Monessen School District staff member accused of hitting 6-year-old boy with autism, mom says
UPDATE: Yvette Williams was issued a citation for harassment.
The previous story from Jan. 31 is below.
MONESSEN, Pa. (KDKA) — A teacher's aide at Monessen Elementary School hit an autistic 6-year-old boy, according to the boy's mother - who cited information the district superintendent told her.
Previously, the district had only publicly said that a staff member had been placed on leave due to an allegation that the staff member had "inappropriate physical contact" with a student.
Parent Shalia Stitch said she got a call from Monessen Superintendent Dr. Robert Motte who called her Thursday evening to say a teacher's aide had hit her son, Jesse Donaldson Jr., on the upper shoulder.
"He told me the incident wasn't serious [enough that] it left a bruise, but after Jesse got hit by the teacher he said 'Ouch, my arm' and ran into the arms of another teacher," Stitch said.
Stitch said she was told there were five students in the room and two of them wrote a statement about what happened. She's upset the aide, who is usually with him all day, wasn't there and instead, there were five teachers who are all unfamiliar to her.
"I was like, 'How could you let that happen?'" she said.
She claims Motte said this was all over a toy her son did not want to give the teacher's aide at the end of playtime.
The district placed the staff member on leave as they investigate the situation.
Stitch said that based on what Motte told her, she thinks there's already enough evidence to fire the aide, adding they should be arrested.
Motte said the district made all appropriate reports to law enforcement agencies.
She says they have had issues in the past where her son has been able to walk out of school on his own during school, and another instance where he was forgotten at school at the end of the school day.
"Clearly, yinz are not equipped to handle him," she said.
She's struggled in the past to get her son into a special school, saying she feels like she has little choice now.
"I don't feel comfortable sending my son back to the school, whether [the aide is] there or not," Stitch said. "I don't want my son back in Monessen."
KDKA-TV reached out to Motte to respond to what Stitch said. He referred us to their earlier statement which said they cannot release further details because it is a personnel matter, adding ensuring the safety and welding of their students is their top priority.
