Do they strap them down to a gurney too? This is ridiculous to do to children that do not have a mental illness such as Autism to where it actually helps. These children are not animals. I can think of a million better solutions than this BS.

They put my son in a closet and lock it I'm going to sue the entire district and be looking for an individual to hold personally accountable for the trauma caused.

Why are autistic kids in main stream schools? Public schools are in the business of EDUCATING our children so they can learn skills necessary to obtain a job and support themselves. I don't mind funding centers that can provide some services to severly disabled children that are unable to work or support themselves, but it shouldn't come at the expense of educating those who need these resources the most.

The best way to handle this is to call the parents and tell them to come pick up their kid, pronto! If a kid doesn't want to learn while in school, then send his butt home and force their PARENTS to deal with his/her bad behaviors---it's their job! Geesh.

They put my son in a closet and lock it I'm going to sue the entire district and be looking for an individual to hold personally accountable for the trauma caused.

Well, Dave, here's my question. Will it be your child screaming relentlessly in the throws of some tantrum, throwing chairs and overturning desks, running out of the classroom and otherwise distracting an underpaid and overworked teacher and preventing MY child and the others who DON"T have serious behavior control issues, from learning in a safe and controlled environment?

If it is, then I'm not surprised that it's come to this for some schools.

The alternative is to have their kids expelled from school, then the parents dont get that free babysitting any longer.

shakalac, yeah cause your child is a perfect angel huh? no one would ever do that to your kid right?

Why are Autistic kids in mainstream schools? I don't know; I suppose because they are human beings and children with autism require socialization as part of their treatment. Educating our children doesn't stop at the end of a book. I think exposing my children to children with developmental delays teaches them tolerance as well as keeping them in touch with their own humanity to make them better people. My son goes to school with a girl who has Down's Syndrome, of course she attends special ed classes during the day, but she plays with the 'normal' kids on the playground. While she receives some benefit from being in the main-stream, I believe my child gets the greatest benefit of being exposed to children with special needs. This exposure will provide the nourishment he needs to educate his soul.

My son is in an autism spectrum disorder classroom with other children on the spectrum. My older daughter was in regular high school with supposed "normal" children and I certainly hope it wasn't your little bastard standing up and shouting F you at the teacher every day in just about every class Spry. Because I balk at my taxes funding educations for animals who are 22 in the tenth grade because all they do is distract all day long and schools are terrified of expelling these monsters for fear it will raise their district and state's drop-out rate.

Hatr Hurter,

No, my kids are not perfect angels. They are just normal kids. I'm lucky in that they don't have autism or serious behavioral problems. But should time be taken away from their school day(s) while a teacher has to address prolonged swearing, screaming, violence on the part of a SINGLE CHILD? while there's 30 more there in the classroom trying to learn?

No.

Almost all other forms of punishment are illegal in the school systems. I was the recipient of a couple "whacks" on the backside with a board while in middle school. It gets your attention really quickly and is a pretty good deterrent for the behavior. It seems to me like a lot better alternative to "scream" for out of control students like I was, although I was sent out in the hall on a number of occasions.

Students with disabilities are an entirely separate case. Our school district does an outstanding job of mainstreaming students, who are able to handle it, by setting individual programs.

Love how so many people just have two speeds. Zero and off the deep end.

You bitch because you have to pay for education.
You bitch because they leave disruptive kids in the classroom
You bitch because they remove disruptive kids from the classroom

You bitch; therefore, you are.

Jessica,

Not at the expense of every other student trying to learn and teacher trying to teach ! You are putting the rights of an emotionally troubled child above those of healthy children. Schools are for learning, not for solving social and emotional problems that need to be solved at home or at special institutions. Sorry they have a problem, they deserve to get help, they do not deserve the right to prevent others from learning and teaching.

You can't fault schools for trying to take steps to control behaviour, becasue lord knows parents aren't doing that job as well as they did when we were kids. If you taught your kid how to behave than odds are that they will not have to put in the room. On the other hand, as stated in the article, some kids with disabilities or autism need this room to help them calm down and eliminate stimuli. For all the one sthat say that they would sue if it was their kid, you need to be the ones to teach your kid how to act, if you don't then others will have to. Your not doing the kid any favors by shielding them and not teaching them how to behave properly.

Hollah! I thought I'd be seeing the OPPOSITE reaction to my feelings, but it's great to see so many others who feel the same way! This is what happens when parents refuse to discipline and raise their kids. Your lack of efforts have to be picked up by the rest of society- schools, jails, waiting rooms in doctor offices . . . and we're tired of doing your job for you. Step up and take responsibility, losers.

Dumb to the ultimate degree is anyone who supports this.

Yes, the school needs to send the kids home. If you are so stupid, SO stupid, as to think it is a good idea to lock a kid with problems in a room that they can hurt themselves in, then you should have your funds personally raided for all the medical care that kid needs to recover, and at least 5 times that amount in punitive damages, just so you can wake up from your stupidity.

I don't think kids with problems should be allowed to ruin classrooms either. However, there's a difference between handling it responsibly and hurting that kid who did nothing wrong other than be born with a problem...which is nothing wrong at all. And yes, get the parents to take care of them. They need to be the ones.

MM - Calm down, it's called 'public school'. Parents who have children with special needs pay taxes just like parents with 'normal' children. Children with special needs attend special ed, so they aren't distracting and preventing your child from getting an education. I never implied that I was putting the rights of one child over another. Based on that dramatization, I see that reading comprehension isn't your strong suit.

The department of education at their finest!!!

Ron Paul 2012!!!

These kids need to get a grip. "Back in my day..."

I used to get locked in an equipment closet when I was in kindergarten-1st grade (late 1980s). There was light and ventilation, but I was essentially imprisoned in school by my teachers. After the initial bouts of screaming and beating on the door with a whiffleball bat, it was kinda fun searching for paperclips for attempts at picking the locks. Boy, would they have been in trouble had I actually succeeded!

Anyway, being locked in a closet- ahem, "scream room"- is no excuse beating oneself bloody and peeing all over the place, even for a child.

Edit: The school thought that I might have been retarded, but it turned out I was the equivalent of 2.5 grades ahead. Go figure.

Hatehatehate and Sprylynx,
According to your estimation, when should people with disabilities be allowed into mainstream society?

No, Jessica. Not true.

Children with special needs do not just attend special ed classes, and the article itself says:

Teachers and staff put the children, including those with special needs, in what parents call "scream rooms."

The article then goes on to quote a frustrated mother whose child is being affected by the behavioral problems of a handful:

"My 1st grader is there and is not learning because there are so many behavioral problems at that school," Tricia Belin said.

ooops. I see that you've since edited your response.

shakalac - But you are assuming this article is about one classroom. What if teachers and staff were sending children from mainstream classrooms and special ed classrooms to timeout closets or scream rooms.

He's not assuming that at all, hence the remark 'teacher and staff put the children....' meaning it is not just a singular classroom. And I'm pretty sure the article states or shows that it is not just kids with disabilities that are sent to these rooms.

Ok lets see here. sounds like the parents with "normal" kids don't want their kids schooled with the special needs kids. What a bunch of B.S.

P.S. I'm not sure how to edit my response after I post a comment.

Most times after you hit the 'post comment' button you should have the option below to edit that comment for the next 4 minutes or so. however, I do know of a bunch of times where there is a glitch and that option doesn't come up, as a test I used the option to edit this comment so hopefully it is working for you.

Thank you Keithsn! I was editing my comment before I posted (or so I thought) but I am also in the middle of doing other things as well.

Each child must be looked at on a case to case basis. Some children can be main streamed but there are others who can not. This said, locking a child in a ventless, windowless room is beyond the pale. Maybe the schools should stop spending their monies on bigger salaries for administration and use that money for what it was intended for, the education of children. You hear stories about administrators with 6 figure salaries in schools where things like music and art have been dropped due to lack of funds.

No problem, glad I could help, i had to ask when i was trying to figure it all out as well.

The ignorance here is overwhelming. The room for autistic kids is not because they are causing danger to other children. Really?

For those that think these kids need to be removed from the public schools, I have new for you: they are not the most disruptive kids. It is the children of those that think their kids are so perfect and those with Developmental and Austism Spectrum Disorders are violating their rights.It is your children that cause the most problems with bullying, disrespect to staff, not following dress codes, not doing homework, fighting, drugs and you name it.

Before stating that these kids should be removed, become educated. They have a right to be there. They have a right to be in this world. It is the so-called normal people that need to mature and develop tolerance. Start living in reality, we are not a cookie cutter society, that idea went away with the German Nazis.

Some of the posters in this thread have inadvertently provided us with a great example of why many children with autism SHOULD be educated in a mainstream classroom alongside typically developing kids.

Some of the posters in this thread seem to know very little about autism. Your opinions on the issue are worse than useless if your knowledge of autism is limited to what you learned from watching Rain Man, reading a few news articles, and getting second hand reports of a disruptive student in your child’s classroom.

Perhaps you think that Nobel Prize winners like Vernon Smith are not smart enough to be educated in the same classroom with your little precious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_L._Smith

How about this young man? Perhaps he isn’t good enough to be in the same room with your darling little “normal” child?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15482101

Several things that some of you need to learn about autism:

1. People with autism are as diverse as people that don’t have autism. Some are cognitively disabled and some are geniuses. Some are highly disruptive. Some are LESS likely to cause trouble than their typical peers.

2. The social difficulties associated with autism are very significant but each autistic person reacts to their difficulties in his or her own way. Some (like my son) are intelligent enough to understand their difficulties and react to them by religiously following the rules and avoiding any behavior that might upset people.

3. Even when children with autism are disruptive, it’s ALWAYS for a reason. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the disruption could have been avoided. When a child with autism is disruptive, a Functional Behavioral Assessment should be conducted to determine what is causing the problem. In some cases it may be something unavoidable, which may mean that the child needs a special education classroom. In other cases the problem is easily solved once it’s understood.

4. Did you forget that typical children are often highly disruptive? Read that sentence again and think about it with an open mind before you reply.

5. Many children with autism that would otherwise be disruptive can function perfectly well in a mainstream classroom with a 1:1 aide. Before you blame mainstreaming for the disruption you need to at least consider the possibility that the problem lies with a school district being unwilling to obey the law by providing necessary supports.

6. This may come as a shock to some of you but children with autism have a surprising tendency to grow up to be ADULTS with autism. Unless you want your little precious to be supporting MILLIONS of unemployed autistic adults with his tax dollars 20 years from now we’re ALL going to have to learn to work and live alongside people with autism. That means your child may someday have to work alongside an adult with autism. Call me crazy if you want but I think things will go a whole lot smoother if your child has experience with people with autism before he has to work next to one in his professional career.

hatehatehate

I agree that autistic kids should NOT be in mainstream schools. I graduated from high school less than 10 years ago and we had a lot of special needs students who were very distracting to the students who wanted to learn. They were also relentlessly tormented by other students. One autistic kid was tackled as a joke and his tailbone was broken. They can still be socialized and taught at a separate school, but they do not to be in a regular public school where they are harassed and where they are very distracting to other students

I’m sure you’re smart enough that, if you stop to think about it, you’ll realize just how dumb your post sounds.

You’re basically saying that autistic children should be banished to a special needs classroom because the typically developing children are so violent, disruptive, cruel, and emotionally disturbed.

If an autistic child were to attack a typical child you’d be screaming about how awful it is that your child’s education was disrupted. We’d hear ALL ABOUT how disruptive autistic children are and how they shouldn’t be in the same classroom with everyone else. Of course, if it’s the typical child that physically assaults a child with autism, you STILL act like it’s the autistic child’s fault.

I have a better idea: How about DISCIPLINING the typically developing child once in a while?

Thank you for the post, though. You’ve done a great job of making my point for me: typically developing children are often disruptive too. That doesn’t mean they can’t be educated alongside other typically developing children that are less so.

Children who are acting out are not evil, they are evidence that abusiveness and denial infest our society and it is high time people spoke up for good mental health! Time for parents to stop passing the abusiveness on to the next generation, but rather put an end to it! Expose it! Get therapy!

What exactly are the signs of child abuse? Why are children afraid to speak up? We need to get more cameras in the hands of kids so they can film the abuse! It needs to be exposed rather than hidden - and hidden most times at the expense of the victims of child abuse! It happens in "the best" homes just as much as in the worst of homes.

The whole problem starts and ends at home - emotional honesty is the first step! If we are a nation that truly cares about the lives of children - then do it from the heart - not as an act.

Mainstreaming in a good number of cases is idiotic. Parents expecting teachers to "handle" their out-of-control children equally so. In many cases, again, the problem starts at home. There is nothing wrong with a little discipline (and I don't mean physical punishment) and there is nothing wrong with teaching children to respect their elders (including their teachers). Children with severe emotional/psychiatric problems need to be in an environment where they get the special attention they need, and that's not in a classroom of 25-40 kids, all of which have a right to a decent education without constant interruption by out-of-control classmates.

Suzi-OH

As I suggested in a post above, if a child is being “constantly disruptive”, it’s a sign that the school district is not providing adequate supports. The question of what kind of support is needed is a complex one that can ONLY be decided on a case-by-case basis. In some cases it DOES mean that the child can’t function in a typical classroom and needs a special ed setting. In other cases, the solution is far simpler. I’ve known of cases where an autistic child went from highly disruptive to NEVER disruptive merely from being moved away from a typical peer that was being cruel. Don’t oversimplify complex problems. The result is never good.

Your comment about discipline is also simplistic. Sure, there are times when an autistic child needs some good old fashioned discipline (like any child). But before you do that you need to have an adequate understanding of autism. Some people with autism have extreme sensory sensitivities, for example. A sound that wouldn’t bother most people may be extremely painful to an autistic child that has that particular sensitivity. Punishing an autistic child for getting upset when he is being HURT is just stupid. Either remove the source of the offending sound from the classroom or, if that’s not practical, move the child to a different setting.

The point I’m trying to make here is that you need to UNDERSTAND the disorder before you get the idea that you know what special education policy should be.

Junicon, you are one of the few shining lights of intelligence commenting here and I applaud your reasoning. All children are different, no matter if they have mental disorders, physical disorders or are perfectly healthy in mind and body. Therefore, when it comes to discipline, each child and situation is different and cannot be lumped together under a blanket-policy. I was a "normal" kid (the signs and symptoms of my Bi-Polar Disorder did not show up until I was about 15) who was placed in timeout at school when I misbehaved. I never hit my head on walls or peed everywhere. That being said, my little cousin is 3 years old and Autistic. Her speech was delayed and she was taken to a one-on-one therapist where she made little progress. She was put into a preshool class with "normal" kids her age about 5 months ago and it has made a WORLD of difference. Her vocabulary is 20x what it was, her speech is clearing and it amazes the rest of the family when they haven't seen her in a month or two. The interaction with other kids her age that DO speak correctly is helping her more than years of therapy would have. She is also sent to time out when she misbehaves. She doesn't hit her head or pee everywhere either. If these teachers are going to do a time-out room, there needs to be more of an understanding of each child, the problem causing the behavior that needs to be changed and proper supervision of the time outs given. If kids are beating their heads in till they bleed, why are teachers allowing them to go that far? I am all for teachers being allowed to punish bad behavior, but as others before me have said, it has to be done the right way, not simply shipping the kids off and not allowing special needs kids to interact and learn with "normal" kids.

Thank you Junicon, you thoughtful remarks and knowledge are refreshing. My own son has autism and is an A/B student, plays hockey, football, golf, and baseball on his school teams and is one of the best student athletes they have. Silly, uneducated people: grow up, shut up, or get a clue. You have no idea what you say. I also work as a staff in a school system, working with over 200 general ed and special ed staff. Timeout rooms can not be locked. They are most often used as a LAST RESORT, and use of these rooms must be carefully documented. Parents in most states, from my knowledge, have the right to object or consent to the use of these rooms following an FBA (functional Behavioral Assessment as mentioned above), and a BIP (Behavioral Intervention Plan) must be implemented as part of the student's IEP (Individual Education Plan). These plans and assessments are given and determined by a team of professionals that includes parents, teachers, behavioral aides, psychologist, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, school administrators, and doctors. Most of the time, students who would benefit or utilize these rooms are already incorporated into a schools special ed or resource room for the majority of the day. At times, especially for autistic students, there is a 'trigger' that would cause a level I behavior - which may require use of these rooms. i.e. 'Johnny' does not tolerate loud noises. Every time the fire alarm is set off Johnny should go to the quiet room/timeout room following an all-clear signal until it has been determined by staff and student that he is able to return to class.

Now . . . Was it Johnny's fault that one of your idiot kids pulled the fire alarm? No. But Johnny, his family, and school staff still need to deal with the consequences of that.

So before you judge people, look around you. The world is a diverse place. Accept it or move the heck over because those of us who are compassionate and intelligent individuals are moving forward while you hinder yourself. Oh yeah, one last thing. Two different school districts in my area elected your 'not-normal' students as homecomming kings this year. A down syndrome boy and an autistic boy. 'Normal' kids eat this stuff up, and they love the feeling it gives them to be accepting and include those who may not have been included in the past. So it tells me it's not the kids who have a problem, it's the adults.

Don't get me wrong when I state this, but I think if a child is not used to being in a mainstream class, it could be problems all around. With that said, I do believe there should be smaller classes for students with special needs so that the child may not be so stimulated (as it happens with some children that are autistic). I have a friend whose daughter is autistic and she was in small classes and then moved to mainstream classes. But she has always had an aid to help her. I also have a cousin whose daughter has asperger but she has been mainstreamed since she was young, her parents have helped her and she is two grades ahead of her same aged peers. She has never had an aid. I think another problem with this is that mainstreamed teachers are not prepared educationally to handle these children. When I was taking education classes, I had to take two classes on special ed. That's it. And most of it was theory. When I was doing my student teaching, I was offered a job with a special education student, and I told the principal thank you but I know I don't have the experience to do this job since I have only taken two classes. Please hire the other woman who has more experience.

If they sent the kids to the gym teacher with his 3 ft. wooden paddle with the holes cut in it to allow for good aerodynamics then the schools would have a lot less discipline needs. Thank goodness I grew up in the '60's.

I was the recipient of a couple "whacks" on the backside with a board while in middle school. It gets your attention really quickly and is a pretty good deterrent for the behavior.

Students with disabilities are an entirely separate case.

Except for students whose disabilities are their parents.

If ignorance is bliss, the vine must be heaven.

Clearly, the negativity toward autistic children is startling. Those children who are severely handicapped do attend special schools and classes. Those who are capable go to mainstream schools. That's the way it is--deal with it. My grandson is ASD, and he's always well mannered and on the A or A-B honor roll. He is bullied by other "normal" students who call him names and pick on him, but he has become very mature for his 11 years, and basically puts them in their places. Sadly, the school staff is very hesitant to enforce their own rules about bullying. Therefore, it falls to his parents (and me) to go straighten out problems.

As far as the screaming rooms, I'm on the fence. Some children (normal, handicapped, autistic) are so far out of control that they need to be separated from the regular classroom. I don't know that a closet is a place for them, but when they are violent and lash out, it might be safer for all. I've seen far more violent and poorly behaved "normal' kids than those afflicted with other disorders.

I'm sure the schools would be open to suggestion on what to do to control the uncontrolled. Violence is not a solution.

My blood was boiling as I was reading some of these posts calling for removal of children with autism from mainstream classrooms. And then Junicon posted, and I nearly had tears in my eyes.

To those who feel our children with autism do not belong with their precious children, I say to you: have you met a child with autism? Because if you have, you have met ONE child with autism. Autism is very unique to an individual. The characteristics of one child with autism will not be found in the next child with autism. Or, they may share a few common characteristics and then have differing characteristics.

Because of the uniqueness of autism, there are children, who with support, will excel in a mainstream classroom. For those whose autism is considered more of a challenge, it depends on the school district as to how they are placed. I have a child with autism and he is mainstreamed with a 1:1 aide. It took a lot of work on our part and the parts of therapists and early teachers to get him to that point. While he can speak, his everyday conversation skills are not par for his chronological age. But, his classmates don't care as they accept him and his quirks for who he is. They even look to him for help because they know HE knows how to do something and do it right (he's pretty smart in math and ELA). So, to you posters who feel children with autism shouldn't be mainstreamed, my son's potential would go to waste and children wouldn't have the blessing of having him in their lives. Hmm. Sounds like he is where he belongs.

Now, if my son was a child with more moderate or severe autism, I would not have advocated for mainstreaming because it would not have been in his best interest to be in a classroom where he couldn't handle the work or environment.

I have an issue with children who exhibit behavior problems not because of a disability, but rather because no adult in their life is willing to step up and BE the adult and teach right from wrong or give praise when acceptable and punish when not acceptable. Actually, my issue is not with the child, but rather the so-called ADULT in that child's life. I think you naysayers to mainstreaming should be more worried about THOSE kids & the adult guiding (or not) that child rather then ours with special needs.

I had a math and science teacher in JH that had a paddle named "Big Bertha". Even though corporal punishment was no longer allowed in schools when I was in JH (1999-2000), he kept the paddle on display for everyone to see. He would tell every incoming class about how every student he ever spanked using "Big Bertha" got to carve their names in "her". There wasn't an inch of blank space. Not to mention the fact that we suspected that his coffee was more vodka than coffee and he just might be tipsy enough in the afternoon to actually go through with a paddling. It was a great deterrent.

SpryLynnx

Because some moron liberal decided kids with special needs should be main streamed so as not to be "descrimintaed" against. Obviously they would be better off in a separate school with the facilities and staff to deal with thier special needs. This way it screws up everything for them and everyone else. This politically correct bull of everyone is the same, don't make anyone feel different has ruined our school system. FACTS are facts. People, especially kids, are different and have different needs. What is so hard to understand about that. The libs need to stop denying these facts and get back to the real world. Get real ordinary discipline back in the schools and in homes for that matter, get back to grades to measure learning, get back to awards only for the winners and get real for cripe sakes.

From what Im seeing in these comments, everyone can complain about the teachers, complain about Austic kids in the classrooms, complain when their children are being put in time out for being disruptive, complain and threaten to sue if they dont agree with the protocol for dealing with bad kids, complain when something isnt done about disruptive kids....... and just complain some more. But what I dont see on this thread is any solutions for the problems. No one has any problems complaining, but no one is offering support or a solution either.

I do agree that there are some children that don't belong in mainstream schools but this school is in error. If there is blood on the walls that's a sure sign that something is very wrong and way more than a public school is able to handle. Parents should be called to come and get their kids before things get to that stage.

I disagree with some posters that school is another word for free daycare for special needs children. Some children are not suited for public school. I have known children with autism and other handicaps and their parents. The parents could all see the disadvantages to forcing public school on a child that isn't prepared for it. None of them saw public school as free daycare or a way to save money. Some of them did have to work multiple jobs to pay for the proper schooling. Some were able to get financial assistance. Yes, it was a serious financial burden but they rested easier in the knowledge that their children weren't being left with people that do not know how to properly care for them.

From the other side of the coin I remember a time when I went to a meeting at the elementary school my son used to attend and a child was clearly in distress in another room. We could see the child through a window screaming like a wild animal, throwing things and biting and scratching the teachers that were trying to keep him from hurting himself. They clearly didn't know what to do and were almost in tears. They were trained as teachers not care givers for special needs children. The child had been moved to the room not to punish him but to protect the other students from him because he was that violent. Teachers should not be forced to fill roles they were not trained for. It's not only dangerous for the teachers. It's dangerous for the children with special needs. They need teachers that know how to calm and nurture them as well as teach them. If a child has special needs their parents need to admit it to themselves and find the proper environment and care their child needs. Using public school as free daycare for special needs children is unacceptable. It's not fair to the children.

Heather, I think your junior high experience sounds like a chicken-egg thing. Which was the bigger deterrent: the alcoholic teacher or his paddle? I mean no disrespect; that's just how it struck me.

Autism, ADD, ADHD..........................all bullsh_t, not even two doctors agree on it. People looking for an excuse NOT to discipline their own kids.

Looking for excuses for the mistakes that they make as parents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bad parents ==========================Bad kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Period!

My question is, what are the teachers supposed to do with students who are ill adapted to conduct themselves appropriately in a traditional classroom? In addition, should we mainstream all students regardless of native intelligence, disposition or, other genetic factors? It just doesn’t make sense. It is not fair to the teachers or the students whether they can function appropriately in the traditional classroom or not.

I know that the idea today is that we shouldn’t leave any child behind. I don’t think that is the right way to put it. It implies that somehow, we should all be proceeding, in lockstep, single file, along the road to getting an education. Can’t we just accept that some kids just need to plot a different course or take a different path? And shouldn’t our educational system allow for that?

I have a new concept in public schooling. It's called "No brat dragged along" or AKA "leave the unmotivated, junkies, miscreants, gangstas, and ineducable WAY WAY WAY behind". Stop MANDATORY public schooling and make the OPPORTUNITY available to ALL WHO ARE CAPABLE OF LEARNING AND REALLY WANT IT!

Little Johnie wants to smoke in the bathroom; let him do it at home. Suzy wants to hike her skirt up to her butt and have all the teenage boys doin' her; let her hang out all day at the local billiard hall (maybe get her own pimp). Mary wants to do her own thing until the teacher is pulling her own hair out; let her mother pull HER own hair out until she figures out how to make Mary go to school and do the school thing. Billy has ADD and gets up every half hour to throw something at the wall; sorry about your luck kid - you're going to the industrial side to learn the art of toilet cleaning (some body has to do it anyway). Don't want that? Well, there's always pan handling!

After about a century of socialist reverse Darwinism, our society is just about to $hit itself.

Working in a school for kids with behavioral disorders linked to emotional disorders, yeah we have a "time out" area granted its not concrete and kids are not allowed to hurt themselves or else restraint intervention is needed. The most they do is flip tables and chairs over, throw chairs into and break the walls...assault staff leave the time out area and disrupt the other students in class by banging on walls or doors...Granted this is not an everyday occurrence it does happen in these programs. Sometimes it upsets me because I feel too much time is spent on behavior rather than education on the students who are there to learn. In an idealistic world parents would be more involved with the school and working with a clinician to work out a behavior plan at home. Sadly many don't, drop the kids at school and good luck getting in contact with the parents if something happens let alone getting them to come pick up their kids if they are suspended or are taken away by ambulance to the closest mental health evaluation facility...

come to think of it I was recently informed by another teacher that a past student in order to get out of a restraint pee'd on the teacher, yes a student pee'd on the teacher, could answer why there is pee on the floor in this schools "time out" room.

I don't agree with sticking any kid in a room to control their bad behavior. That is crazy. Call the parents and tell them to come pick up the kid and discipline them at home. But then again how do you expect parents to discipline their little angels when children are told by the schools that if their parents abuse them in any way to call the cops? I have seen more and more of my friends have CPS called for telling there kid to go to their rooms or being grounded because of bad behavior and the kid picks up the phone and calls the cops because they have accused their parents of abuse. Parents are afraid to discipline their kids. My father didn't think twice of smacking me or one of my siblings in the back of the head and telling us to cool it or watch our mouths. I went to Catholic school and the nuns didn't hold back either with discipline. I don't have an autistic child but I do know a few parents with one and I feel badly that this is what they have to deal with for the rest of their lives.

I don't know about teachers in your neighborhood but the ones in mine are overpaid and entitled and don't want to deal with kids with bad behavior. They want perfection and they are not going to get it when kids are also taught that they are entitled as well. There is too much of letting the TV or Internet babysit the kids instead of kicking them outside to play. Kids don't even know how to play anymore because of this. Mom, dad and teachers need to start working together to teach the kids how to control themselves in different situations but kids need to understand that there are consequences for their actions and I don't mean staying in from recess or being locked in a concrete room.

I agree that far too many parents have opted to not teach their kids self-control and discipline as a way to not have to deal with the responsibility.

However! I don't agree with using an isolation cell to deal with students. If a student is routinely so difficult to handle that they need to be "thrown in the hole" like a felon, they shouldn't be at a generalized school. Special needs kids are just that: Special needs. If their needs are such that, like the autistic child, they benefit from a "scream room" then they need to be at a special school for kids who need that kind of intervention.

Solitary confinement locked in a closet with other people's bodily fluids is not appropriate guidance for kids.

Why must every child be subjected to a few children with behavioral problems. I say at least the school did not send those kids home. If they were sent home the parents would be screaming that the school MUST baby sit my kids because I need to work and I don't want to babysit my own kids.

What is a school to do with kids that misbehave and are uncontrollable?

good for the school

These days you can't discipline your kids. I have two step children with serious behavioral problems. We can't do ANYTHING except give them a time out or take away toys. We have no other options... otherwise, we'll get the cops or family and children services called on us. Personally, I think my kids need a good old fashioned spanking. They're out of control and we DO have to pick them up from school every other week because of their behavior. But Lord knows, if you do anything out side of time out, you're in trouble. Then the system screams at you for not having your kids under control. Hell, I can't even raise my voice to my kids without hearing BS abt it.

That's insane, JadaPotata. It is not illegal to spank your kids. It is not illegal to raise your voice to them either. Sounds like your misplaced fears are not doing any good for your little hell raisers. They'll likely grow increasingly more conduct disordered if you don't put your foot down. Child Services is not going to hound you for simply spanking your brats now and then. Matter of fact, they are likely to commend you for raising your step kids. Paranoia may destroy ya.

What we really need to be doing is water boarding our children. That'll learn 'em.

sgthardman: Many parents I have heard complain when their child was sent home weren't complaining about having to miss work. Instead, they were complaining that this actually (for some kids) is a positive reinforcement for the bad behavior. It sends the message to some misbehaving kids that they can go home if they are misbehaving. That said, there are times when a behavior becomes out of the ability of what the school can handle (for a variety of reasons).

Summer: It only becomes positive reinforcement if the parents let it. I assure you, if I was sent home from school, the thought "sweet, I get to go home" did not cross my mind... It was more "oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, Momma is going to KILL ME." So when the principal said "do I have to call your mother?" I morphed into a perfect student right before his eyes. Best magic trick ever, lol... Its sad that parents are not parenting anymore. Ah, the days when you could swat your kids butt in public for acting badly.

My boyfriend's mom made him go out to the woods and pick out his own switch when he was a kid. One day he thought he'd be "smart" and brought back a big branch. After he was sent to get another switch, it was twice as bad. He never did it again. Nowadays, she would have gotten all her boys taken away and arrested for child abuse... /sigh

Mom of three.................................mother and parent of NONE!

Bill is right..................................everybody else..................get over it!

Summer: It only becomes positive reinforcement if the parents let it. I assure you, if I was sent home from school, the thought "sweet, I get to go home" did not cross my mind... It was more "oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, Momma is going to KILL ME." So when the principal said "do I have to call your mother?" I morphed into a perfect student right before his eyes. Best magic trick ever, lol... Its sad that parents are not parenting anymore. Ah, the days when you could swat your kids butt in public for acting badly.

Stephanie, If you notice, I said for SOME children. Obviously, you were not one of those children. Also, if you notice, I did not say that parents don't have some blame in this situation (when going home is a positive reinforcement). There certainly are some parents that don't give children consequences when they get home. However, there are also some kids that don't care about consequences from their parents - it doesn't matter to them. There are also parents that, quit honestly, cannot afford to stay home with their child when they get sent home from school (I'm thinking more middle or high school age kids at this point) - so, the parent takes the kid home and goes back to work - leaving the kid at home to do what they want.

My boyfriend's mom made him go out to the woods and pick out his own switch when he was a kid. One day he thought he'd be "smart" and brought back a big branch. After he was sent to get another switch, it was twice as bad. He never did it again. Nowadays, she would have gotten all her boys taken away and arrested for child abuse... /sigh

IMO, she would've rightly gotten arrested for child abuse. Don't get me wrong - I don't think spanking, in and of itself, is abuse. However, I define spanking as using a bare, open hand, on the rear end of the child - and not enough to leave marks (well, red marks that fade within a few minutes are fine - but, if they last, bruise, or break the skin, that's different). IMO, using a switch (spoon, belt, shoe, etc., etc.) is abuse.

I completely agree with you Bill. Parents today are lazy \ don't know how to interact with their children. They rely on smart phones and video games to serve as 24\7 babysitters. If people would just take the time to play with their own flesh and blood (OUTDOORS) for a couple of hours a day then most of these behavioral (and possibly obesity) problems would be solved.

I don't understand how a parent could not love and care for their own child. The world is changing...

The kids may not be urinating on themselves, they may just urinate on the floor/walls/doors because they can. I am pretty sure that the kids that are put in the rooms are not in there for simple behavior problems, but rather a complete lack of discipline whatsoever. These are the types of kids who have no coping skills at all. Used to be we got our names written on the board and that was a horrible punishment. God forbid that my kindergarten teacher circled my name after it was put up there, that meant that I got a note sent home with me. These kids have no structure and their parents don't want to deal with their fits at home, so they usually give in immediately.

Mike - "If these kids are that troubled that they draw their own blood by hitting the wall, and urinate on themselves, they don't belong in school."

Hence, the timeout room because the school won't provide the teachers with any other options. The parents blame the teachers, the public blames the teachers, the school system under pays the teachers and no one will take the kids out of the classes. You guys are CLUELESS about the pressure teachers face every day; hostile parents, animal behavior from children, lack of supplies which forces teachers to go into THEIR OWN POCKET to pay for things because if the kids performance suffers, then so does the teachers. Teachers get very little support outside of their union and if it were up to Republicans they wouldn't get that either.

Thankfully, my son isn't old enough to be in school yet... if one teacher were to lay a hand on him I would keep it outside the legal system! I think prevented teachers from smacking kids is definately justified, and if you have a kid and think strangers smacking kids is fine then you are an irresponsible parent.

Physical abuse is certianly not necessary, but there ha sot be some lattitude to allow for discipline since parents sadly ar efalling short on that job these days, Some, not all.

Dude, sounds like your boy may someday have to go on without you because you will be in prison.

More likely Dude's son will end up in prison.

look, a closet probably isn't the best way to deal with the kids, now, when I went to school the principle had a board he could whack you with, even the threat of that was enough to keep us in line.

Probably half those brats with issues are TURNED INTO little psychos by their crazy parents. I know what I'm talking about, there are plenty of those crazy parents around where I live.

Every special needs child is different - just like any other kid.

My high-functioning autistic child gets perfect scores - and I mean PERFECT scores - on tests, gets good behavior awards - and no - he is not the disruptive one in the least. At school he is an angel, at other people's houses, he acts like the perfect guest, but when he gets home, all the pent-up frustration from navigating a world where he can't cope lets loose and we have a little monster for 5 to 10 minutes. But he has learned to just go straight to his room and decompress before approaching the rest of the family.

Children like mine with Asperger syndrome are actually very tuned in to fairness and take you literally at your word since they have a harder time reading body language.

So it would not be helpful to put him in a special class and it would remove a good role model for the other children.

Stop whining about "your tax dollars" -- I am tired of hearing about it! I would rather my tax dollars didn't go to an over-bloated, corrupt and grossly mismanaged military-industrial complex, but we can't all get what we want! In fact, thems the breaks living in a modern society -- sometimes you have to put up with your tax dollars going someplace you rather they didn't - in your case, to try to educate other people's children - in order to get whatever it is you want out of society. It's called trade offs and that's reality. We do not get to pick and choose where "our tax dollars" go. If you want to argue for bettering the system, that's fine. But enough with the pathetic "my tax dollars" this and "my tax dollars" that. It doesn't move us any closer to solutions and just sounds ridiculously petty and selfish. When that is thrown in as one of the first points, it completely turns me off from bothering to listen to anything else you have to say -- whether it is valid or not.

I am sorry that you have born the brunt of my frustration -- you probably don't deserve it personally -- but this is an comment I see all to often in all too many contexts and I have finally had enough. You have some valid points, but why do you have to start it out with your tax dollars as being the issue? Why frame the argument in such a mercurial way? Why not just stess that you feel there are better ways to deal with this, for the sake of all children? I may or may not agree, but at least it will be a discussion of the issues and not your resentment over money. That goes for everyone, not just you. Again, sorry you bore the brunt of my rant.

I can control my kid, and I WILL homeschool anyways! Schools are getting creepy with teachers dating students, and authoritarian a-holes there to come up w/new ways of smacking a kid down. When a kid gets bullied, where's the teachers then? Always an excuse... usually the kid that gets bullied, gets blamed.

You're right that a big part of it is on parents though... i just wish there was accountability on all sides of the spectrum intead of this blame-shifting game.

Other suggestions???

Yes-

Call the parents to come and get their child.

Good luck! They will either conveniently avoid answering your calls or complain about not being able to miss anymore work and threaten to sue the school for not allowing them to work and for not being able to educate their little angel.

When I was unable to behave

Why were you unable to behave, and why did you act up so much during those years, and why didn't you act up those other years? What caused the turn-arounds in elementary and high school, and what did you do in middle school?

What are the schools supposed to do when the parents don't show up?

Another question that should be asked "HAve I done enough to teach my kid the correct way to behave in school and public?" If the schools have to resort to this than the answer is no.

However as I stated above, children with developmental disabilities are a whole different subject and should be addressed in a totally different way.

If a child can not behave with out disrupting the rest of the class why do I as a taxpayer need to educate teachers to deal with everycondition out there. As a parent you must be taught how to deal with your childs condition. If you can not teach your own child how to act in a public place then why are normal educators expected to? Is that not why some educators are considered special educators. so the few can be taught some things while the rest are taught everything that they are sent to school for.

My children's elementary school has two time-out rooms. Both have large, shatter-proof windows on them, so that teachers and office staff can look in. I've walked by them, and more often than not, if there is a kid in there, the kid is reading a book or sleeping. I'm relived that the schools here do not have spanking--my school did when I was a kid, and I still think that one of the teachers got his jollies doing it, and I know that my teacher's threats to spake me for reading ahead in my school book did not help my education.

One room is at the front office, and the other is in the special needs room.

Both rooms are large enough to put a child-size cot in, as sometimes what the kid needs is sleep, especially when the home life is crazy. (Having a home life where a kid can't sleep is not grounds to remove said kid into foster care, like it or not.) The walls have the same paint, lighting and carpeting as any other place in the school.

In high school, my daughter was dealing with major depression, and needed a quiet room to focus. Unfortunately, the library, the special ed room, and others all had noise and kids in them, and she ended up staying home a lot. Not every student has that option. (With therapy and medication, she did get her depression under control.)

Unfortunately, the schools are the gray area between life with family and life in a foster home. There are not enough foster homes anyway, to take care of kids who are far worse off, and who are acting up in school.

Really Sgthardman? Heaven forbid YOU have a child that has a severe mental disorder. Why should an innocent child be locked away from society because of something they have ABOSOLUTLEY no control over? Exposure to people that are different then oneself is good for kids, it helps them develop compassion, understanding and acceptance of others.

As I said in another post, my 3 year old cousin is autistic. She was in one-on-one therapy until about 5 months ago when she was placed in a preschool with "normal" kids. It was shocking how much she improved, thanks to that experience. Yes she has a few discipline problems and needs a time out sometimes. But there is NO reason she should not interact with "normal" kids because parents don't want their tax money to go to helping kids that are not their as healthy as their own. People with attitudes like yours make me sick.

Some kids are severe enough to require teachers that are trained specifically for teaching them. But a lot of them just need a teacher who is compassionate enough to stop and help them solve whatever problem they are having that is causing their behavior problems.

My little cousin loves school, she gets so excited talking about it and has to share everything she did during the day. If she is upset, she will cause a disturbance. Asking why she is upset is the easiest way to solve the problem and all teachers should be able to do that. If she needs a time out, we give her one. Its simple, not much re-educating required. You are blanketing all special-needs kids and acting as if they are all uncontrolable and every kid needs to be locked away if they can't behave.

All through school I had special needs peers. And they were the nicest people you could ever meet. It was the "normal" kids who interupted classes by acting out, bullying and just being horrible people. So do you also think we need to have teachers become cops as well to control the "normal" kids whose parents do NOTHING about discipline? "If you can not teach your own child how to act in a public place then why are normal educators expected to?" Why not just ship every kid off to either a Juvy or a Mental Intitution and be done with it, right?

SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS ARE KIDS TOO. They are human just like everyone else and they have no control over their mental state. So segrigating them from the "normal" kids just because they are not as easily understood and require a different kind of attention is WRONG. If you don't like where your tax dollars are going, feel free to move to a country that better fits your views. As someone before me pointed out, where your tax dollars go is out of your control, welcome to America. So why not find something else to complain about, instead of innocent kids who can't help who they are being intermingled with "normal" ones, half of whom are evil little brats and do it on purpose.

Stephanie - I absolutely agree with your above post. My son is PDD-NOS (which is considered to be on the autism spectrum). He is in a mainstream class 1/2 day and a specialized class 1/2 day - and working toward full mainstreaming. When we started mainstreaming him, we saw massive improvements in his abilities, behaviors, etc., etc. Like your cousin, he occasionally acts up and needs proper discipline during this time.

Well put Stephanie.

Summer: I was wondering if your son has any Sensory Processing Disorders along with the PDD-NOS.

My 12 year old son has PDD-NOS but he also has General Anxiety Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorders as well.

Most parents of autistic children can control their children it's the lack of education of the teachers that prefer to GET RID OF THEM rather then try to help the actual problem. I find teachers of any school age prefer the A+ students and ignore the ones that TRUELY need help

This isn't just about autistic kids.

I doubt it has traumatized anyone in our room...yeah, probably because the kids have supressed those scared, and angry feelings at being caged like that...like I said, if that were me, I'd be breaking down the door.

yes uumommy, you are right. There are strict guidelines and these rooms usually need to be approved by the fire chief in accordance with those guidelines. They should be publically posted at everyones Department of Education website. So all of you with negative comments and no education - go look it up.

Then why do we as parents with disabled children waste our time every 3 months updating an IEP that dosen't get followed?? More political bullcrap, smaller class sizes for the disable children are what are needed and teachers equiped to handle the disabled...but due to lack of funding they are mainstreamed and this ultimately gives us uneducated children and a sense that we have wasted years of viable teaching time on someone who prefers not to teach but disapline, I'll do that thats my job you teach thats your job...

Sadly, you knowing it is your job to discipline doesn't make that clear for other parents, also, you are not there all day at school, so unfortunately it is not just your job to discipline.

ashleyaddams - make a formal complaint/grievance and DEMAND that the IEP is followed, with proof.

Good advice cupcake. I actually make myself available at any point during the day and the teachers know this. We generally speak about my son's progress on a WEEKLY basis. Nothing formal, but emails are enough. Form a relationship with your child's teachers, let them know you are available to deal with anything concerning your child. Also, be familiar with your "Parents Rights" book. I take mine to every meeting with my son's teachers (My son has PDD-NOS, GAD and SPD). If that doesn't work, exercise every right your state gives. Good luck!

Good points, molly.

Children are not all the same and cannot be expected to perform like automatons.

Some kids do not react well to being dropped into a classroom of 20 or more kids, some kids do not take tests well, and thus they are labeled "slow" or "troublemakers".

Unfortunately, that is the way our educational system has been for the past 60 years at least.

most parents are idiots

MY Tax dollars pay for the schools I expect an education for my child NOT A BABY SITTER

Then I hope your child isn't having dangerous tantrums in class Ashley and I hope you also realize that your child's education begins at home and that it is up to you to see that the homework is done and the studying is done for tests. Teacher's have almost no recourse these days if a kid even behaves dangerously towards him/herself or others. I have an autistic son and I expect them to do whatever they have to do to not only protect him but others around him if he has a meltdown.

As a matter of fact I pulled him last year and guess what his grades have gone from C's and D's to A's and B's I have a school rep 1 hour 2 times a week and that's it. I AM NOT A TEACHER Never wanted to be but because I saw him slipping to the wayside and the school doing NADA I had to do something I shouldn't have had to do. I intend on sending him back next year to try highschool, I get upset because he is not socialized properly he tends to play with children younger then he is and this upsets me I have a mentor, phychatrist, kid gyms I send him to for socializing, but school really prepairs them for the real pitfalls of society I LOVED SCHOOL but both my children even the "normal" one in kindergarden HATES school I wonder why????

So what would your suggestion be Ashley for these teachers to deal with disruptive students. I'd be interested to hear it since your concern is the teachers not being a babysitter. These teachers have plenty of kids to teach and if one student is being disruptive and stopping the other kids from learning, what would you have the teachers do???

Computer stimulation is one thing, not just your regular computers either Wii's have been PROVEN to work in hospitals for many different patients if we will spend thousands on football fields why not a few thousand on gaming systems that also have teaching potential. Get spacific small sized classes for autistic children and let an autistic child grades kinder to 5th have the SAME TEACHER FOR ALL 6 years it is VERY strange and difficult for autistics to change so why not have a teacher that provides for a group of student from 6years old till 11 or 12 this would also help the teacher she will be familiar with the children and will know and identify there strenghts and weaknesses I have more ideas too better pay and chance for additional schooling for teachers willing to teach children with disabilites they take a bigger risk they deserve better pay and more education as well....

Computers and Wiis are a nice idea, if only they weren't cutting back on school funding every second year than that might actually be in the realm of possibility, although i would think gaming systems would be more of a distraction than an aid. And again, specific classes and teachers would be nice as well if the funding was there. But we all know that it is not, so in the absence of more money????

Seems yor issue should be with the ones cutting the funding and not the teachers that are trying to cope.

Public schools should provide education for all students. If they can not they need to provide an aide (some one who can remove the child if they are disruptive, or give them extra support if the rest of the class needs to move on with a lesson), and if the student is still not able to attend school because of extreme behaviours/disabilities then the school district should help provide an alternative placement for the child.

Children with disabilities are NOT the enemy. They are NOT trying to "steal" other children's education. They DESERVE as much of a chance as any of child to get an education. And Autism is a SPECTRUM disorder, for some people with Autism it would not be appropriate to be in a mainstream classroom, but for many it is. Just because you read the word "Autism" don't think for a minute you have any idea how the child actually functions in the world.

Seems like the parents that have issues with this need to take their concerns to the poeplpe who control the financing for these schools, namely government. As it seems that the solutions they want to see in addressing this all comes down to more money. Don't fault the schools for it, they don't allocate the money, fault the ones that do. The schools are trying to do the best with that they have.

Ashleyaddams- Jesus!!! Do you have any idea-ANY- how much an education like the one you described would cost?!?!?!? To have a personalized teacher for your child for 6 years straight-the teacher would have to be paid way more than the 30-40k they are making now. And computers and Wii's for EVERY child in hundreds of school districts?! That alone is millions right there and to pay for maintenance and upkeep for so much equipment. Then you would have to build more schools, fund them, and require teachers to have additional training on top of their degrees and take on more student debt, just to have one job for 6 years and no guarantee of work afterwards??!?! thats asking for a whole lot without putting much in. Look, I too have fantasies about my perfect society but its just a fantasy. Its just not gonna work in real life.

Statements like yours are easy for you to say you have a "Normal" child, I was a 3.5 GPA student I have an IQ of 129 my son dosen't he is autistic he is NOT an idiot he can be taught but the style of teaching requires more involvemet and diverse techniques on the teachers side, these are children that can contribute to society lets get them there first rather then throwing in the towel because they can not be educated the old conventional ways....

People who do not know or have children on the spectrum have no idea of the potential or the challenges of these children. I have to home school now as my son sunk into a depression due to these isolation techniques and bullying. My son is learning to program and is far happier and more confident. I think a school more focused on success and less on 'getting rid of special needs children' would have allowed more success.

But Ashley - your child with his more involved needs is taking away from the average kid who is trying to learn.

thts right wryview, I'd be interested to hear what these parents who are upset by this would suggest for the teachers to do to address these issues while still allowing for the non-disrupting students to have the benefit of the education.

Ashley

The schools do not have the resources to have 1 teacher per student. It is not a perfect world if the special needs student requires a 1 on 1 then as a parent you need to be or supply that teacher.

sorry but the teaching world can not supply that many educators

Different classes for children wih special needs HAVE BEEN going on for years it's the children with behavioral problems that have to be SENT TO private schools/homeschooled and that was good and well 20 years ago when the ratio was lower but incase you haven't noticed the growing # of autistics in the world has increased the schools need to adapt to this and change...provide spacific classes for behavioral problemed children like they do for mentally handicapped children and those with no motor skills (wheelchair bound) what is the difference we have funding for that group but not that one SORRY YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN Unrealistic...

Also the funding issue is crap if we can give BILLIONS to banks then we as a society need to FORCE the government to put our tax dollars where we want not where THEY think it should be.

I don't disagree that it is crap, but the issue still remains and funding is still being reduced and teachers being laid off. So how in the world are schools supposed to manage to provide these things you suggest. Do you expect the extra teachers and aides to volunteer. If so you should be first in line.

Ashley,

For someone who is so smart and a good student, you certainly do not know how to use punctuation. All of your posts are one long sentence. It is not feasible to have an aid for every student. If your son was struggling, then help him at home. My daughter has children that are mainstreamed into her class. Those kids have 3 or 4 aides and therapists and then the teacher helps those children all day long. The other children do get looked over. The bottom line is that some children can be mainstreamed but there are others who should not be at all. Unfortunately, too many are being mainstreamed that shouldn't. I feel for parents who have children with disabilities but there needs to be an overhaul of our school system. I must also ask what we are doing to our children? So many children now have a disability. What are we doing now? Is it the food, video games, etc?

While I understadn that there are children out there thta have disabilities, I would venture to guess that it is a knee jerk reaction these days to diagnose a child with some disorder, i.e adhd, when they are being difficult or having a little trouble developing. Unlike in the past when people were just told to get over it and move on, and they did.

Amber, I have a son that has PDD-NOS. He is mainstreamed 1/2 day and in a specialized class 1/2 day - and working toward full mainstreaming. He has a TSS (aide) for the 1/2 day he is mainstreamed and for before and after school care. His mainstream teacher actually has to spend LESS time focusing on him because of his TSS. The TSS helps him make good behavior decisions and utilize his coping skills when he becomes over-stimulated or has difficulties. The teacher focuses on teaching the academics. Guess what - my son is academically advanced. HE actually helps his classmates with work they don't understand once he is completed with his because the teacher is having to help other "normal" children that either 1) weren't paying attention when she was teaching or 2) are having difficulty grasping the concept. His teacher sees him as an asset to the class. Also, being in the mainstreamed class has forced him to practice his coping skills, work on behavior and building peer relationships, etc., etc. - all things he will need as he progresses through life. So, being mainstreamed has been good for him. When he is ready for full-time mainstreaming, we will do that - but, right now, he still gets over-stimulated too easily to be in there full-time.

That "driving fear" is hurting your kids more than a simple spanking would. Where I'm from, social services could not care less about parents who discipline their own kids effectively.

Or are you afraid you'd go too far? If that's the case anger management might be just the trick for you.

Social Services? Not exactly rocket scientists, are they... Anything is better than subjecting your kids to the incompetence that is Social Services. Social DISservice is more like it.

What would be better is to remove children and have them in supervised areas. Locking them in a dark room to bash their head against the wall is only escalating their anger.

My experience in schools today is that teachers are spending more classroom time dealing with the misbehaving children than they are teaching the kids who behave and want to learn. The kids who can't follow rules need to be removed. Scream rooms though? I don't know. Padding would be nice I guess. But misbehavors can't stay among the kids who behave.

Is this the same social services that took the child away from the parents that forgot to pay for a five dollar sandwich in some store. Rocket scientists indeed, I would not want to trust them to make any decision with any kind of common sense regarding my children.

You obviously do not have a special needs child. You say teachers are not psychiatrists, medical doctors, therapists or social workers... For the most part, you are right. But to be a teacher, you have to be those things sometimes, not completely, but when a kid asks for help, advice or the like. Teachers are role-models and should be someone kids can trust.

That being said, a young couple has their first baby and learn that the baby is autistic... You expect them to be a psychiartist, medical doctor, therapist or a social worker? No, they are parents. They do their best for their kid. But I know that parents have the same deal as teachers when it comes to being what they are not.

I'm no doctor, but I've played Dr. Mom before, as did my 5th grade teacher when I cut myself during a science lesson. I'm not a therapist, but I have comforted a little girl I watched grow up who was bullied, just as my art teacher let me confide in her when a friend lied to me and stabbed me in the back...

Teachers have to be flexible. No one has the right to act like they are anything but teachers, but when it comes to children, sometimes they are more then teachers.

So what is your solution? That special needs kids are to be kept away from "normal" kids and parents are supposed to take over every role in their lives, including being a teacher? You are blanketing all kids with all different kinds of mental and physical problems and that's not right.

This is not just about special needs children, this is about all children that misbehave. The room is not meant for just special needs kids, and special needs kids ar enot the only ones that need help.

So what do we do in the meantime? Corporal punishment isn't the answer. Some teachers get their kicks spanking kids, and others are dictators who use it to keep smart kids from working ahead in their studies or for correcting the teacher's grammar or being "uppity," or for upsetting the teacher in anyway.

I was in school in the '60's; I was there and saw all of this.

The principle of the idea is pretty good- send the child somewhere to scream themselves out where no one is paying attention to them, and they'll be fine to come back to class.

Closets are WRONG. Also, I am extremely concerned about this whole "blood" thing. Our children should not be bashing their heads on the wall; if this was one of the austistic children, its horrible that this poor child was driven to that because of poor training; if it was one of the "normal" children, there is something seriously wrong.

So we can't put them in a closet- down the page is a story about a child who was often put in a well lighted room that he could jump around in until he tired himself out and was able to come back to class. Or should there be an outdoor "playpen"- except that leaves a lot of room for escape.

This isn't just about kids with disabilites. What would you have them do?

I thought enough about my kids to volunteer at the school. I saw first-hand what was going on there, and I thought that the teachers and principal had far more patience with some of these kids that I would have.

I knew the parents of one of the most disruptive kids, and time and again I'd see them, the police and the principal sitting together in the conference room. The boy was 8 or 9 at the time. He's been in different programs over and over, but there isn't any way to get his peers, or his older siblings, or society in general into a program to learn how to treat him differently than they would anyone else. There were days that using the time-out room was the only way that the rest of his class could get anything done.

And as I described before, the room had a large shatter-proof glass window in the door and looked like a small, empty office. He'd be in there laughing and jumping up and down, trying to get the attention of anyone looking in his direction, until he either settled down and returned to class, or one of his parents left work to come and get him.

That just about sums it up. Aside from something like cases of autism or mental issues where it's very likely that the child has certain disorders not related to objective bad behavior, a lot of this is just the result of lazy parents who can't be bothered to teach their children how to behave.

It's not their problem that their child can't behave, but they'll get all riled up over what the school has to do in order to create a conducive learning environment for the rest of the children.