A Virginia father, Britton Ellis, began to suspect something was going on at Pemberton Elementary School when his autistic daughter, Presley, no longer wanted to go to class. He sent an audio recorder in Presley’s backpack for clues as to what was going on and what he discovered is absolutely heartbreaking.
On the recording, you can hear the teacher’s aide say:
??I’m going to hit your ass back. You better put your hand down.?
Presley can also be heard saying ?ow? and crying several times during the incident.
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This makes my blood boil. Why would someone with so little patience and empathy go into a profession working with special needs children? I just do not understand.
Worse yet, while the school division is taking the abuse allegations seriously and has placed the aide on administrative leave while?they investigate, they have sent a threatening letter to the father. Presley has not returned to school since the discovery, as her parents are concerned for her safety. As a result, the school is threatening to enforce truancy laws.
Honestly, can you blame this family? Their?little girl was demeaned and humiliated. She was physically abused while being in the care of the school. As a parent, I would have so many questions and I know I couldn’t?send my child back, in good conscience, until those questions were answered. I realize children need to be in school but, they also need to feel safe. How many other school faculty members were?aware of this situation but didn’t report these incidents?
What would you do? Would you immediately send your child back to school?
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Elizabeth Preston is a thirty-something wife and mother of three living in Florida. She is a fierce liberal with a passion?for equality and justice. She is a skeptic by nature and often the Facebook friend that rains on the urban legend parade with fact checking. Give her?Facebook page?a?like, follow her on?Twitter?and check out her personal blog?My Four Ha? Pennies.
