Discrimination against disabled children is alive and well this month. Beside the Roseville family trying valiantly to get basic academic skills for their son, here is what is going on around the country.
Lacanto, Florida, Fox News Tampa Bay reports: A 14 year old autistic child was dragged down a school hallway and thrown into a dark room and left there according to a surveillance video. His father, Vikas Kamat became suspicious when his child came home with torn clothes. Because of autism, his son cannot speak and couldn't explain how his pants were being repeatedly torn.
On January 23, his son wound up in the emergency room with a broken finger and Kamat began demanding answers. He got the usual answers parents get. He said, "Everybody was telling me, 'Things are going well,' and that teacher could not tell me in the emergency room how the injury happened."
A spokesman from the Citrus County School District refused to comment about the forthcoming lawsuit but did point out the teacher in the videotape was fired.
“You have no right to hit him,” the infuriated father said he told her. “I don’t want to ever see you near my child again. You’re an animal.”
Samad’s parents worry that other students on the bus, some of whom are wheelchair bound and cannot speak, may make even easier targets of abuse.
“I hope to God other people will listen to their children and be more aware,” said Mrs. Jan. “How much of an effect does this have on a child who is handicapped? How much damage has it caused him? He’ll be afraid to ride buses now. He won’t know who he can trust.”
The alleged abuse is the latest in a string of disturbing incidents involving bus matrons or drivers and disabled children in the city. In January, a 22-year old disabled Manhattan man with the mentality of a toddler was abandoned on a dark, freezing school bus on the coldest night of the year.
A few weeks later, a 4-year old disabled boy from Queens was abandoned on his school bus. In both cases, matrons are facing endangerment charges.
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"He would get down on the floor, cry, he would pull you, tug, take fits on the floor," she said.
And now ...
"He holds onto the dog's latch ... every time we go somewhere [now], we can just walk through the store without Carter getting down and not being able to walk with us. We just go right through the store and get everything we need."
"He actually gave his dog two commands," Carter's mom said. "Singing 'Jingle Bells' in the middle of summer is not talking, that's not communicating. He told his dog to 'wait' and to 'hold'. That is huge for a child who doesn't speak !"
His parents couldn't wait for his teachers in the Columbia School District's special education program to see the difference in Carter, only to be stunned to learn the district won't allow Corbin at school.
The family received word Wednesday the U.S. Department of Education is launching a civil rights investigation on the case.
They're also hoping a judge will grant an injunction this week forcing the district to let Carter bring Corbin to school in accordance with state law.
Superintendent, Ed Settles, told Fox 2, he couldn't comment on the matter because of the pending litigation, but he said, "Columbia Schools love all children."
Comments
Kudos to Vikas Kamat for going public.
This is so sad, I can not imagine being some of these parents or kids. Part of me says "take those kids out and homeschool them!" Yet I know that is difficult and I so admire those who fight for their kids, which will hopefully help others in the future.
I am not surprised Citrus County Lecanto High School is highly racist and discriminatory.
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