Stuart Chaifetz said he knew something was wrong when his 10-year-old son Akian started acting out school. Akian has autism, but had always been "sweet and non-violent." So when things took a turn, his dad said he wanted to find out why.
When meetings with school officials at his Cherry Hill, N.J., school and therapists failed, he took action into his own hands. He wired Aikan and sent him to school. The six hours of audio he recorded confirmed his worst fears.
More from The Stir: School That Allowed Students to Bully Autistic Kid Is Reprehensible
He says his son was "verbally tormented and humiliated" and he's launched an aggressive campaign online to bring awareness to the case. In a 17-minute YouTube video, he outlines just what happened and plays some of damning audio clips. From one of the teachers calling Akian a "bastard" to the yelling and demeaning tone of voice they use toward the children, it's pretty tough to hear.
After taking the tape to the school board, one aide was fired, but the two others heard on the tape (an aide and a teacher) were not. He doesn't think that's good enough and has started an online petition for their dismissal and the dismissal of any teacher who treats children in such a manner.
No child should have to suffer humiliation at the hands of the people who are supposed to protect them. When a teacher bullies a child, especially one with Special Needs, they need to be immediately fired. No excuses. No second chances. No more teacher/bullies.
Sadly bullying is a major problem for autistic children (one recent study found that 63 percent report having been bullied), so when teachers -- who are supposed to care for and nurture students -- add to the pain, it's unthinkable. But clearly, based on this and plenty of other examples we see, it happens. Bravo to Stuart Chaifetz for taking such aggressive action to help stop it.
He doesn't want money; he says he's not going to file a lawsuit. He simply wants to reclaim some of his son's dignity and stop teachers from bullying some of the most vulnerable students. Who can argue with that?
Do you find this dad's actions brave? Are you outraged over the audio he caught and the way his son was treated?
Image via YouTube
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Comments 222
I say... "FOR SURE"... file a lawsuit AND... make an example outta' these P.O.S teachers! Sometimes... things ONLY change when you hit the BIG man in his pocketbook! File a suit against the local school systems!! Maybe then... they'll fire these despicable human beings!! THINGS DO NOT CHANGE UNTIL YOU TAKE ACTION!! Also... to this dad of... "Aikan"... YOU make sure that this little boy... gets to see his mom when HE asks AND... feels the need to have the motherly LOVE HE (aikan) so deserves as well... whether you have custody OR not!
Even if he doesn't want the money, he should sue anyways. Then he can use the money to put his son in a better school or donate it to autism research.
Hearing Akian ask to see his dad and being told no just brought tears to my eyes. I can't believe the father isn't pressing charges, not suing them I can understand, but I would be at the police station pressing charges and making sure these people (I don't dare call them teachers. They don't deserve the title) NEVER EVER teach or work with children again!!!!!
Something similar happened at a school here in WV, it was a kindergarten class though. One childs mother couldn't understand why all of a sudden her daughter didin't want to go to school and the teachers said they weren't having any problems with her and after speaking to other kids parents and finding out she wasn't the only one not wanting to go the mother put a tape recorder in her daughters book bag. The teacher and aide were heard cussing the kids, calling them names, calling their parents names, etc. They were suspended with pay for a few months while an "investigation" was done then transferred to different schools. Recently a school principal (at a different school) was charged with child abuse after forcibly removing a special needs 11 yo off a school bus. He grabbed the boy out of the seat, throws him in the floor then literally rolls him end over end off of the bus. The saddest part of it is that the principal has tons of supporters when the whole thing was caught on the bus camera. There were two other adults on the bus and neither of them tried to stop what was happening. They literally have made it almost impossible to fire a teacher/principal for any reason.
this sickens me...so proud of dad for what he did and is doing
I've been bullied by teachers too and it's horrible. They use the classroom as their soapbox to try to humiliate unpopular kids (who honestly are often good kids) so that they can feel better about themselves and more popular. Those idiots should not be allowed to teach, because what they do is verbal child abuse.