Parents Concerned Over Alleged Abuse By 4th Grader With Autism At Broward Elementary School
POMPANO BEACH (CBSMiami) -- Parents and teachers at one Broward elementary school are demanding change after they say an autistic student has been battering classmates and some educators for months.
The student attends Norcrest Elementary in Pompano beach.
"He has charged me. Pinched me, grabbed me," said physical education instructor Gail Black.
Black says one encounter with the fourth grader was so painful she ended up having to see a doctor.
"There are a lot of people being assaulted but when are his rights more Important than anyone else's?" she wonders.
CBS4 spoke to the mothers of two girls who claim they were battered too. The mothers filed a report with the Broward Sheriff's office.
"She's scared to go to school, She's afraid she'll be the next victim," said mother Nydia Cedillo.
Cedillo says the autistic child put her daughter in a chokehold.
Kimberly Eisenmann thinks her daughter has been abused too.
"My daughter was attacked six times, grabbed by the collar, spit on and nothing's been done," she said.
And it's happened before. Danielle Burns says last September her 4th grade daughter was hit and the school moved the problem instead of solving it, putting the autistic child in a different class.
"As an attorney, I appreciate the process. But it was broken a while ago," said Burns.
Parents recently met with high ranking Broward School District officials to talk about the autistic child.
School board member Nora Rupert was in attendance.
"As soon as the parents and teachers made me aware, I came to the school with staff to hear their concerns," said Rupert. "I immediately contacted our chief OSPA and attorney to apprise them and work with the appropriate departments to review and make recommendations for a safe appropriate environment where all feel safe."
In a statement, the school district said, "We are committed to providing safe and Supportive learning environments for students and staff. School leadership continues to meet with those involved to address their concerns."
The autistic child already has assistants who monitor his behavior and sources say more will be added to address safety concerns.
Parents say they are concerned when school resumes next year, their children will face the same fate.
Some say the district needs to re-examine the policies for mainstreaming severely Autistic students