Posted on 06/06/2019 7:35:22 AM PDT by rickmichaels
An Indiana school district has apologized after an 11-year-old boy with autism was given the “most annoying male” award by his teacher.
Estella Castejon, who says her son Akalis is non-verbal and occasionally rocks back and forth and shakes, believes his special education teacher at Bailly Preparatory Academy should be familiar with his condition and its effects.
“You’d think one would know and understand the conditions of autism and have more patience to deal with children who suffer from autism,” she told local television station WLS-TV from her home in Gary, Ind. on Tuesday.
It’s part of the reason why Akalis’ parents said they were so surprised when his teacher handed him a trophy with a star and a plaque reading “most annoying male” - as well as the school’s name spelled incorrectly - during a recent end-of-the-year luncheon for Grade 5 students.
“I didn’t want to cause a scene with other parents there so I left the award on the table and tried to walk away and his teacher came back and said ‘Akalis forgot his award,’” Rick Castejon recalled.
Rick Castejon said he’s thankful his son didn’t understand what the award meant when he claimed it in front of classmates and their families.
“When they called him up, he was just excited to get a gold star because it was shiny,” he said.
Estella Castejon wasn’t able to attend the ceremony, but the next day she said she went to the school to demand an apology from the teacher. Akalis’ teacher and the principal didn’t apologize to her, but the school district did in a written statement.
“The Gary Community School Corporation does not condone this type of behavior and will continue to put the safety and well-being of our students first,” Pete Morikis, the district’s emergency manager, said in the statement.
Morikis also said that disciplinary action was taken against the teacher involved in the incident, but he didn’t say what that punishment was.
Estella Castejon said she hopes the incident will encourage teachers to recognize and understand autism.
“He just wants to be like everyone else. He is like everyone else. The only difference is he cannot express himself like every other person does,” she said.
Or....It harmless, funny inside joke, and a way for the teacher to connect with the rest of the class how sad the situation was but that the class had accepted it and continued.
Where was the District’s anti-bully enforcement that day?
That sounds like what he got.
that was my thought... in a room full of people with various challenges he was treated as an equal. The parent’s might be projecting their own fears on the situation.
Well, he’s 11, and it sounds like he cannot talk.
I don’t understand what was to be gained by giving him a “most annoying” award.
And for the teacher and principal to feel this was “OK”, is beyond me.
If you read it again, it said his teacher from his special education class—not a regular class.
Special education is different. I don’t support this type of award at all.
A non-verbal kid who rocks back and forth and shakes ... why is he in a regular classroom? Shouldn’t he be in a special needs class? (And, Akalis ... ???)
If she knew he had autism then, even if a joke, it’s the most insensitive act imaginable for a teacher. Hard to believe someone could lack that much awareness.
That's very likely true.
He is like everyone else.
No, actually, he isn't. Don't BS yourself.
The only difference is he cannot express himself like every other person does,”
No, that's not the only difference ...
I got the most annoying award one year.
I thought it was funny, because I have a sense of humor.
ANY child that was ridiculed by a stupid teacher giving out such “awards” would be humiliated. How cruel.
I had a teacher who did that to her class in the 5th grade. She thought she was being so cute.
I’m 74 and I still remember that afternoon, even though I wasn’t the teacher’s target.
That isn’t creating a learning environment.
“I don’t understand what was to be gained by giving him a ‘most annoying’ award.”
Really. It was just mean. The teacher has a black heart to think this is clever or funny. Totally unnecessary.
This special ed student may not realize the meaning of the award today, but we should hope he will one day. Of course, there may be ample evidence the child was in fact treated by this teacher with the care required by his condition. I.e., at that later time it will be apparent to him the award was in jest.
If not, (because this hits one of my soft spots) time for hardball with the corp and the opener would look like this:
"Since the teachers action is exactly opposite of your published corporate goals, as well as those goals generally accepted in the community, this teacher clearly does not fit in your employ. In a broader perspective, the teacher's action clearly puts her credentials to teach in doubt and invites review by state licensing authorities."
“Most annoying” awards are to be given only White hetero Christian English-speaking males with all intact parts.
“Morikis also said that disciplinary action was taken against the teacher involved in the incident, but he didn’t say what that punishment was.”
Good. At least they took some action against this teacher.
With corrections, of course. [;^(
This teacher should be severely disciplined, or even better, fired.
There is no excuse for this kind of hurtful behavior towards a special needs child and his family.
When the Dept. of Education decided to get rid of special ed classes and put those students into regular classrooms just offloaded their behavioral problems onto those teachers who already have their hands full of students already.
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