My Autistic son got attacked at school today

[of2dbeach]

today i got a call from the asst principle at my sons school. I needed to come right away he was hurt bad and needed to go to the ER. He also has Epielsy so I asked if he had seized she said no just get here right away. Ok So i just left publix and have frozen food I fly hope toss the bags in the freezer and take off to the school. In the mean time I am calling my gf to get my other kids , my husband to tell him whats going on and the school nurse to get details of what happened. Apparently this kid gets easily aggitated and Mike was near him. wrong place wrong time whatever. the Kids ( there both 18 ) attacked him violently. I say that because when i got there the button on his shirt is just hanging by the threads, he has severe scratches on his neck and chest and his nose is bloody and swollen up. The nurse said she been trying to stop the bleeding for over 20 mins. I get Mike to the car I called the peds on the way to the school. I call her back and she says is he still bleeding. by this time I am on the way to her office. I said yes, she says go to the ER. So i go to the ER 4 hrs later and a MRI they send us back home with a warning to keep an eye on him he might have a concushion.
So now the questions fly.. he was in his Autism class room ( 5 kids 1 teacher+ aide ), his teacher was sick and the aide had left to go on his lunch break. I do not know if this sub teacher is qualified to teach Autism or not. I also do not know if she is trained to deal with him or his Diastat in the event he seizes.. at this point i basicly know nothing except the kids who beat him up has anger issues. they usually head it off at the pass. this has been a problem for some time and now it has escalated to this. what am i to do now ?I called the Sheriff and they said contact school police in the morning. I am also going to call attorneys because at this point i need advice. I took a bunch of pics and kept his blood stained clothes just in case.. any thoughts ideas or help is greatly appreciated. please ignore typos i am tired and just wanted to get this out there .. thanks !

 

[jmartinez1895]

First off, I am so sorry this happened and I wish your son a speedy recovery. I would be very upset as well and i would want answers. Please do not let this drop. Make sure you follow through with everything and leave no stone unturned.

 

[of2dbeach]

Thanks! I am wracking my brain with everything I been told so far. I just dont understand how they could leave a subsitute teacher with a class of 5 Autistics and think it would be ok. someone needs to be held accountable. and this kid will be back in class on tuesday after being suspended.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I'm sorry to hear about your son

 

[of2dbeach]

thanks !

 

[Talking Hands]

I have subbed in Autistic classrooms and it is quite common for the aide to go to lunch and leave a sub alone with the kids. Unfortunately we are not informed if a kid has other medical needs. They claim it is because of Hippa but frankly in the 20 years I have subbed I have only been informed a few times.
If I had been in that classroom I would have hit the emergency button immediately requesting help for the situation. I am surprised that the teacher didn't have a back up plan so the sub wouldn't be left with children that tend to violence. Most of the teachers I have subbed for had back up plans for emergency absences. Some had an aid from a classroom with several aides cover for that time, others have had the student taken to another teacher for that time, others had a connecting door to the adjacent classroom left open so help could be quickly available and last some have had the aide eat in the room for that day.
Sorry this happened to your son. It is just unacceptable to leave a sub who has no restraint training alone in a classroom with students that are violent.

 

[disney david]

Sorry to hear that def call the school police and tell them you want to press charges for assault of those two kids. No kid should ever be attacked where they have to go to the hosptail. You need to find out of the school made any effort to contact the police because after they called you that should of been the next call. Is their a reason they didn't call for an ambulance for him not saying you couldn't take him but if a nurse is trying to stop bleeding for 20 min they should of got him more help. I think the school didn't want to so their no record because if they call 911 and reported it they send the police and have them investigate what happened. Because they are hiding something they don't want the public know they made mistakes. I hope he feels better and those kids te what coming to them.

 

[disney david]

Sorry to hear that def call the school police and tell them you want to press charges for assault of those two kids. No kid should ever be attacked where they have to go to the hosptail. You need to find out of the school made any effort to contact the police because after they called you that should of been the next call. Is their a reason they didn't call for an ambulance for him not saying you couldn't take him but if a nurse is trying to stop bleeding for 20 min they should of got him more help. I think the school didn't want to so their no record because if they call 911 and reported it they send the police and have them investigate what happened. Because they are hiding something they don't want the public know they made mistakes. I hope he feels better and those kids te what coming to them.

When I say I hope they get what coming to them I mean they get arrested or suspended or kicked out of school.

 

[disneynp]

First off sorry about all of this. But I don't know you but I am very upset. I am sick of the teachers blaming the kids. There should have been a back up plan point blank. There is no excuse for someone not properly trained to be alone with those kids. Sick teacher or not. i have a child with autism and one without. I would very much find it plausible for the regular students not to have an aide so the special needs students had help. Even the principal could have gone herself. Furthermore, What really ticked me off is if you felt my child ned to go to the emergency room you should have called 911. My philosophy is call 911 then call me. What am i gone do driving there. Yes I am a nurse and they know this but seriously if he is bleeding that much you need to take of it. Now, I know you called a lawyer. Is this to sue the school or the child's parents? I don't know your motive but he is in the class for a reason and yes i would be more than infuriated but I mean its the schools fault. I feel there is a time when its the child's responsibility to know better and then there is time when the school needs to watch those kids and do better.
Stepping off my soapbox but I am on your side.

 

[disneynp]

When I say I hope they get what coming to them I mean they get arrested or suspended or kicked out of school.

Isnt the other kid in the same class as the other child. How do they handle that type of behavior if it is a mental health issue?

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I would say that you need to speak to someone who specializes in this type of law/issue before you do anything else. Stay calm, seek out experts. You'll obviously be upset, and lots of people will offer opinions, but for anything to happen you absolutely need to go through the right channels. Document everything you can. I think you need to ask your legal counsel a few specific things like what the school is legally obligated to do when a student is hurt, especially to the degree your son was, what the school is legally obligated to have in the classroom in regards to superiors (teachers, aides, subs), if a sub in a special needs classroom is obligated to be trained in how to deal with special needs children, and then what the school's rule regarding these things are.

 

[bookwormde]

First if the child needed to go to the ER then the school should have called 911 and had him transported.
Second if the setting needs 2 adults then that does not change during "lunch".
Third while quick incidents happen before a teacher can intervene, by the variety of injuries it sounds like the assault continued for at least some period of time. The big question is why did the teacher not intervene quickly and effectively. My guess is the sub did not have the information to understand the potential and did not have the level of training to intervene quickly and effectively.
It is clear the school failed to maintain safe environment. Doing whatever you need to do within the law to ensure that an incident like this does not happen again for your child and all students should be your goal after your child's recovery. If the school is proactive and makes major changes to policies and practices and supports your child's recovery and the associated out of pocket expenses then hopefully and Attorney is not needed, but if they do not then you need to do what is necessary to make them change and to support your child.
bookwormde

 

[OceanAnnie]

I'm sorry that happened to your son. I hope he mends quickly. I'm sorry he has to return to the same classroom. That is going to be tough. I think I'd want to know exactly how they are going to handle it especially with it being more than one that attacked your son.

I hope you can get to the bottom of what happened so you can know better how to prevent it from happening again if at all possible. That is really scary. I'd want to know what measures are in place to keep kids in control and where exactly it went wrong.

I hope you find answers soon. for you. for your son.

 

[disney david]

Isnt the other kid in the same class as the other child. How do they handle that type of behavior if it is a mental health issue?

Not sure they may be in the same class but the police can still arrest the kids the op said their 18 so it makes them adults. The op didn't say they could of came in the class after the teacher aid left the class room. The school dropped the ball by not calling 911 and having an ambulance and police come they needed to have this investaged and to make sure the op kid is safe to go back to school. No Kid deserves to be attacked and have the school not handle so poorly.

 

[of2dbeach]

it was one kid who assulted my son not 2. both kids mine and the other are 18 years old. they are both autistic but the other boy is more verbal mike isnt unless you ask him something then he says yes/no I want milk that kinda thing. my gf is calling her brother who is a State attorney to see who he knows who can helps us. i am not a sue happy person ( I only sued once when I got in a car accident and now I have muscle and nerve dammage.. my settlement $2,000! ) anyways i dont want this other boy in mikes class. I want a 1 on 1 aide for my son because they obviosly didnt protect him. They didnt have measures in place for the sub either. i think she just had a walkie talkie. The asst principle is the one who called me. I dont even think she was in the classroom because she didnt know what was going on with my son ( another thing that irks me ).The school is very tight lipped and I have been advised not to say anything to the school either. I kept him home today so i could keep an eye on him. his nose and face are still swollen and he said his head hurts . He never complains of anything so it must hurt bad for him to say it. the main teacher who was absent isnt handeling the kids very well. he said i would be assured that mike wouldnt get hurt again and when mikey( other kid) was getting upset he would head it off at the pass as he has done before. this tells me that this has been a problem in the past. I am going to have a meeting with the school. I am changing his IEP I am prepared to keep him home with me as long as needed. I need him to be safe at school but I dont want him to be scared to go back either. Now we have to hope this dosent create other issues because he isnt very verbal so that means he will most likely act out on stuff. his personal behavior therapist is right on top of this and he isnt pleased at all. thanks for alll the love and support I will post more when i know it!
~Tonya and Michael ~

 

[bidnow5]

So sorry to hear this first the school should have called 911 first then you then police I would see to it that the school fixes the obvious errors in the process.
then they need to always keep 2 people in the room. I would be so angry

 

[ccgirl]

May I ask, what you are suing for? Has your DS ever acted out? You mentioned he is pretty much non verbal so will probably now act out. I would agree that it sounds like the class was down one teacher/aide and that should be dealt with. Not sure what the lawsuit is for though.

 

[disney david]

May I ask, what you are suing for? Has your DS ever acted out? You mentioned he is pretty much non verbal so will probably now act out. I would agree that it sounds like the class was down one teacher/aide and that should be dealt with. Not sure what the lawsuit is for though.

She never said she suing she just wanted to talk to a lawyer because the school dropped the ball and she just wants to know hy she can do. The lawyer could explain better and let her know her options. All she wants is for her son to be safe in school and to know thy the school will do a better job in the future protecting her son. Their no reason they didn't have an ambulance or police come or for the teacher step in. Their a big difference in them just pushing each other and getting separated then that should be handle in school without police or other actions. But for the nurse to say she been trying for 20 min to get him to stop bleeding and his clothes ripped then it needs to be addresses with the proper authority.


She not looking for money just to have her son to be safe and not have to be attacked in school.

 

[of2dbeach]

She never said she suing she just wanted to talk to a lawyer because the school dropped the ball and she just wants to know hy she can do. The lawyer could explain better and let her know her options. All she wants is for her son to be safe in school and to know thy the school will do a better job in the future protecting her son. Their no reason they didn't have an ambulance or police come or for the teacher step in. Their a big difference in them just pushing each other and getting separated then that should be handle in school without police or other actions. But for the nurse to say she been trying for 20 min to get him to stop bleeding and his clothes ripped then it needs to be addresses with the proper authority.


She not looking for money just to have her son to be safe and not have to be attacked in school.

I never said I would suee anyone. They were negligent because they didnt have proper student teacher ratio something his teacher admitted to me. the teacher was out sick. this sub had been in the class room 2 weeks ago with no issues .the parent is also at fault because she knew her son is having repeated issues. when my son had anger issues i got him help with a behavior therapist and we increased his meds. he has never ever attacked anyone but he has hit himself. he has punched his teacher ( not hard ) because he was upset by something and he could exspress it. michael had done nothing to this kid in fact they have pretty much grown up together being in each school/ class together since they were both 3. all the teacher told me was that mikey ( the other kid ) gets like that when people get noisy and they try and re direct him. so there have been issues before this but i am not sure of what. I dont think they would of suspended him if this was his first time. what is sad is i am not sure if he even knows why he is suspended. what do i want out of this. i want my son to be safe he only has till he is 21 to finish job training. i want a 1 on 1 with him. i want someone to step up to the plate say we screwed up big time this wont happen again and remove the other kid either from the class or the school. i am not saying my son is an angel but he has never attacked a student and when there have been issues i handled them immediatly even removing him from the school untill i was sure he was stable when we increased his maed. thats the right thing to do. everyone failed my son and i want to make sure this dosent happen again. I also want someone to pay for the medical bills if his medicaid dosent pick up the tab which has happened with his reg doctor bills unrelated to this. We have a follow up apt with his ped in 2 days. now i need to get his Er records and his records from the school of the incident if there are any and let the attorney know whats going on. they failed on multiple thing. they didnt even call EMS and he has autism/ epilepsy.i was called to pick him up. his nose continused to blled for 15 mins in the ER after i go t there so 20 mins at school plus a 10 min ride to the ER plus 15 more mins in the Er .. it wasent a fun day!

 

[ccgirl]

I never said I would suee anyone. They were negligent because they didnt have proper student teacher ratio something his teacher admitted to me. the teacher was out sick. this sub had been in the class room 2 weeks ago with no issues .the parent is also at fault because she knew her son is having repeated issues. when my son had anger issues i got him help with a behavior therapist and we increased his meds. he has never ever attacked anyone but he has hit himself. he has punched his teacher ( not hard ) because he was upset by something and he could exspress it. michael had done nothing to this kid in fact they have pretty much grown up together being in each school/ class together since they were both 3. all the teacher told me was that mikey ( the other kid ) gets like that when people get noisy and they try and re direct him. so there have been issues before this but i am not sure of what. I dont think they would of suspended him if this was his first time. what is sad is i am not sure if he even knows why he is suspended. what do i want out of this. i want my son to be safe he only has till he is 21 to finish job training. i want a 1 on 1 with him. i want someone to step up to the plate say we screwed up big time this wont happen again and remove the other kid either from the class or the school. i am not saying my son is an angel but he has never attacked a student and when there have been issues i handled them immediatly even removing him from the school untill i was sure he was stable when we increased his maed. thats the right thing to do. everyone failed my son and i want to make sure this dosent happen again. I also want someone to pay for the medical bills if his medicaid dosent pick up the tab which has happened with his reg doctor bills unrelated to this. We have a follow up apt with his ped in 2 days. now i need to get his Er records and his records from the school of the incident if there are any and let the attorney know whats going on. they failed on multiple thing. they didnt even call EMS and he has autism/ epilepsy.i was called to pick him up. his nose continused to blled for 15 mins in the ER after i go t there so 20 mins at school plus a 10 min ride to the ER plus 15 more mins in the Er .. it wasent a fun day!

I see. Thank you for that explanation. Have you discussed your concerns directly with the school? I would agree they dropped the ball. Also, their insurance should pick up any medical bills since the incident happened on their property. Good luck and I hope your son is okay.