Survivor: involves consenting adults who choose to be there Kindgergarten: involves 5 year olds who have to be there
Survivor: is all about you versus them Kindergarten: is all about learning to get along with others
Survivor: is “reality” TV Kindergarten: is real life
Survivor: Supposed to be staffed by people who care about the participants to the extent that they don’t want them dead, but don’t have any interest in their long-term happiness or well-being Kindergarten: Supposed to be staffed by people who care about the participants and want them to be well-adjusted and reasonably happy individuals
Adopting such a method from a TV-show is despicable.
On the other hand, precisely because kindergarten kids can’t go away, isn’t there some merit to the idea of protecting kids from other kids who are just too difficult to get along with? Dealing positively with an adult with Asperger (who is not a friend or family member) in everyday life is challenging enough; for kids it may be too hard.
I recall a few bullies in first grade that I, and many other kids in my class, would have very happily voted off our class, if our opinion had been asked. The class would have been a better place for it, and the bullies and their parents would have been better off with that wake-up call as well.
That is so unbelievably nasty of the teacher to facilitate this. I’m seriously dumbstruck sitting here, thinking of that poor little boy…I was “eccentric” in school too, though not to the degree that this boy probably is since I have no diagnosis of any disorder, but I have an idea of what he will be going through as he grows up. Kids are so mean, and for the teacher to actually organize this sort of cruelty…to make him stand in front of the class while they insult him…oh my God. This woman should be fired like no one has ever been fired before, and never be allowed to so much as wipe a kid’s nose ever again.
After a kid meets the DSM-IV observed characteristics, (which tend to be 99% accurate), they still test for chemical issues–diet, autoimmune disorders, congenital defects, and other potential sources of symptoms–and other potential problems before actually hanging the “autism” tag on a kid.
I mean…unless the voting is a complete fabrication…there’s just no way this woman should ever be a teacher. Ever. And…she confirmed the incident took place, so…why would she do that if it’s not true? But it was the kid’s mother who said the teacher confirmed it…so maybe it’s not really true? I’m just speechless.
How do you go to that point? What the hell? That’s just bizarre. No discussion with the principal? No parent-teacher conference? No discussion with a colleague who might have more experience with kids like this? No sense of perspective? No compassion?
The article describes him as “disruptive,” but doesn’t go into detail. If it’s necessary to remove him…why would it ever be necessary to do this? How badly can a five year old misbehave that a public shunning ever becomes a reasonable option? Even if he was violent or something…just remove him from the situation and deal him in private. Deal with any trauma to the rest of the class separately. That’s just basic decency.
Theres got to be more to the story, right? If this is all there is…ugh.
In addition to what tomndebb said above, there is usually a team of people to consult with, and a school-based committee that meets to confirm the diagnosis and confirms the child’s eligibility for special education services. Usual bureaucracy.
Regarding the OP, if the story is indeed true, IMNSHO the alleged teacher should, at a minimum, have her teaching certificate revoked - by pulling it through her alleged central nervous system. There should be plenty of room for the framed certificate to rattle around inside her skull. :mad:
How the hell can this twatwaffle even think she has the authority to do such a thing? I hope they fire her sociopathic ass before you can say “Autism”.
Since the beginning of time, we’ve had to deal with weird, Ralph-Wiggum types. Kids who might disrupt class by asking too many questions, talking out of turn, and responding with crazy non-sequitors. Maybe they come across as extremely sensitive, don’t seem interested in making friends, and the teacher’s always reprimanding them for not doing what they’re supposed to be doing (like singing along with the group or sitting still during storytime). Now, I don’t know if this describes the little boy in the OP. He could be a high-holy terror, for all I know. But many kids with Asperger’s are not high-holy terrors. They’re just “weird”. In fact, kids with Asperger’s are usually the ones who need to be protected, not their “normal” classmates.
As for the teacher, I hope she loses her job. She’s working with the most innocent kids in the school. She doesn’t deserve such a priviledge.
Dear Og. Has the teacher never heard of ‘praise in public, criticise in private’? Or read ‘Lord of the Flies’? The whole point of kindergarten is to teach the kids not to be mob-driven killer apes.
IANAP, but if I had a child in kindergarten and a teacher pulled something like this, regardless of how disruptive the child was being or whether he was “in the process of being” or “already had been” diagnosed with a condition that might be responsible for his behavior, then the teacher, the principal, and quite possibly my attorney would be having words. And the teacher had better hope that I was able to keep my temper under control.
If this story is true as stated, this teacher should be fired as soon as they can get her out of there. But where are the parents of the other kids? Did they all think this was okay, or did the kids take this enough in stride that they didn’t mention it at home? If I had a kid in that class I’d be thoroughly upset that he was being taught to be cruel and mean to those who are different. How long has this idiot been teaching?
Here’s the teacher Wendy Portillo with pic
I googled I because I thought it might be private school but it’s a public school. When did classroom placement (esp kindergarden) ever resolve itself down to peer votes? This is too strange.