I was listening to a discussion between a journalist and a mother about the school experiences of her highly-autistic daughter. The takeaway from the mother's position is that the school was wrong, was doing bad things and was harming her daughter. They should accept the child and let her be. What was missing of course was any consideration of everyone else in the picture, particularly the teachers.
You see, this child is extremely aggressive and violent. The mother calmly revealed how she could not control her, and how she had gone to the Emergency Room on several occasions for injuries from her daughter's breakdowns. Meanwhile, she had sent the girl to her local public school with real teachers who are not trained in hand-to-n with real children, likewise not so trained, in restricted spaces with readily available desks and chairs and so on.
And yet, when the school restrained the child, or excluded the child or referred the child to mental health / state agencies, the mother condemned the leadership. She is reportedly initiating litigation.
This reminds me of the 6 foot 6, 200 pound middle schooler who seriously hurt his little-old-lady type teacher. He had a voilent history, had had previous aggressions against students and adults in the school and against his parents, and yet was back in the classroom.
At some point, the rights of the teacher to a safe working environment must trump those of the individual student, as too, at some point, must the rights of the other students to a safe learning environment.
I don't know the medical or psychological solutions to this child's needs but I do know the educational solutions to those of everyone else. Yes mom, it is just so easy. Your daughter should not be in school.
**Please leave your comments and queries below.**
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