do you think should have been done, Aunt Spiker? Perhaps the bag issue isn't so wrong if it corrects the disruption?
Even if this bag were the "proper" lycra one, or whatever, as a parent, I want to know that putting my kid in this bag is or is not an option for the teachers. In other words, I don't want to show up to school surprised to find my kid in a bag, even the lycra bag. That's the issue, here. As a parent, I should be able to tell the teachers, no, don't put my kid in a bag, just call me, and I'll come get him.
We talk about teachers be ill equipped to deal with these sorts of things. Um. What if, as a private sector worker, I told my boss I was ill equipped to do my job? What would happen, do you think? I mean, they have special education teachers...these are the so called pros for this sort of thing. And they resorted to putting that kind into, as described by the article, a gym bag? Sorry, but seeing as getting a refund for these obviously unwanted "services" is not in the cards for the parents, then, you're god damn right some heads should roll.
Even if this bag were the "proper" lycra one, or whatever, as a parent, I want to know that putting my kid in this bag is or is not an option for the teachers. In other words, I don't want to show up to school surprised to find my kid in a bag, even the lycra bag. That's the issue, here. As a parent, I should be able to tell the teachers, no, don't put my kid in a bag, just call me, and I'll come get him.
I'm not sure what to think. On the surface I'm inclined to freak out and want someone's head.
OTOH... I recall a documentary I watched once on autism. There was an autistic adult, semi-functional. In her home she had a device of her own design that is hard to describe... it looked like a largeish exercise machine with lots of heavily padded arms. When she felt overwhelmed or like she was going to lose control, she'd get in the machine and pull the levers, and the padded arms would close around her, kind of squeezing her slightly. She could get out on her own by pulling the lever anytime, but she said that being squeezed lightly and feeling as if she could not move somehow had a strong calming effect on her and helped her keep it together.
I guess if the parent can't come and get them, the kids stays in the lyrcra bag. Is that okay if it were your 9 year old and you couldn't come get him?The parent just based upon the article doesn't seem to have a problem with the lycra bags. As a general statement, sure you would want to know. It's great that you could just come get him also but what about those who can't?
It may take 3 hours... so the kid should stay in the bag in your opinion?Or that might take an hour to get there?
Absolutely - the teacher is responsible for that child while he/she is at school.Should a teacher have to take an hour out of the days schedule to watch this one kid until you get there?
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