[ad_1]
After discovering a college and determining that the bathroom was the only quiet place where her autistic son could do homework, the mother's Facebook post went viral. In response, the school defended its choice, attributing a lack of funding to the decision.
On Wednesday, Danielle Goodwin recounted on Facebook how a Whatcom middle school teacher in Bellingham, Washington, had placed the office of her autistic student, Lucas, in a bathroom in the city. 39; school. Goodwin told the teacher he was working better in a quiet place and his solution was the bathroom. Lucas's desk was above the toilet while his chair was adjusted in front of the sink. When Goodwin asked him if he could work somewhere else, like the library, the professor refused.
"My son has special needs and is doing better in a very quiet place. It was the solution of his teacher … yes, it's my son in a bathroom. Yes, it's my son's office above a toilet, "says Goodwin, adding:
She also provided him with a camping mat and a pillow so that he could take a nap … on the floor of the bathroom. I asked if he could work at the library and she said no. She also said that it was good for him to be there because they "do not use it as a bathroom". My son was humiliated, embarrassed and disgusted by this inhuman suggestion that he works in a bathroom. I immediately brought my son home and he will not come back. When we got home, he was vomiting anxiety. How is this best practice? How is it going?
My son has special needs and is doing better in a very quiet place. It was the solution of his teacher … yes, it's my son in a …
Posted by Danielle Goodwin on Wednesday, September 18th, 2019
In an interview with Komo News on Thursday, Goodwin also said that Lucas was suffering from an autoimmune disorder, making the choice of an even more disturbing bathroom.
"It's a place that is not suitable for anyone, but especially Lucas who suffers from PANDAS (autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders in children with streptococcal infections), he can not be surrounded by germs," said Goodwin. . "It's something that can really affect his body. It smelled bad and the only thought that my son is working his school day in a bathroom bothered me.
Lucas said the school's decision baffled him and he was not feeling very well.
"Sad, stressed, embarrassed," Lucas Goodwin told Komo. "I was like that, how's it going? How am I in the bathroom? Why?"
On Friday, the school defended his decision and said including Lucas' office in the bathroom was not a viable solution and they had not put forward the idea. In a statement posted online by Bellingham Public School Superintendent Greg Baker, he also stated that the space was not used as a bathroom when teachers used it as an office and was underfunded. of his decision.
"The current situation is an example of an employee trying to find a solution to temporarily remodel a room. To our knowledge, the room was used as storage space and not as an active toilet, "said Baker. He added:
We are probably all aware that state funding of schools is limited, especially with respect to construction, so schools often have limited space to meet the educational and socio-emotional needs of students. We are always looking for creative ways to make the best use of our facilities to meet the needs of students. For example, over the years, to provide full-day kindergarten, we have sometimes converted staff rooms into temporary classrooms and directors' offices into meeting spaces.
Although Baker stated that the school's decision was "well-intentioned," Goodwin pointed out in his Facebook message that it was not acceptable to even consider placing her or any other child in a classroom. bath. She said Lucas would not go back to school and she called on educators to do better, not only for students with disabilities, but for all students.
"We have to do better," Goodwin wrote.
Header image via Danielle Goodwin's Facebook page
[ad_2]
Source link