I have previously noted the very high regard I have for special education teachers who dedicate their professional lives to helping autistic kids. Nonetheless, I often find myself having to write about autistic kids being abused by school system employees. Perhaps it is because autistic kids are such
Today is another such day. This time, the report is from Florida:
Officials say a special needs teacher at a central Florida middle school is accused of beating and humiliating her autistic students.Casselberry resident Kathleen Mary Garrett was arrested yesterday. She faces nine counts of aggravated child abuse, and is being held at Seminole County Jail on bail.
Garrett teaches at South Seminole Middle School. Witnesses reported seeing Garrett pin a student to his desk with her body, push a student's face in vomit after he threw up and slam a child's head on a desk so forcefully that two teeth fell out.
Garrett has worked at the school for four years. Police say they received the first complaint about her on October 25th.
Working with autistic kids is hard. It is a very frustrating job. Progress often comes only in the smallest of increments. The lack of social skills that many autistic kids exhibit prevents them from providing the type of positive feedback that teachers of typical kids might receive. It must be easy to mistake the autism for a lack of appreciation.
Parents, principals, school administrators, teachers, and others should watch closely for signs that the stress of working with autistic kids every day is overwhelming special ed teachers. Teachers on the edge should be given a break. It is not just parents who may need a respite from the day to day grind of dealing with autism.