Shocking video shows school worker punching autistic boy after racial remark

A Brooklyn father says he’s suing after viewing newly released video footage that shows a school official punching his autistic son in the head. Anatoly Veltman Sr. is seeking $5 million in damages over the 2014 incident at Public School 225 in Brighton Beach, where a paraprofessional trained to work with special-needs students struck then-11-year-old Anatoly Veltman Jr.

This just irks me. Hitting a child in this manner is just plain wrong. Being that this poor boy is autistic, just makes me sick.

Milton Parker was initially charged with felony assault for striking the boy in the school cafeteria. Parker pleaded guilty last year to a lesser charge — misdemeanor assault — and was required to attend anger management classes, according to WNBC. The elder Veltman told The Washington Post that he’s still shocked that a veteran paraprofessional like Parker could have assaulted his child.

Parker — a 26-year veteran of the New York City Department of Education — has since retired and is now collecting a pension. Sanford Rubenstein, an attorney representing the Veltman family, told The Post that it’s “unacceptable for a paraprofessional working in our schools to assault an 11-year-old, autistic child.” And, he added, the incident raises another question, too: “Should public employees who are found guilty or plead guilty to crimes get their pensions?”

I have two questions for you ATS. Do you agree that public employees who commit crimes of this nature receive pensions?
What would you do/ what would your reaction be if this was your child?

full article here

Adult full on punch in the face looks like.

I don't care what student he did that too.

Fired, lost credentials, find another line of work, jerk wad.

I would beat the hell out of that guy if that was my son.. Screw the money..

a reply to: slapjacks

My son is autistic. He has Aspergers. Because of this (and because he is my son) he can be an aggravating little git, a lovely aggravating little git, but an aggravating little git all the same.

As much as I can understand someone getting aggravated with a child of his age, who has his propensity to fail to respond to social cues, I would not be looking to start a legal proceeding over an incident of this nature, if it befell my son.

I would be calling a lawyer though. About eight hours later, once chastisement appropriate to the situation had been applied to the educator responsible. What a total bastard!

a reply to: TrueBrit

A good friend of mine has Asperger's, so I know what you mean. It's just sad to see people resort to violence in situations like this.

A few things going on here,

First how a trained professional that is meant to deal with kids in this situation can lash out like that is just beyond words...

Second thing I will say is that I sadly "could" see how it can happen.. A friends mother was a teacher and dealt with many mental health issues with young children but over the years the wages decreased and the stress level along with constant fear mongering from higher up regarding job security became to much.. She said the stress was so bad that she felt she would loose it one day and do somthing terrible and I can see in the video this guy is out of control..

Not making any excusses and he is a massive POS for doing that but what is "his" mental state like to be working in such a situation??..



RA

Well far from excusing the violent thug, for those who didn't read the whole article, the boy, who has the mind of a 6 yr old, told the guy "this table is for whites only" and proceeded to swing at the loser...

He then claims it was a reflexive reaction as opposed to an assault...


Which I'm sympathetic to to an extent, I've hit people with reflex punches in the past...
It does happen on instincts.

But again, far from excusing the jerk off, I've never reacted like that to a child.


So my sympathy ends there.



I don't know if he should be receiving a pension.
That's a difficult one to gauge.

Probably not, through.

a reply to: TrueBrit

I can relate to you man. My son is ASD, SPD, ADHD. He is a lot of letters basically. Last year this time was extremely frustrating. He hated school and couldn't relate to his classmates. He didn't know their names or even his teachers name. He was frustrated beyond belief and so was I. Despite this his school was awesome. The teacher would call the office and his buddy the assistant principal would come and they would take a walk or she would even have him bring some class work and they would have lunch and she would help him with his work.

Now he attends an intergrated school that specializes in Autism. It's a wonderful environment with some very awesome people! They even have a sensory room which is super awesome!

I probably wouldn't have sued for millions but I might have sued the teacher. Mainly for any bills that weren't covered by my sons insurance. He was very wrong no matter what for striking the student.

a reply to: YachiruKusajishi

That's awesome, those are the kinds of adults we need in schools!

a reply to: slapjacks
My family is very fortunate to have ended up in such a wonderful school district. They have always taken my concerns for my kids seriously.

LoL my only frustration now with my son is his scripting. LMAO this kid can quote word for word two or three different video game opening sequences and his favorite youtuber. He is now mimicking a British accent because of it. How many times can one hear about Minecraft before one loses their mind? Hmm study is still on going. I will report results later.

a reply to: YachiruKusajishi

My boy is hooked on minecraft right now. It's insane, I don't know how he doesn't get tired of it, haha

a reply to: YachiruKusajishi

My son is moving up to secondary school soon, in a few short months. It is not the school we wanted for him, because there is a much better one for his mental construction, about twenty minutes up the road from the one he is going to go to.

The one we wanted for him was modern, laid out sensibly, had incredible communications technology infrastructure, an ops room on every floor, coordinated staff and students engaged by a learning environment crafted to inspire creativity, community, and enjoyment of the acquisition of knowledge.

The blasted place was outside the catchment area, so instead he will be going to a bloody Roman Catholic place, which was built according to the old "break their spirits and crush their will, the better to produce yet another polytheist with delusions of sainthood" school of architecture, and which is about as well appointed as your average forward operating base. It has no soul what so ever, or rather, if it does, it is constructed entirely of the essence of darkness and corruption. It is, however, better than the third choice, which is sort of like my old school used to be. No way is any son of mine living like I did back then, not unless I already died trying to prevent it.

It is hard enough choosing a school, knowing that you will not get the first choice, and having to accept whatever one is told about the catchment because ones son needs a certain bit of paperwork which his support workers have not managed to assemble in time, because they are incompetent wretches. One should not also have to consider the possibility that aside from any abuse a child will receive at the hands of classmates, a teacher will potentially thump them in the head.

As for reflexes, when I am around people smaller than myself, I switch those off. All of them. Why? Because I am much larger and stronger than a child, and if I react, even to a genuine threat from a child, they will die. If I do not react at all, I will merely be hurt, and that is a much preferable option to my mind. This teacher, regardless of provocation, should not have struck a student.

There is only one exception that I can think of, and that would be where said child was literally killing another child, and the only way to resolve that situation was to knock them out.

Other than that...the teacher needs to be thrown in jail, or kicked out of town. One or the other, or both.

The kid punched him first.

Fair game.

a reply to: slapjacks

No excuse whatsoever. The adult should be able to take a punch off the child without going all tooth-for-a-tooth. The child would receive consequences; he wouldn't be 'getting away with it.'

Adults with egos like that and propensity towards violence to kids should never work with kids.

The autistic angle is overly emotive imo. Would it be any better if he punched an 11 year old without autism? Course not.

a reply to: TrueBrit
I am guessing by context catchment is what I would call the school zones. I could have had him sent to this school last year but he was moved to a special education room and was thriving so I was worried it was muck things up.

The building for his current school is older, very similar to my old schools, but it is bright and cheerful. They had so many cool technologies in the classroom (small trampolines in his classroom for days where a child needs to burn off energy). They have a garden that the school shows e kids how to run and they get to eat the veggies their class plants for a snack. Sadly next year will be his last year there because they only go to 2nd grade. He will then return to his old school with a individualized plan for him written up. I am sure we will meet sometime next year to set this up.

I speak very highly to anyone who asks me about both schools. They have made a big difference in my kids lives. Gotta brag a bit here my ASD son got his very first honor roll this year and just missed it for the second term. ::happy dance::

a reply to: Kandinsky

No it absolutely wouldn't be any better. I think the Autism is mentioned because socially the kid isn't on the same level as others of his peer group. Autism is so much work and it takes a special person to work with them. It is just as bad for it to happen to a neurotypical kid but it's more heinous for a child who truthfully doesn't understand. There is a reason Autistic people qualify for disability after all.

a reply to: YachiruKusajishi

That's awesome! Glad for you!

My kids current school is not very good for him to be honest. His report cards come back with things like daydreaming and not paying attention being mentioned in them. I know from personal experience, and seeing these moments for myself, that when my lad is away with the fairies, so to speak, the clockwork of galaxies is playing out, unbidden behind his eyeballs.

Kids like him should not be measured, examined, or educated in the normal way. The education system should form up around them, their wants, their needs, their curiosity alone, not the petty requirements of some government box ticker. To be frank, I would like to find the education minister for my nation, and give him a piece of my mind. I fear an Essex mind meld would be in order (headbutt).

Not very pleasant at all, leaves me very uneasy about my own boys, and they are much bigger, but still really children.

a reply to: YachiruKusajishi

I agree and would like to have seen more context to the video. For example, what made that member of staff approach the boy? What was being said to cause the conflict? Did the guy have history with his temper? Did the child have a behaviour plan that referenced aggression? etc etc

Suing for $5 million is another discussion.

a reply to: Kandinsky

Did the child have a behaviour plan that referenced aggression

Exactly! Some ASD kids can react violently if they are triggered. I have seen it first hand. My sweet as pie normally child has thrown fits of epic, mind boggling proportions. He has also built a desk fort to shield him from everyone else. Or just flat out shut down and just not acknowledged anyone speaking to him. This is why I say it takes a special person to work with these kids. I know for a fact there are two non verbal kids in my sons current class. Determining what they need must be extremely difficult.

@TrueBrit has this school ever seen any kid when the teacher is as exciting as paint drying? Any kid would daydream. I am a grown adult and I catch myself doing it from time to time. I completely agree. Our ASD kids have some capabilities that a neurotypical child doesn't. I have seen my son focus on something. WWIII could break out right by his head and it won't phase him in the least. They are gonna make something great of themselves provided our governments don't destroy us beforehand.

LMAO and I died laughing (seriously, I am now writing from the other side) at the head butt.