School is back in session and all around the country children are headed back to school.
While a new year brings many joys, this mother could not have prepared for what happened to her child – and no parent should.
I had the honor of sitting down with Amber Barnes – here’s what you need to know.
At first, the school year started off like any other. There was even some excitement over her son having the same teacher as last year.
I mean, as a parent, this is huge. You are not starting all over again and the teacher knows your child and knows how to effectively handle any issues that may arise, right?
Unfortunately, in this case, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Amber Barnes, a mother in Florida, sent her young son to elementary school knowing he would have a familiar and friendly face in his new classroom.
This was especially important to her because he has ASD, ADHD, SPD and a speech delay.
But as week three began suddenly everything changed.
During a “meet and greet” activity on Tuesday, Amber’s son became overwhelmed and withdrew from the rest of the class.
“They were doing a meet and greet, and my son wouldn’t participate because he don’t like physical contact. So the kids stopped going to him and the teacher didn’t want that so she did this to him…”
As Mommy Underground has reported, children with SPD can be sensitive to touch, sound and crowded situations.
A teacher should be able to recognize this. And his teacher, whose class he was in all last year, should have responded appropriately.
Instead, the teacher made a public example of him in front of the whole class by stapling his shorts’ pockets shut!
Yes, the teacher took a stapler to the young child’s shorts.
This is assault! But the emotional scars are much greater.
When I asked Amber if there had been any communication home about prior behavior concerns or issues this year, she said there had been none!
Had there been issues last year?
“Not one,” said Barnes.
The teacher didn’t even send a note home with him to explain what happened!
“[He] just came home with stapled pockets!
I went to school immediately and when I walked into [the] office, she walked in behind me. I asked her why she did this, with a smile on her face said she meant no harm. And from there I just blew up.”
What parent wouldn’t?
This was a teacher who not only knew her son but knew about his diagnosis and had been teaching him for over a year!
While she did apologize and replace the shorts upon the mother’s request, it appears she thinks this is a joke.
As a mother of children with SPD myself, I cannot help but internalize this situation. What if a teacher took her stapler, put it down my son’s pants and stapled his pockets – not just one, all of them – completely shut?
I can tell you with certainty that it would not have been a picture-perfect moment. I mean, we’ve all heard the term, “mama bear,” right?
When something like this happens to our kids, that primal urge to destroy their adversaries kicks in – and it kicks in hard!
So, what did the school do? – Nothing
“She is still in the class with my son. And they don’t seem to be doing much about it.”
While both the principal and teacher have apologized, nothing has been done.
Barnes stated that she has been meeting with the principal and teacher every day after school since the incident last Tuesday, but nothing has changed. The same apologies are given but nothing has been done.
She plans to continue to meet with the teacher and principle every day after school until something is done.
And when Barnes pressed for information about whether disciplinary action was going to be taken against the teacher, she was denied. “They said they can’t discuss that with me. But she’s still there.”
When I asked why she wouldn’t request a change of classroom for her son, she replied, “He doesn’t do good with change so I didn’t want to move him.”
So, she can’t move her son without further upsetting him.
What’s a mom to do?
Amber Barnes has turned to legal counsel to seek justice for her son.
So, Mama, is your heart hurting as much as mine is?
Are you wishing you could do something?
I want to get the word out about her story, but I need your help!
Please take a moment to share this article with everyone you know. Don’t wait – do it now!
