In a recent article (Jason Allen, 1 December 2021, from Burleson, Texas, America, two school teachers were arrested for allegedly hurting toddlers in a disability class in Norwood elementary school, they were also allegedly charged with three counts each of assaulting an elderly or disabled person.
It was noted in the article:
“The alleged abuse included covering the mouths of children to silence cries, to the point they struggled to breath. Parents also said unexplained scratches and bruises had stopped once their children were in a different classroom.”
Parents commented - “I always assumed it was another student,” Giulia Herndon said about marks on her son Archer when he went to school for the first time, last April. “We believe they targeted the kids that were non-verbal.” (Allen 1 December 2021)
Our vulnerable children who are nonverbal are the ones who are targeted because the perpetrators know they can get away with it since the child cannot say anything or report them, it is as simple and utilitarian as that. How sad how evil to hurt the innocent ones and so young, but even older children who are non verbal suffer the same assaults and targeting for abuse even our adults children which is the cause of constant concern, fear and trauma for parents as well as the non verbal child.
The principal of the school said she was notified that the two teachers involved had used improper restraint methods with the disability children. Two parents spoke to the CBS 11 News and One parent, Cheyenne Oakley said a girl had told her how her son, Sutton, who was in a wheel chair and had cerebral palsey was quieted by the teaching placing her hand over the child’s face until he could barely breathe or was gasping for breath. Sutton is only three years old. How cruel. Added to that the therapist working with Sutton had been wondering why the little boy was flinching every time he was approached. Another parent, Herndon, said she was having the same issues with her child flinching when approached and wondering why. She commented that with no cameras in the classroom there was no way of knowing what had happened to her child. Without cameras you can never know the truth of what anyone is doing to your nonverbal and vulnerable child.
It seems these children were traumatised by what the teachers did to them and were flinching in fear, they might even have PTSD now if your life is threatened in any way a person can develop this. How sad and despicable for these teachers to treat children this way. It seems we are still living in the dark ages with disability children and teens to adults, especially when they are nonverbal and cannot defend themselves. The child is in a wheel chair, he cannot escape and he cannot speak what hope is that for his life? Heartbreaking.
One of the parents of the children said that cameras needed to be mandated in classrooms Heardon said “I believe it should be mandated in every special needs class, for the safety of the kids, and not only the kids but the teachers as well,” …Her son has returned to school now, in a classroom with cameras, and is no longer protesting the daily routine, even begging for his backpack.
However, Sutton Oakley, the little three year old has not returned to the school. Sometime you have to removed a child from where they have been attacked or traumatised or they will be triggered with fear every time they come into that place.
The article notes “He has stopped flinching but still struggles being in a new environment without his mother.”
Its not only the physical attack that damages a disability child but the emotional damage of fear that pervades their lives everytime they walk into a strange situation. The three year old, Sutton, is part of those who are at risk in all disability classrooms, programs, and care, simply because they are non verbal and vulnerable, and even worse for him cannot get out of his wheel chair and run. The article notes the mother’s words “I wish that (cameras) was something that was mandatory everywhere for children,” Oakley said. “Who just can’t speak up for themselves.”
The mother echoes the words of all of us parents with children and adult children who cannot speak for themselves.
My own son would put his head down when I tried to return him to he day program where he came home from with deep bruises to his arms one day this very year. After all the staff and managers and CEO said nothing happened, it was a mystery they repeated, and even suspended James after I complained. It was disgusting and cold-hearted treatment toward my son which I will never forget. They did me a favour, my son didn’t want to be with people that had attacked him no matter how much they denied it. Why should I give them his NDIS funding. They were more interested in those who gave them even more funding than James they were greedy capitalist wolves. His behaviour of wanting to get away from those who hurt him and putting down his head when he saw them spoke volumes to me. May it come back on them one day. It was interesting that the CEO mentioned James facebook to me also as she must have been informed by the staff that there was one and was interested enough to go through it. Gossip on the ranks? Afraid of being caught? I wonder if she was the little troll who turned up recently on there. The CEO scrambled to cover it all up as much as she could. They did not want my son around once they were in danger of being in trouble for hurting him that is for sure. Suspending the victim is always a great way to cover up abuse and harm to a vulnerable person.
The NDIS quality and safety commission did little to stop them. They are a useless safeguard who make money out of telling parents there is nothing they can do about what happens to their vulnerable child, providers rue the day. The staff should all be sacked from this ‘quality and safeguard’ commission as they are not looking after the participants at all rather covering up for the Providers as they sit in their offices and say that nothing happened at all. They are all tarred with the same brush.
Parents stand strong and beat these wolves - stand up and speak up for your child no one else can defend them like you! We must bring in the cameras and change this lack of accountability by those deviant disability providers. Sign my petition change.org/disabilitycameras
Anndrea x
#disabilitylivesmatteroz
#cctvcameras4disabilities
#ifjamescouldtalkactiongroup