Kindergartner Voted Out By Students

[Ptarmigan]

I know children can be a real handful, but this is just plain vile. Wendy Portillo is right now the most hated person from the blogs and comments I have seen.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/ ... 0288.shtml

[Miss Mary]

And rightly so! I read about this story elsewhere but each time I hear about it, I am just livid all over again. This teacher should know better!

My daughters have had caring teachers through the years who have encouraged students to write something nice about each student. I remember one year each child had numerous bookmarks the students created with very positive comments about my girls - you helped me pick up my books when I fell one day, or you have a nice smile, or you offered me a sit on the bus.

Why can't the world just be - nice? Sigh...

[Ptarmigan]

And rightly so! I read about this story elsewhere but each time I hear about it, I am just livid all over again. This teacher should know better!

My daughters have had caring teachers through the years who have encouraged students to write something nice about each student. I remember one year each child had numerous bookmarks the students created with very positive comments about my girls - you helped me pick up my books when I fell one day, or you have a nice smile, or you offered me a sit on the bus.

Why can't the world just be - nice? Sigh...

I don't know what to do. I wish I can help. Honestly, what Wendy Portillo did is just plain vile. It is not even discipline. Discipline applies equally to all. This one is just getting other students to bully another child. I guess Portillo did not learn from what happened to Lori Drew and David Cash Jr., pathetic low life scumbags of the lowest denomination. Those two are despised for a reason and deserve to be shunned.

David Cash Jr.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/ ... 07512.html

Lori Drew
http://stcharlesjournal.stltoday.com/ar ... _1.ii1.txt

[george_r_1961]

This is one of the more disgusting things I have heard of a teacher doing.

Maybe she needs to get "voted out" of her job.

[brunota2003]

This is not "The Weakest Link". Leave the poor kid alone!

[Janie2006]

The situation should have been handled through other channels. Under no circumstances should that child have been humiliated like that. The teacher should have known better, and should face disciplinary action up to and possibly including termination.

Speakers at the rally said their goal was not only to get Cash kicked out of school but to pass a bill in Nevada and California charging anyone who witnesses the murder or rape of a child as an accomplice. Ali said he has collected more than 20,000 signatures in support of a petition for the creation of such a bill and will present the petition to Clark County officials on the first day of Strohmeyer's trial.

I wonder if the "Good Samaritan" laws would be applicable here? I know we've that kind of law in Mississippi, but I don't know about California.

[stormy1970al]

This is just heartbreaking that an adult, a teacher, would do such a thing. Just thinking about what this poor child went through just makes me angry.

[Category 5]

As someone with Aspergers Syndrome. I wish nothing but misfortune upon this teacher and the school district and hope that the coming lawsuit leaves them living in cardboard boxes standing out in the pouring rain begging people for quarters and 100 calorie packs .

[Ptarmigan]

From articles I have read, Wendy Portillo was given high marks before it all happened. Well, it will no longer matter for her. Her reputation is destroyed beyond redemption. Repairing damaged reputation will do more damage.

[vbhoutex]

As someone with Aspergers Syndrome. I wish nothing but misfortune upon this teacher and the school district and hope that the coming lawsuit leaves them living in cardboard boxes standing out in the pouring rain begging people for quarters and 100 calorie packs .

This is totally inappropriate, no matter what your challenges might be.

What Wendy Portillo did is also TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE, no matter what the situation was. IMO, she should no longer have a job and should never be allowed to teach children again. There isn't an excuse for that type of behavior from an adult who is supposed to be teaching children.

As far as the district is concerned they better be acting fast to "fix" things, because any good lawyer is going to be going after them as well as Portillo.

[Ad Novoxium]

I have to say what she did is rude, insensitive, wretched, and arrogant. Voting someone out of a classroom simply because of what they have in terms of autism is just like what happened with the African Americans: segregation. You do not play games with other people's lives just because of something beyond their control, and attempting it takes an inhuman amount of inhumanity.

[TexasStooge]

This is not "The Weakest Link". Leave the poor kid alone!

If it was, then "Wendy Portillo, you ARE the Weakest link. Goodbye!"

[gtalum]

While the teacher's actions were clearly inappropriate, this story is also an indictment of the system which places special needs kids into normal classrooms. This child clearly needs special attention, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the other children. Further, most teachers simply are not qualified to deal with special needs children. Placing special needs children into normal classrooms with unqualified teachers is detrimental to both the special needs kids and the other kids.

All that said, Ms. Portillo clearly chose an awfully inappropriate method of dealing with the situation and should be summarily dismissed.

[angelwing]

This teacher should be dismissed immediately and any certifications she may have be stripped!

[mf_dolphin]

While the teacher's actions were clearly inappropriate, this story is also an indictment of the system which places special needs kids into normal classrooms. This child clearly needs special attention, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the other children. Further, most teachers simply are not qualified to deal with special needs children. Placing special needs children into normal classrooms with unqualified teachers is detrimental to both the special needs kids and the other kids.

All that said, Ms. Portillo clearly chose an awfully inappropriate method of dealing with the situation and should be summarily dismissed.

Very valid points.

[vbhoutex]

While the teacher's actions were clearly inappropriate, this story is also an indictment of the system which places special needs kids into normal classrooms. This child clearly needs special attention, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the other children. Further, most teachers simply are not qualified to deal with special needs children. Placing special needs children into normal classrooms with unqualified teachers is detrimental to both the special needs kids and the other kids.

All that said, Ms. Portillo clearly chose an awfully inappropriate method of dealing with the situation and should be summarily dismissed.

Very valid points.

**vb swoons as both he and Marshall are in agreement with GTalum**

And I do have a special needs child(now an adult)-totally different challenge than Autism-and mainstreaming does work with many if it is handled properly and continuously monitored by trained and appropriate teachers and administrators. I can't tell you how many times we took them to the table concerning different issues.

[Category 5]

While the teacher's actions were clearly inappropriate, this story is also an indictment of the system which places special needs kids into normal classrooms. This child clearly needs special attention, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the other children. Further, most teachers simply are not qualified to deal with special needs children. Placing special needs children into normal classrooms with unqualified teachers is detrimental to both the special needs kids and the other kids.

All that said, Ms. Portillo clearly chose an awfully inappropriate method of dealing with the situation and should be summarily dismissed.

Having been through the process personally, I agree with you 100%

[Ptarmigan]

While the teacher's actions were clearly inappropriate, this story is also an indictment of the system which places special needs kids into normal classrooms. This child clearly needs special attention, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the other children. Further, most teachers simply are not qualified to deal with special needs children. Placing special needs children into normal classrooms with unqualified teachers is detrimental to both the special needs kids and the other kids.

All that said, Ms. Portillo clearly chose an awfully inappropriate method of dealing with the situation and should be summarily dismissed.

Special needs students need to have more attention than a regular student. It is a mess to put them into the mainstream.

[Category 5]

While the teacher's actions were clearly inappropriate, this story is also an indictment of the system which places special needs kids into normal classrooms. This child clearly needs special attention, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the other children. Further, most teachers simply are not qualified to deal with special needs children. Placing special needs children into normal classrooms with unqualified teachers is detrimental to both the special needs kids and the other kids.

All that said, Ms. Portillo clearly chose an awfully inappropriate method of dealing with the situation and should be summarily dismissed.

Special needs students need to have more attention than a regular student. It is a mess to put them into the mainstream.

A mess doesn't even begin to describe it. Half the time when I was stuck in that mainstream I was completely lost as to what was happening around me. Fortunatly there are programs for special needs students in the Autism Spectrum nowadays. Trust me, they work alot better.