You Are A Disgrace to the Teaching Profession, Wendy Portillo--For Shame

Update: see more at Thinking In Metaphors, especially the discussion in the comments: May 25 post: Wendy Portillo's Mob Lynching of a 5-Year-Old; May 30 post: Portillo Teaches: Fear the Autistic

Wendy Portillo is the kindergarten teacher who directed her students to reject and humiliate Alex Barton, a fellow student.  Her actions are inexcusable under any circumstances.   L'affaire Barton has exploded in the autism blogosphere, because young Alex has just been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.

As of this morning, Portillo has been "reassigned".   According to the TCPalm:

Portillo has been a St. Lucie County teacher for 12 years, and at Morningside Elementary for nine.

Alex Barton's mother isn't pleased with the district's response:

Barton said she thinks Portillo should be fired.

"She has no business being near children at all," she said.

As to the news of Portillo being reassigned, Barton responded, "That's just a slap in the face."

The school is Morningside Elementary in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.

The  Alex Barton page at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network has this suggestion:

We need to band together to prevent future such abuses from occurring, to ensure that this teacher is properly disciplined and to encourage this school to adopt both a strong bullying prevention policy and training on respect for all forms of diversity aimed at both teachers and students. As such, we've provided contact information [here's the link] for you to write to communicate your outrage. Please be polite yet firm in your comments, pointing out the unacceptability of such actions when aimed at any student, as well as the need for this school to adopt policies to prevent this from happening in the future. This is an opportunity to drive home the message that we will not stand by while one of our own is abused. We ask that you please cc: info@autisticadvocacy.org in your e-mails to the school district so we can keep track of the strength and sources of this response. Remember: abusive messages hurt our cause - please be respectful in your comments.

 

My pal Madelyn at Whitterer on Autism has a roster of  posts in support of Alex Barton and his family.

Comments

[Scott Comeau]

So, the Florida school board stands behind this act of bullying as justified, then the Florida school board has not matured enough to understand right from wrong and thus are not qualified to be employed by the educational system. This teacher has tenure which means that the teachers union will stand behind this teacher as well as all others who sadistically bully 5 year olds.

And then there is this

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

Section 1. Section 1006.147, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 1006.147 Bullying and harassment prohibited.

It appears that what happened was a crime by Florida law.

[Barbara]

The treatment of this child is unacceptable.
No person deserves to be ridiculed in this manner. What steps can be taken to prevent others from humiliation? This is one incident that is wrong and inappropriate...How many children are subjected to abuse masked as "teaching" throughout the schools we entrust our children to?

[Liz Ditz]

Kristina Chew, at Autism Vox, is compiling a list of responses to Barton's mistreatment.

You might start with Thinking in Metaphor'scoverage.

[Rich Shull]

Calm Down Autism. Long ago and far away there was autism BEFORE it went designer and I was lucky enough to be part of the autism community before it was a big deal. I missed Rain Man's Curse. As such I can assure you Alex's "horrible" treatment did more good than harm and I leaned many great lessions being singled out. In the 1960s and before no called us Autistic unless it was severe but had the same issues as today's kids face. Most of us today build on Temple Grandin's work and are black blalled from Modern Autism.

While we have figured out the DI Vinci Code of life and discovered Autism IS BOTH MR/DD and Einstein we are too little too late. Rain Man is now a billion dollar empire and they can not affort to listen to us. Despite discovereing autism is simply the building blocks of the mind the simple step by step thought process all humans do to think -it will be a few more centuries before our knowlege is ever in a text book as modern Autism assured the earth remains flat.

Rich Shull Author autism Pre Rain Man Autism (banished) and inventor of the Turing motor a 70 Efficient Green autisitcally designed Car motor.

[marle]

Wendy Portillo had this planned, it wasn't Woops Mistake. She hurt little Alex right to the quick, with her cruel and heartless actions. I hope that Melissa Barton brings suit against the school board in federal court and checks out (ACLD).Wendy Portillo's comment about being a bear and protecting her cubs. FROM WHAT? The school board will sugar coat this. Oh it's overreaction. NO It's parents that have children with learning disabilities have to fight for everything. Been there!