15 year old aspie put in "bad kid box"

Post Reply New Topic

http://wvgazette.com/News/201301080030

Parents say teacher put son in 'bad kid' box
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. -- The parents of a Parkersburg High School student say a teacher put their son in a box labeled "Bad Kid Fort'' because of his behavior in the classroom.
By The Associated Press

Wow, I am glad the principal is 'sure' the teacher was not trying to humiliate...because I am sure it was just a simple mistake its not at all obvious that singling out one student as the 'bad kid' isn't humiliating at all.

That just disgusts me I had teachers like that and I think that sort of behavior from a teacher should be grounds for firing. Now if he was misbehaving I am sure there are lots of more mature ways the teacher could have dealt with it than singling him out from the other kids in such a humiliating manner. I wonder if she uses this treatment on the other kids when they misbehave.

What in the name of holy hoppin' john is a teacher with a box labeled "bad kid fort" doing teaching high school students?!?!

1) Labeling the child "bad" (as opposed to labeling the behavior "bad") is bad behavior to begin with.

2) "Time out" is a tactic better suited to use with kindergarteners than high school freshmen.

The moron teacher needs to spend some time in retraining. Then be evaluated for competency. Then, assuming competency is achieved, be reassigned to working with younger children, since there is obviously no clue of how to relate to teenagers.

All the "bad kid box" is going to accomplish is training in shame, resentment, and anger. I'd much rather end up with a young man who acts Aspie, with a good head and a good attitude, than one who acts NT with a chip on his shoulder.

I had a therapist in Clarksburg (the risperidone pusher) who said it was a shame people like me had to happen, all because back in the day rich people on the East Coast used to send their crazy relatives over the mountains. That if I took my zombie meds and got out of there I could probably learn to be OK.

Well, I got out. Now can she come up to Pittsburgh and learn to stop pushing the f*****g Risperdal, while I go back to West Virginia and raise goats in peace???

Sheesh. West Virginia would be such a nice place if greedy and/or high-minded as*holes didn't keep exploiting it and f*****g it up. Can we get these idiots (and I mean the educators and mental health "experts,", not the Aspies and hillbillies) the hell out of my fine state?? They can take the drillers and the energy company formerly known as Massey with them when they go. Y'all don't come back now, hear?!

ETA: Hey Charleston Gazette: I'd appreciate just a little more information about the behavior in question. A line or two would be nice in making judgment calls.

The nomenclature is wrong, to be sure. Separation in the midst of the student's peers certainly seems miguided.

But does that mean that the strategy of separating a disruptive student is misguided? We are not provided with any insight into what steps to deal with distuptive behaviour were included in this young man's education plan; whether those steps were followed, first; and what results those steps produced. If the teacher exhausted those remedies, what options were left?

Teachers are expected to deal with ever larger class sizes, and an ever greater number of students with special needs. One student monopolizing the teacher's attention does a disservice to everyone. It may be that some form of separation is an effective way to regain control of the classroom.

I am reluctant to rush to judgement on the basis of the parents' report to which the teacher and the school district have not yet had an opportunity to make a response.

There is a Facebook group in support of this student. I'm unable to post the link as a new user, but if you search for "Support Caleb!! !! !! Thank you and please join!" you can learn more about the situation.

The article does leave more information to be desired.

Jeremy, I'm not sure if the school can release that information in any event. I can't realistically see an IEP allowing a "box" but not detention.

There's a difference between removing a disruptive student from the environment-- which is appropriate at any grade level, and for that matter a good idea for adults too-- and using "time out" to shame someone into modifying their behavior.

"Thomas, you can go sit in the vice principal's office until you can get yourself under control and participate in class constructively." "Thomas, please go to the quiet room (break room, your safe space) until you are calm enough to participate." These things are appropriate as long as they are not abused (say, used to silence an unpopular opinion as opposed to used to discourage a student from yelling and throwing ad hominem attacks around).

Having a kindergartener sit in "the no-no chair" or "the bad behavior box" might yield some good result (notice the differentiation between the behavior and the child).

Doing the same thing to a high schooler is going to yield either anger and resentment or, if it's one of the "cool kids" getting the treatment, more attention that is going to encourage repeat behaviors.

It's funny-- a dumb hillbilly coal miner with Asperger's knew this stuff, but highly trained experts in education on a mission to help the poor hillbilly children lift themselves out of ignorance and poverty can't seem to grasp it.

And people with Asperger's can't use sarcasm, either.

You are most assuredly correct, BuyerBeware--most especially in the importance of categorizing the behaviour, not the student.

But I just don't think we have enough information on which to start being outraged, or to second guess the decision of the teacher who was in the room, confronted with the immediate situation.

It may well be that your impression of the situation is the correct one, and the teacher will assuredly merit sanctions of some kind. But I would to hear from the teacher, from the school and most importantly from Caleb before drawing that conclusion.

Not enough detail on what exactly the disruptive behavior was in this case.
Does that teacher normally use the “bad boy” box on all disruptive students?
What about bad girls?
From reading the article I’d say that kid probably needs to toughen up a little if he’s to survive the rest of high school and what lies beyond or have an exceedingly tough life ahead….

just goes to show sometimes teachers can be the biggest bully and not the other students.

That would be horribly embarrassing for a 6 year old, much less a 15 year old. How is a kid like that supposed to come to school the next day with all of the students snickering at him. Of course the teacher won't be fired, they never are (look at the Wendy Portillo/Alex Barton case, she was allowed to teach and then deny an appropriate education to a deaf kid right after coming back.

Guys, it said in the article that the student's 504/IEP outlined to remove him from class.

The teacher was 100% wrong here.

I fail to see how putting someone in a box saying they are bad is supposed to help them. How does that work?