Teacher's aide fired for putting boys in bathroom as punishment

abc13.com Eyewitnss News ^ | 11-19-04 | Miya Shay

[protectdakids]

An HISD teacher's assistant is fired for his punishment of two autistic kids.

Ten-year-old Mohammad McNeil is supposed to be in school, but neither he nor his eight-year-old brother has been to class since last Thursday, after a teacher's aide allegedly stuffed the kids into the bathroom at Gross Elementary as a punishment for misbehaving.

Their father, Travis McNeil, said, "That's not even punishment, that's more like persecution. That's exactly what it is. You know, that's like persecution. Nobody's kid should be put up to that."

Travis says the incident was especially traumatic because both kids are learning disabled. Ishmal doesn't talk and his older brother Mohammad is autistic.

"Made me very angry, mistreating my children," said mother Kimberleigh McNeil.

[weegee]

Houston Ping

[SteveMcKing]

"There is some disagreement as to what happened inside the bathroom. The child, Mohammad, told his parents that the teacher actually closed the door and turned out the lights. The teacher's aide, according to the school, said the door stayed open and the light was on."

Details.

[SteveMcKing]

I would also caution that the author only registered today... beware the trolls.

[Caipirabob]

Ten-year-old Mohammad McNeil...

Perhaps a pair of ladies undergarments over the head would have been sufficient? A photo of fellow student posing doing "The Lindy" as a keepsake?

[Experiment 6-2-6]

admitted to disciplining a special needs student by placing him in the bathroom with the lights on and door ajar....

Hmm, one kid can't talk, the other is autistic, but somehow the parents claim the children told them the door was locked and the lights turned off..

Somehow I don't think this is too severe a punishment, er, persecution, or whatever the evil label is these days..

[A6M3]

Good thing this isn't China or they would have hand-cuffed them to the toilet bowl.

[Bob J]

Maybe they had to pee.

[nj26]

you know, back in the day.. that type of problem ended with a trip to the principal's office, a large wooden paddle, and a very sore rear end...

Not advocating a return to those days, but this sounds pretty harmless as punishment goes.

[RightWhale]

Kids used to hide in the bathroom to sneak a smoke. What is wrong with our schools now?

[CAluvdubya]

Kids used to hide in the bathroom to sneak a smoke. What is wrong with our schools now?

Maybe the punishment was exposure to second-hand smoke! Seriously, why are these children being mainstreamed/ Did I miss that this was a special needs school?

[eccentric]

traumatized by a bathroom? Where do they usually go to go?

[KneelBeforeZod]

the question is, was there "doo doo on the walls" a la michael jackson's trip downtown...

[texasflower]

My autistic nephew has the memory of an elephant and would have no trouble telling his parents what happened.

You can ask the kid what happened on any date in his life and he can tell you in unbelievable detail.

You can ask him about any movie and he will tell you when it was released and who the production company was.

But he would get freaked out pretty bad if someone did something like this to him.

HOWEVER, that said, I am not making any judgement on this incident at all.

[Experiment 6-2-6]

My autistic nephew has the memory of an elephant and would have no trouble telling his parents what happened.

As soon as I posted this, I realized that autism runs a wide spectrum.. But regardless, the article claims the oldest doesn't say much. Just thought it odd. I suspect the parents embellished the story a bit.

[texasflower]

I suspect the parents embellished the story a bit.

I tend to agree.

[BritishBulldog]

Hmmm, dunno, I doubt that the teachers assistant would have been fired if there was any doubt about this, given the chances of legal action.

I'd say that anyone who treats autistic or otherwise impaired children like this wants his head examining.

Also, "Mohammad McNeil", "Ishmal McNeil", "Their father, Travis McNeil", "mother Kimberleigh McNeil"....what's that about then?

[texasflower]

I thought about that, but given the appeasement fever around lately who knows!

I did wonder about the names though.

[protectdakids]

First, thank you for your professionalism. I now realize there are people who should not have posting rights. Not because I do not agree with their views, but because what they have to say does not pertain to the issue(s) at hand......at all. This critique is not of you, but of others who have posted some very perverse comments about this story concerning the abuse of special-needs students. In addition, I waited so long to comment because I was conducting a test to see how people would react without knowing much of anything. I will include some details. Although the writing style you are about see is in CAPS...i am not shouting. I have personal knowledge of the incident.

---

UNKNOWN TO MOST CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, THE TWO SPECIAL-NEEDS BOYS WHO WERE PUT IN THE RESTROOM AS A FORM OF PUNISHMENT…....WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES.

ACCORDING TO "INSIDE SOURCES", NEARLY ALL THE BOYS THAT WERE IN THE SPECIAL NEEDS CLASS AT GROSS ELEMENTARY WERE INHUMANLY PUNISHED BY BEING PUT IN THE RESTROOM. STRANGELY, NONE OF THE FEMALE STUDENTS WERE PLACED IN THE RESTROOM. (WHICH RAISES OTHER QUESTIONS). MOST OF THE CHIDREN ARE NOT VERBAL (IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND THEM- INCOHERENT). THEREFORE, THEIR PARENTS WILL NEVER KNOW THAT THEY TOO HAVE BEEN ABUSED AND VICTIMIZED. MUHUMMED. WHO IS AUTISTIC, IS VERY VERBAL AND SKILLED IN READING, WRITING, MATHEMATICS, UNDERSTANDS FOUR LANGUAGES, AND PLAYS A HOST OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. HIS BROTHER, ISHMAEL, CAN WRITE MUSIC, CODE AND DECODE MUSICAL SOUNDS HE HEARS, PLAYS THE PIANO, AND IS AN EXCELLENT CARD COUNTER.

ALSO ACCORDING TO "INSIDE SOURCES", THE CHILD NAMED MUHUMMED McNEIL(THAT IS THE CORRECT SPELLING OF HIS NAME), STATES THAT THE MALE INSTRUCTOR PUT HIM IN THE BATHROOM WITH THE DOOR CLOSED AND THE LIGHTS OFF. HISD HAS PUT OUT A STATEMENT THAT THE INSTRUCTOR PUT THE CHILD IN THE RESTROOM WITH THE LIGHTS ON AND THE DOOR AJAR(OPEN). THE MALE INSTRUCTOR IN A MEETING WITH THE PARENTS AND THE VICE-PRINCIPAL ADMITTED TO PUTTING THE CHILD(REN) IN THE RESTROOM WITH THE DOOR OPEN AND THE LIGHTS OFF AS A MEANS OF PUNISHMENT IF A (SPECIAL-NEEDS) CHILD KEPT “ACTING OUT”!

TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT THIS. IF THE CHILD STATES THAT THE LIGHTS WERE OFF AND THE DOOR CLOSED & THE MALE INSTRUCTOR STATES THAT THE DOOR WAS OPENED ALTHOUGH THE LIGHTS WERE OFF & HISD COMES BACK AND SAYS (IN CONTRADICTION TO THEIR OWN EMPLOYEE THAT THE DOOR WAS OPEN AND THE LIGHTS WERE ON...THEN HISD MUST BE HIDING THE TRUTH THAT THE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT WAS ACTUALLY PUT IN A DARK RESTROOM. WHY ELSE WOULD THEIR STATEMENT CONTRADICT THEIR EMPLOYEE'S STATEMENT. IN ADDITION, IF NO ONE KNEW OF THE ABUSE EXCEPT THE MALE INSTRUCTOR AND MUHUMMED REPORTED IT, WHY DID THEY FIRE THE MALE AND GIVE THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR A REPRIMAND TO GO INTO HER RECORDS. AFTERALL, SHE DENIED ALL CHARGES OF WITNESSING THE BATHROOM INCIDENT(OR SHE WOULD HAVE REPORTED IT?, DENIED THE HOG-TIE RESTRAINT, AND THE VICE-PRINCIPAL FOUND NO WRONG-DOINGS IN AN "INTERNAL" INVESTIGATION. SO WITH THIS IN MIND, WHY WOULD SHE BE REPRIMANDED? ARE TEACHERS REPRIMANDED FOR NO REASON? WHEN, AND IF, RESPONDING TO THIS POST, PLEASE GIVE ANY OPINIONS ABOUT THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR BEING REPRIMANDED. PLEASE, DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING ABOUT THE FEMALE INSTRUSTOR EXCEPT THAT SHE WAS FOUND INNOCENT IN THE "INTERNAL INVESTIGATION", WAS NOT IMPLICATED BY THE MALE INSTRUCTOR, DENIED ALL WRONG-DOINGS INCLUDING THE HOG-TIE, SAID SHE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE RESTROOM INCIDENT, AND IS CURRENTLY TEACHING AT GROSS ELEMENTARY FOR HISD. WOULD A REPRIMAND HINT OF SOME TYPE OF GUILT AGAINST HER?

MOST ADULTS HAVE A PROBLEM KEEPING RESTROOMS CLEAN. WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE CONDITION OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS....THEY ARE ADEQUATE AT BEST. NOW, IMAGINE HOW KIDS WHO ARE NOT SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS MAINTAIN THE RESTROOMS. NOW, IMAGINE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS! WITH THIS VISUAL IN MIND, THE CHILD HAD TO SIT ON THE FLOOR OF THE RESTROOM. A RESTROOM WITH URINE AND MICROSCOPIC FECAL MATTER ON THE FLOOR....ON THE CHILD'S PANTS...ON THE CHILD'S HANDS. IS THIS NOT CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT?

WHAT TYPE OF MIND WOULD DO THIS? ALSO IN QUESTION IS WHAT TYPE OF MIND WOULD ALLOW THIS TO GO UNREPORTED. THERE WERE TWO INSTRUCTORS IN THE CLASSROOM. THE OTHER INSTRUCTOR (ACCORDING TO "INSIDE SOURCES"), DID NOTHING TO STOP THIS ABUSE...YET, SHE STILL INSTRUCTS THE CLASSROOM. ONE CAN ONLY SAY THAT IF YOU HAVE A CHILD IN THAT CLASS....GET THEM OUT NOW. BUT, UNFORTUNATLY,ONE THING FOR SURE IS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABUSED AS WELL. HISD HAS YET TO INFORM THE OTHER PARENTS THAT AN ACCUSATION WAS MADE AGAINST THE TEACHER THAT MAY INCLUDE THEIR CHILDREN(CAN YOU SAY COVER-UP).

HISD(SHORT FOR THE 'HOUSTON INDEPENDANT SCHOOL DISTRICT') IS ACTIVELY TRYING TO COVER UP WRONG DOINGS BY ITS EMPLOYEES. FOR EXAMPLE,(ACCORDING TO "INSIDE SOURCES")THE VICE-PRINCIPAL UNDER INSTRUCTION FROM THE PRINCIPAL CONDUCTED HIS OWN 'INVESTIGATION' OF THE CHARGES. HE, THE VICE-PRINCIPAL, FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF MISCONDUCT. WITH THIS IN MIND, WHY WOULD THERE BE ANY NEED TO TERMINATE THE MALE INSTRUCTOR OF THE CLASS(?) UNLESS, THERE WAS MISCONDUCT. IN ADDITION, IF THERE WAS MISCONDUCT ON BEHALF OF THE MALE INSTRUCTOR FOR ADMITTEDLY PUTTING THE CHILD, MUHUMMED, HIS BROTHER, ISHMAEL, AND A HOST OF OTHER STUDENTS IN THE RESTROOM, WHY WOULD THERE NOT BE THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR BEING TERMINATED AS WELL FOR AT THE VERY LEAST NOT REPORTING THE ABUSE? INSTEAD, SHE WAS GIVEN A REPRIMAND. A REPRIMAND IS LIKE A SLAP ON THE HAND. IMAGINE: YOU WATCHED THESE CHILDREN BEING ABUSED SO WE ARE GOING TO KEEP YOU IN THE CLASS TO CONTINUE TO NOT PROTECT THESE CHILDREN...BUT, IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, WE WILL FIRE YOU. SHE STILL CONTINUES TO TEACH AT GROSS ELEMENTARY FOR THE HOUSTON INDEPENDANT SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR IS ALLOWED TO STAY, YET THE CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED MUST UPROOT FROM THEIR FRIENDS AND ATTEND ANOTHER SCHOOL.

(ACCORDING TO "INSIDE SOURCES")PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST INTERSTING EVENTS TO OCCUR IS THE THE ADDITIONAL STATEMENT BY THE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT, MUHUMMED McNEIL, THAT THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR PUT HIM IN A POSITION EQUIVALENT TO A HOG-TIE POSITION WHICH HURT HIM BADLY.THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR HAS DENIED THE CHARGES. THE MALE INSTRUCTOR HAS STATED THAT HE HAS NEVER SEEN THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR DOING THIS HOG-TIE POSITION HOLD ON ANY OF THE STUDENTS. QUESTION #1? HOW CAN YOU TRUST ANYTHING THE MALE INSTRUCTOR HAS TO SAY. QUESTION #2? WHY WOULD MUHUMMED TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE MALE INSTRUCTOR, YET MAKE FALSE ACCUSATIONS ABOUT THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR. THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR HAS BEEN IN THE CLASSROOM FOR AT LEAST TWO(2) YEARS WITH MUHUMMED AND HE LIKES HER MORE. ALTHOUGH, BEFORE THIS INCIDENT, MUHUMMED WAS QUITE FOND OF BOTH INSTRUCTORS. NOTE: THE MALE INSTRUCTOR WAS NOT CERTIFIED IN SPECIAL-EDUCATION TO BE TEACHING A SPECIAL-NEEDS CLASS. HE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A CLASSROOM WITH SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS. HE WAS A TEACHER'S AIDE WHO HEADED THE CLASS. THAT IS GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF HISD. THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR IS A CERTIFIED SPECIAL-EDUCATION TEACHER’S AIDE. SHE SHOULD BE UNDER THE DIRECTORSHIP OF A CERTIFIED SPECIAL-EDUCATION COLLEGE-DEGREED INSTRUCTOR. SO THERE YOU HAVE IT: THE BLIND LEADING THE DEAF.

AS YOU HAVE HEARD THESE ARE BUT A FEW OF THE FACTS INVOLVING THIS INCIDENT. STAY TUNED FOR MORE. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN OR KNOW ANYONE WHO HAS A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD AT GROSS ELEMENTARY. INFORM THEM THAT THEIR CHILD HAS MORE THAN LIKELY ALSO BEEN A VICTIM OF WHAT CAN BE DESCRIBED AS MORE THAN CHILD CRUELTY OR ABUSE. IN ADDITION, CALL THE HISD ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING LOCATED ON 3830 RICHMOND AVENUE, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77027 @ (713)892-6000 OR (713)892-7540 AND ASK THE TOP-LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS(SYLVIA VALVERDE) WHY ARE THEY USING TAX DOLLARS TO MAKE THE HOUSTON INDEPENDANT SCHOOL DISTRICT A HAVEN FOR CHILD ABUSERS. EVERYONE WHO HAS A CHILD IN HISD OR WHOSE TAX DOLLARS GO TO PAYING HISD SALARIES SHOULD CALL. LASTLY, YOU MAY CALL THE PRINCIPAL(MRS. BARBARA GRAVES-BROWN) AND VICE-PRINCIPAL(MR. LEON CAVITT) AT GROSS ELEMENTARY @ (713)778-8450. BE SURE TO ASK THEM WHY THEY HAVE YET TO FIRE A PERSON WHO AT THE VERY LEAST HAS STOOD BY AND WATCHED SPECIAL-NEEDS CHILDREN GET ABUSED. IF THEY ASK WHO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, JUST TELL THEM THE FEMALE INSTRUCTOR WHO ALLOWED THOSE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN TO BE HUMILIATED AND STRIPPED OF THEIR DIGNITY AND CIVIL RIGHTS. AND IF THEY ASK WHO YOU ARE, SIMPLY STATE: I AM THE ONE WHO PAYS YOUR SALARY.

REMEMBER: PROTECT ALL CHILDREN AS IF THEY WERE YOUR OWN, AND IF YOU HAVE NO CHILDREN.....PROTECT THEM AS YOU WISHED YOU HAD BEEN PROTECTED WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD.

[unamedteacher]

I am a teacher at Gross Elementary. I am posting in response to the long post in ALL CAPS about the incident that occured.

I am writing to say that the situation at Gross Elementary is almost out of control. The new administration is having difficulty as well dealing with the large amount behavior problems at the school.

I'd say that about 3/4 of my classroom are severe behavior problems. I generally spend most of my time baby sitting and calling parents, rather than teaching.

Also, the parents are very uncooperative and unwilling to work with the teachers. They tend to place the blame on teachers rather than their own precious child who can seemingly do no wrong. It seems to me that the majority of the parents in the area surrounding Gross Elementary have little or no parenting ability and generally believe everything that their children tell them about what happens at the school.

When I was young, my parents taught me to respect teachers. This is not taught today by many parents. The majority of my students at Gross are belligerent, rude, oppositionally defiant, and have severe problems with authority.

There is little or no respect for authority instilled in a majority of the children who attend Gross Elementary. This is absolutely ridiculous. Teachers are educated people that are doing what they can to further the humanity as a whole. They teach the children the very basics in which our society functions on. Without them, our society would collapse into an illiterate, ignorant wasteland of disorganization and probably much worse!

I have trouble believing that the case with the student inappropriately disciplined is as cut & dry as it may seem...

I myself have been at the end of my rope and have felt isolated and helpless many times while out of control students ravage my classroom.