This is NOT Okay

Dear Boardman Board of Education,

I am writing regarding the incident involving one of your staff stapling a note to a child’s head. I am a mom to a special needs son. Thankfully I am not in your district. When I heard of this incident I was outraged. I was even more appalled to learn the district is standing behind this teacher and her actions. There is no way your district will be able to sweep this under the rug. Nor should you be able to. 

Set aside the fact for a moment that this was a special needs student. Imagine if something like this had happened to your son or daughter. Wouldn’t you be just as outraged as I am right now? As outraged as thousands of other parents are right now? If you’re sitting on the board of an educational institution I hope to God you would be. The fact that this was a special needs student makes it even worse. I’d love to know your initial reaction to the news of this incident. Did your stomach roll like mine did? 

Do the right thing here. Do the right thing and fire the teacher aide who did this. A person like that does not deserve to be around any child, let alone someone as vulnerable as a special needs child. And do even better by firing the Superintendent who is standing behind this teacher. You’re only doing more harm by standing behind them. These people should not be allowed to be in any profession that involve children, special needs or not.

 

Sincerely,

Outraged Special Needs Mom

Yep, I wrote this email above and you better believe I sent it to the Boardman School's Board of Education in Ohio.  

I searched the news app on my phone to find the article I was looking for.  Surely it shouldn't be hard to find.  The article(s) about an Ohio teacher's aide who stapled a note to a special needs child's head as a reminder to bring a water bottle to school.  This shouldn't be a hard article to find.  Yet it is.  It's not being talked about.  And it should be.  This is not okay.  

This school district is downplaying the severity of this incident and it's not okay.  This district gave the teacher's aide a verbal warning.  THIS IS NOT OKAY.  This child is now fearful of a place and people who are supposed to be safe.  What if this was your child?  Or your grandson or nephew?  What if this happened to someone near and dear to your heart?  I do not know this child yet I am outraged. We cannot be silent.  Please stand tall and take action.  You can contact the school board at this website: 

https://www.boardman.k12.oh.us/districtBoardEd.aspx