West Central Minnesota´s #1 news website! 1,137,033 pageviews — January 2012.

Published February 09, 2010

Request for another hearing filed in special education lawsuit chat

By Linda Vanderwerf, West Central Tribune

Back to article

Recent Comments

If you feel a comment violates the terms listed below please choose the report violation link associated with the offending comment and file a report.

2 3 next »

Zeppelin P.
02/10/2010 10:33 PM

We All Know That If This Was A parent that was Doing This To Their Kid That Child Services Would Take away The Kid and Arrest The Parent For Abuse! So Why Should The School District Continue To Get By With This Abuse! Because They Always Get Away With It Becuz The Rules Obviously Dont Apply To Them. This Is Ludacris And Rediculous!!!

Report a Violation

Karen m.
02/09/2010 8:19 PM

Crystal, As the parent of a child with Autism, who was mistreated horribly in school, held in grafitti covered seclusion room and restrained face down multiple times, I can tell you the behaviors exhibited were not behaviors learned at home. They were behaviors associated with a real disability. 90 percent of the time they can be avoided, but the shortcut used is restraint and seclusion and not patience, finding the source of the frustration etc. Had we had the tens of thousands it cost to file a suit, we would have also. This isn't about the money, if they can afford to sue. Look at the Congressional Education Committee website. The GAO investigated this and presented the results to Congress in May. There are hundreds and hundreds of us whose children have been hurt and traumatized. Seclusion Rooms and Restraint are barbaric responses to a special needs child.

Report a Violation

joe r.
Willmar, MN     02/09/2010 6:52 PM

I am concerned with the discipline process and the reports given by several other employees who were concerned with the manner in which this teacher handled this child and one other child. I thought this was going away, but it seems as if the attorney's are given it one more go. The board of education was over ruled based on the complaint process even though they stated they found evidence of this teachers behavior towards a special needs child. Of course this continued news coverage does not do the school district any justice.

Report a Violation

Ben C.
02/09/2010 3:50 PM

What is the desired outcome that the lawyer and family want to achieve from this? Is it simply to protect other children or is it about settlement $$? The student is in a different district and I hope doing well there. She does not have to deal with this teacher nor does the family. The story here tells us that the teacher has been monitored by the State for 2 years with no complaints and I think I read somewhere that she is not even at the same school anymore. If there has been no further complaints and the rulings have all been consistant then maybe it is time to move on, unless the motive is the $$$.

Report a Violation

Jim N.
02/09/2010 3:43 PM

Sara J, The parent(s) had to be involved at the IEP level but somehow when the school and teacher implement the language on the IEP, they are violating the student's rights? I am not sure just how you arrive at that conclusion. Obviously the courts have a different view.

Report a Violation

Sara J.
02/09/2010 3:30 PM

Crystal, this has nothing to do with the parent's behavior. The child has behavioral/mental challenges. Don't blame her mother for fighting for her rights and the rights of other children with disabilities! Shame on your narrowmindedness!

Report a Violation

Crystal W.
Minneapolis, MN     02/09/2010 3:24 PM

I'd say show the picture of the parent as well! Behavior is learned at home, often times students behavior reflects the parents as well...

Report a Violation

Steven s.
02/09/2010 3:04 PM

ROFL @ Kevin - This teacher WAS on suspension during the investigation. She was originally said to have been guilty by CSS, but not by a court of law. She appealed CSS’s decision and WON, in a court of law. She and Willmar Public Schools have been found not guilty of any maltreatment. The teacher spent almost a whole year, I think on unpaid, on leave because of the initial investigation. They cannot fire her, because she has, and did, nothing wrong. This whole issue was dead before the family decided to sue the school district.

Report a Violation

Tribune Moderator C.
Willmar, MN     02/09/2010 12:55 PM

The comment and registration by a "Beau W. of Willmar" have been removed due to false registration - Tribune moderator

Report a Violation

Ben C.
02/09/2010 10:58 AM

Beau if you read the story you find "The state Board of Teaching has been monitoring her teaching performance for two years" She has clearly been teaching.

Report a Violation

2 3 next »

Please Log in to share your comments

Comments posted on this page DO NOT reflect opinions of Forum Communications Company. Forum Communications Company does not endorse and is not responsible for any statement, opinion, advice given or made. All replies are posted "as is" and must follow Forum Communications Company guidelines concerning statements of libel, personal attacks or defamation of character. If a comment is found in violation of said guidelines it can and will be removed from the public discussion. Replies in the "Talk About It" section that criticize a person by name may not be posted, unless that person is openly involved in a public issue. Comments written in all capital letters or bold print will not be considered for inclusion in West Central Tribune.

Terms & Conditions