My autistic son who weighs less than 50 lbs and is smallest child in his class of 13 kids was beat up by 7 of them! These were his friends. This is a small, private school that has a zero tolerance policy. It was during PE and no teacher was supervising. He is severly tramatized. He had a little Star Wars figure in his pocket and he said he hoped it would come alive and save him. Nothing like this happened before. What should school do? What should we do? We just can't believe it happened. We pay a lot of money for him to attend this school where we hoped he would be safe and get a good eduction and make friends.
I would be on the phone to the principal. Why are 13 kids not being supervised? That would be my first question, then being a private school, what are the consequences for kids that do this? I would ask what they plan on doing about it. If it is just to talk the kids, I don't think that is reasonable. The parents definetly need to be involved. You said the school has a zero tolerance policy. So, these kids should be punished.
How did you find out? Did your son tell you? Or did the school call you?
Then how do they plan on keeping you son safe from now on? What will they be doing differently to make sure this doesn't happen again.
That is awful. I'm so sorry that you're going through this. ((((HUGS))))
Disability based bullying is a HUGE thing. The school is responsible for assuring that your child is SAFE. Search the forum for "Gebser Notice" and you'll find some great information on bullying and what the school's responsibility is. (Not sure how this applies with private school though...)
This is a elegal thing for kids to do harass other kids. Sadly staff say didn't see it and do nothing about the issue. Beware those who defend usually are the ones blaimed for the problem. Was in our case in son's last school. My son couldn't talk about it (he has speech but it is somewhat hard for him and when he is stressed it is really hard) so he wrote a note to me the minute he got back to class and held it close to him until he got home. The teacher saw the note while he was writing it and the P.E. teacher found out also so everyone learned of the event. The teacher called me and said everyone is shocked and they are working on it never happening again. We will meet with the principal next week but have talked informally with him. I went to school today during PE and had an ABA teacher be with my son during the lunch period. The children involved will not have any more PE this school year. It is just so sad. Some f the other children in the class who saw it but were not involved are also traumatized by it. He is just so little and the other children are so much bigger than he is. He never had a chance. We has a couple of incidents and the teacher was not supervising as she should..I just told her that Sarah cant defend herself and needs to have a teacher in sight of her at all times..actually was naive to think it was on her IEP but it is only a consideration. Now she has a few skills to tell the mean ones to leave her alone and some of the kids take up for her now:) The teachers should be held responsible for your son's safety at all times...if not then put him in another school. Good luck!WOW! I cant beleive it because I remember in 4th grade when I was 9 I was cornered by 6 or 7 kids in my phys ed class and was beat up, not really hurt but they pushed me into the corner and bullied me I cant beleive how similar our PE experience was I totally can relate to your child. Of course the teacher assumed we were goofing off and came in during the middle of the altercation and started class as if he did not recognize the problem. I was small then to and one of the youngest, and this happened alot except my PE class was much larger, more kids to pick on me. Unfortunaltly they continued to do this all year long, I got used to it and since the teachers did not do anything about it I did. I fought back, and I was the one to get into trouble. I guess I had enough 1 day and one of the kids who always harrased me because I was different he targeted me on a bad day i guess, i got him in a headlock and punched him repeatedly in the face, drawing blood and getting suspended because I was the one with the behavior problem, everybody knew I was in specal ed and was put in the normal class for PE only so I guess I was wrong.Thanks Woodsman 25. I wish my son were larger and he has started to eat more. He is very small for his age as he has eating issues and eats very little. When some of the kids came over to apologize he told them that you can push me down the stairs or throw me off a cliff and I'll still forgive you. Which is totally inappropriate! Our son's ABA teachers are going to work with him to help him understand that it is not ok to hurt someone and that he does not need to accept their behavior or play with them. He is the sweetest little guy without a mean bone in his body and as a consequence a natural victim. I hope the school will institute immediately a program that requires respect for all children including special need kids or anyone who is different and that the parents will participate in the program and teach their children to keep their hands and knees to themselves and to run get a teacher if they see someone being hurt.
The more subtle kinds of bullying probably goes on every day above and below the radar and can hurt even more. I thought this was a good school that was safe and now I don't know what to think.
jeeze, i did not think a private school which you are paying good money for would have the same problems as the public school I went to did where these things are I guess a normal part of growing up. The physical bullying must stop but like you basicly said, the namecalling and harassment are harder to stop, i guess to a degree its a nessissary part of growing up so you learn how to handel being talked to that way as an adult.