10 year old autistic boy gets arrested at school

a reply to: Snarl

That's understandable, but me personally, I would never press charges on a 10 year old, let alone an autistic one.

Firstly, if that child is autistic, he should have an IEP or Individualized Education Plan in place to take his issues, whether behavioral or educational, into account with regard to his schooling. If he had that in place, and it had plans and goals for behaviors included, then the school cannot say they didn't know his condition or that they had no plan or way to deal with him. Due to the IDEA and ADA laws, I don't think the teacher/school/cops will get very far with this. Those two pieces of legislation offer pretty strong protections for the individuals they cover.

In the end, the boy may be in a position to turn around and sue the school or police department. At the very least, you can bet they have destroyed any trust this kid ever had in school authority figures or law enforcement. All around, it sounds like an overreaction on the part of the school and police that Is not going to do anyone any good in the end. I cannot see how arresting this child benefits anyone or what anyone has to gain from it.

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: Snarl

That's understandable, but me personally, I would never press charges on a 10 year old, let alone an autistic one.

Well ... like the mom said, "The kid didn't know what was going on." Maybe she got the message Lima Charlie.

"Take your kid out of the school system if he isn't at least socially acceptable."

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: Snarl

That's understandable, but me personally, I would never press charges on a 10 year old, let alone an autistic one.

Well ... like the mom said, "The kid didn't know what was going on." Maybe she got the message Lima Charlie.

"Take your kid out of the school system if he isn't at least socially acceptable."

That may have been the intent, but her child is the one who is paying the price for it. And that isn't right.

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: Snarl

That's understandable, but me personally, I would never press charges on a 10 year old, let alone an autistic one.

Well ... like the mom said, "The kid didn't know what was going on." Maybe she got the message Lima Charlie.

"Take your kid out of the school system if he isn't at least socially acceptable."

That may have been the intent, but her child is the one who is paying the price for it. And that isn't right.

I don't think anyone has any intent to 'punish' that child. They're™ probably trying to get that kid all the help his mom cannot provide.

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: ketsuko

The guy was apparently 6'4 300 pounds. You must be a sad individual to want to press charges on a 10 year old autistic boy.

He might have been tired of it.

Then he's in the wrong line of work, and why did it take him 6 months to press charges.

Very disturbing, that poor kid

a reply to: Snarl

Yep. I'm sure juvie hall is exactly the type of help the kid needs.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Snarl

Yep. I'm sure juvie hall is exactly the type of help the kid needs.

They're not going to put that kid in jail. Why would you say that? You're one of the most rational people on the boards.

a reply to: knowledgehunter0986

I have a son with severe autism. He can get worked up and attack people - he's in a special classroom that understands this is not unusual behavior for kids with autism. They don't have any sort of mature impulse control, and no matter how hard he tries to not get upset (and he does try!) he will still lash out sometimes. It ain't pretty. Half the time we have no idea what causes it. We have all sorts of techniques to prevent him from escalating to the point of trying to grab or bite or hit. (Think of a physically grown person with the emotional brain maturity of a two or three year old.)

My dad thought we should be using corporal punishment on my son, which I explained would be completely ineffective. We used time-outs, which gave him space to calm down and deal, as well as taught him that he'd done something that was out of bounds. He slowly learned this way.

Well, one time my dad, thinking I'm a liberal softie or something, decided that he would use corporal punishment without my consent or knowledge, and prove me wrong. (I was not pleased.)

He smacked my son's hand for something. My son looked at him and laughed, thinking grandpa was playing a game! Why? Because he is hypo-sensitive and doesn't feel pain like other people do. Nor did he understand the intention of the hit, nor did he connect it with what he had done, nor could he "read" the facial expression or tone of my dad when he did it to know he was in trouble. (He is a little better at that now, as far as reading expressions.)

At least with time-outs he was actually feeling punished because he had to stop what he wanted to do and go to his room. Anyway. Just a parenting story for those who think "soft parenting" is the problem...

Lack of emotional control, and sometimes violent behavior, is simply part of the neurology. It sucks. My son hates it when he loses control and then we have to worry about him beating himself up, or sobbing uncontrollably because he feels so badly afterwards. He is being treated by a psychiatrist, which also sucks, but in his case, it keeps him from being completely non-functional.

This kid needs a good lawyer and where the heck was the school administration with this??? He should have an IEP (individual education program) and an official behavior plan that clearly states his needs and behavior risks, as well as appropriate measures to assist him with those behaviors.

The school employee sounds like kind of a jerk. That poor family. I can't imagine what that boy is going through or his mom. They will be in my prayers.

a reply to: knowledgehunter0986

I'm not sure what people have an issue with. I don't see the police being unduly violent or rough. They aren't screaming and shouting at the kid, they seem to be acting calm and if you watch the video the mother doesn't mention that the boy is autistic until they're at the car so the cops wouldn't have known to treat the boy in a different way than they did which seem professional to me. I'm sure if they had known that the boy was on the spectrum they most likely would've acted different but I really don't see the outrage or the anger that some are pointing at the police.

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Snarl

Yep. I'm sure juvie hall is exactly the type of help the kid needs.

They're not going to put that kid in jail. Why would you say that? You're one of the most rational people on the boards.

I didn't say jail. I said "juvie" as in juvenile hall. It's there in the OP:

The boy spent the night at a juvenile facility and will appear in court in May for battery of a school employee, which is considered a third-degree felony

What do you think the juvenile facility is for kids who have committed third degree felonies is?

a reply to: knowledgehunter0986
Its interesting. I read the headline and thought out loud "oh I guess Florida is not the only state that does not hesitate to arrest children". Then I continue reading. That just brought me back some flashback. Walk of shame through the mall at ten in cuffs, I know how he feels.

Watched the video, really odd music choice, very dramatic. It reminded me of that time Jim and I duked it out on Vulcan.

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: ketsuko

The guy was apparently 6'4 300 pounds. You must be a sad individual to want to press charges on a 10 year old autistic boy.

He might have been tired of it.

Ummm...he might have been a class A pussy...in the wrong line of work...

Roid compensating orderlies are so last century...the 10 year old might have been tired of the treatment from one such...

However...as all might have's go...the world may never know...



YouSir

a reply to: Snarl

I don't think anyone has any intent to 'punish' that child. They're™ probably trying to get that kid all the help his mom cannot provide.

snarl, i don't disagree with your posts much, but every time the court ordered something that was intend to "help" me or any one i know it always cost me more. my theory on that is, because it is court ordered, and if you don't follow through with it and pay every little fee involved it's jail time. it's a money making racket. just a observation through the years.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

I hear ya, brother. I don't 'like it' anymore than anyone else in the thread has expressed ... it's just a different point of view.

The kid's got a problem.
The teacher had a problem with this kid.

I think the issue here is whether or not the kid is able to function in a public school environment. Why does the teacher have to put up with a problem he's not equipped to fix? Is he drawing extra pay? Would it have been better to slap the ever lovin' daylights out of the kid, when the kid hit him, and hope that the kid learned a lesson about attacking others?

I think he's gonna be better off from here on out. ASD requires treatment ... and part of that treatment is environmental. I don't believe in forcing other people's problems on society. Other than that, I don't know what to say.

a reply to: Snarl

i have no doubt that the kid has more problems than the school or his mother are capable of dealing with. but to arrest and keep him overnight away from his mother, the one thing that more then likely keeps him clam is kinda over the top.

for the sheriffs department to say that they didn't know he was autistic , means only one or two things to me. either the school didn't inform them or they didn't care. the article said that the school resource officer recognized him, i can't see that they didn't know being you can bet the school did know and every resource officer i ever heard of coordinates with the school plus if the officer recognized him that means at least some sort of familiarity with him.

and to have a warrant issued without knowing is entirely possible. they don't always go looking for people with warrants.
the sheriffs department probably thought they would be able to pick him up at school the next day after the warrant and it was issued by them a not a court. when he didn't show up they just let it lay.

i'm leaning towards the school wanted him gone and put the teacher up to it. they knew they couldn't kick him out without getting into some trouble due to his autism. and hoping that he being brought up on assault charges the court would order him to some special school, or that it would give them grounds to expel him permanently form this school.

a reply to: knowledgehunter0986

when i was in school it would have lead teacher/principle breaking out the paddle on someone's ass. i blame the damn lawmakers for this incident. i know they say the kid had issues of his own, the school should have known and handled this better. imo the school and law enforcement is in the wrong here.

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: 123143

So Doctor may I see you credentials?

He's high-functioning. Asperger's, maybe.

originally posted by: Snarl

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: ketsuko

The guy was apparently 6'4 300 pounds. You must be a sad individual to want to press charges on a 10 year old autistic boy.

He might have been tired of it.

If you work with developmentally disabled children, and aren't prepared for behavioral issues, you're in the wrong line of work. I've been punched, kicked, spat on, you name it. But the positives have always outweighed the negatives. This country has come a long way since sanitariums, but there is much more ground to cover. Education is key.