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Subscribe to RSSWhen Stuart Chaifetz, a father in Cherry Hill, N.J., was told his autistic son was acting uncharacteristically violent at school, he sent him to class wearing a hidden recording device that caught a teacher on tape bullying students. NBC's Jeff Rossen reports.
A father discovered staff at a school in New Jersey were "bullying" and using offensive language toward his 10-year-old autistic son after he fitted his child with a wire.
Stuart Chaifetz posted extracts of the recording on YouTube on April 20. He said the audio revealed staff members at Horace Mann Elementary School in Cherry Hill calling his son Akian a "bastard" and talking about vomiting that morning due to a hangover.
In response on Tuesday, the Cherry Hill School District released a statement saying a swift investigation had been conducted and the people involved no longer worked there.
In the YouTube video, Chaifetz said that shortly after his "wonderful, happy son" went to the school, notes were sent home saying his son was "hitting the teacher, hitting the aide and throwing chairs over."
A behaviorist was called in to see what was wrong, months passed, and Chaifetz still could not understand what was happening. Akian's autism meant he was not able to tell his father.
Eventually, Chaifetz decided to fit Akian with a hidden recording device.
In the YouTube video, he said his "life changed forever" when he listened to the tape on the night of Friday, Feb. 17, and found that staff at the school were "literally making my son's life a living hell."
"Okay, Akian, you are a bastard," was one comment on the tape from a woman who Chaifetz said was a teacher.
"Go ahead and scream, because guess what? You are going to get nothing until your mouth is shut," was another.
'The wine won'
He also recorded a conversation between two people in the class talking about the consequences of a night out drinking wine with a friend.
"You know what I was doing this morning?" says one woman. "Heaving?" asks the other. "Oh my God, so bad. The wine won."
Chaifetz, a single parent, said his son regularly went to stay with his mother, but the boy would sometimes feel anxious about these moves and ask for reassurance that he would see his father again.
In the tape, Akian is heard asking "May I see?" -- which Chaifetz said the staff member would know referred to him, based on prior experience -- and the staff member replied, "You cannot see," followed by the sound of laughter.
The staff member's response -- which Chaifetz said was designed to make fun of Akian -- caused his son to have a "half-hour meltdown." "I know how much that hurt Akian," he added.
Watch Stuart Chaifetz's YouTube video about the recordings he made of teaching staff "bullying" his son.
"He threw over chairs because he was in pain, because this woman had just stabbed him with words," he added. "My son didn't go to school, he went to prison and he learned to fight to survive."
Chaifetz said he wanted a public apology from the teacher, who he said was called Kelly, and an aide, who he named as Jodi.
He also called for legislative action "so that no teacher who bullies a child, especially one with special needs" is allowed to carry on teaching.
Petition to change law
Chaifetz set up a petition calling on New Jersey lawmakers to pass legislation "so that teachers who bully children are immediately fired." As of Wednesday at 11:25 a.m. ET, it had 61,989 signatures.
"I'm not looking to sue anybody. I'm not going to file a lawsuit. It's not about money. It's about dignity," Chaifetz said in the video.
Addressing his son in the video, Chaifetz said he was "so sorry you went through all this."
"You didn't deserve it. You are a wonderful human being, and I love you with all my heart. Please don't let the cruelty of these vicious and miserable people change your beautiful nature," he said.
Maureen Reusche, superintendent of Cherry Hill School District, said in a statement to a Board of Education meeting Tuesday that the people heard on the recording "raising their voices and inappropriately addressing children no longer work in the district."
She said the district had carried out a "thorough and rigorous investigation and, as we have previously noted, responded swiftly and appropriately," according to the statement, which was posted online.
Reusche said the situation was a "personnel matter and there are specifics that I cannot legally address publicly."
Board of Education President Seth Klukoff added that board members "certainly understand and share the concerns expressed by many members of the community.”
“We strongly believe that the district acted swiftly, appropriately and judiciously with regard to the staff in the classroom. What’s more, we are confident that these decisions were informed first and foremost by compassion for the students," he added. "We are proud of the many caring teachers and staff of our district who provide tireless dedication to our children and work ceaselessly to ensure that our classrooms are conducive to learning and growth.”
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Leave a Comment:
Who is the school board trying to BS. Look at how long this went on and nothing was done until it was put on utube and thrown in their faces. Apologies and excuses don't wash. If school officals don't know what is going on in their own schools they should be replaced because they are sitting back and collecting pay for something they didnt earn.
Had Akian been my child and found this out from the recordings, I would have bee-lined it to that school along with local news cameras in tow exposing these unqualified, uncaring, monsters of a human-being for all the public to see. This is the most direct way to get these people out and have the school district to act swiftly and be publicly accountable --- IMMEDIATELY!!
hooray for daddy, thats what i would have done. NOW!!!!! these useless ass teachers and aides that did this need to have there teaching, early childhood education licenses revoked permanately in all 50 states, plus D.C., all of Canada, HELL THE WHOLE WORLD should ban these monsters from ever teaching again!!!!!!
At 13:59, that was a weird way of crying. I think he was just making some grotesque kind of squeaking noise. The kid probably asked that same question a million times.
And, why does this father not know the names of the teachers and even the assistant in the classroom? That is incredible! I heard that the assistant was fired and the teacher was sent to another school. I don't know why the school is protecting her. If I was this father, I would sue to get her exposed and hopefully fired. She doesn't deserve to be teaching kids. She is just going to do it again somewhere else. Parents of children she is teaching should know who is teaching their children.
alan , echolalia is used by many on the spectrum to self sooth. He probably does ask that many times a day to help himself combat the anxiety he experiences during the school day.
How are kids supposed to learn why bullying is bad if teacher's model beating a child's spirit to the point they crumble and fall through the cracks. My son's 6th grade teacher was the type of woman who would get class to do her disciplining by scape goating my son. I think she hated him correcting her errors. Sure he was not coloring in her lines but killing his spirit wasn't going to change who he was. I still hate her and he's 21.
Good for the father!! Kids have it bad enough with other kids the last thing they need are teachers bullying them too. I'm all for cameras not only to detour teacher's but other students as well. It can't hurt.
Fine. You pay for it. Don't raise my damn taxes to do it. I have no children going through the school system and never did.
But Alan someone paid for your education and your parents too and I doubt all of them had kids in the school at the time either.
The Kids Are Not Alright -
Once again, I do not UNDERSTAND why people send their Precious children with no voice to A STATE Institution! We do not live in a NICE world anymore...good people are a rarity while DEBASED are common!
Stuart.. you're a great dad who went the extra mile for your son. I have an adult son who has asperger's. I can't imagine having to hear what you heard. I know you said you didn't want to sue, but I think you need to. I think you need to get the ACLU involved and sue the hell out of that school so the people who are still teaching get their licenses taken away. This is beyond cruel. I hope your boy will be able to forget what he's been through.
That teacher and the aid should have gotten fired as they did, but their behavior and attitude towards this child should be put in their file and should follow them every time they put in an application for a job working with children. Actually, should follow them for any job they apply for!!!
What an awful thing they did to this child, damn them!!
The father said he did not want to sue, but I think he should sue the teacher and her aid, as a lesson teacher.
they didn't get fired according to the fathers website 1 aide was fired, the other 2 were transferred to other schools.
Daniel Adkin of Phoenix, Arizona was mentally challenged, nobody at msnbc, and few at newsvine gave a damn about him being shot and killed while walking his dog in front of a Taco Bell drive thru.
Why all of a sudden the pretense caring about this young child being bullied? He as well is mentally challenged. Maybe liberals have more compassion for the ones that were just bullied, then the ones bullied, shot and killed. The killer is still walking free like zimmerman was..
Daniel's family believes that his story is just as tragic as that of Trayvon Martin, because both victims were not armed when they were gunned down, and the shooter was allowed to go free.
This is not justice, and this is absolutely not self defense, nor ‘stand your ground in this case.
This child in this article is important and should be protected by the community and especially at school. The child does have a good father, this is good.
All with disabilities should be protected by their communities. Daniel has a good family also. Help them to have resolve in this case.
Maureen Reusche, superintendent of Cherry Hill School District, is personally responsible for these sorry employees abusing this innocent child. Her failed leadership directly contributed to the employees thinking it was ok to abuse children. Maureen should resign for failing to take care of her students, she has a vote of "No Confidence" from all parents and children involved in the Cherry Hill School District. She just can't cut it, can't provide quality leadership, can't ensure the job will be done right. Maureen, time to go, don't let the door hit you in the okole as you leave.
I love how the libs are all pissed at the dad for doing this. What's the matter...only dislike bullies when you are trying to blame them for some wacko kid offing himself, who probably would have done it anyway regardless of their sexual orientation?
Or....are you coming to the rescue of your union whore teachers who cant do their job right and should be on the street?
Either way, I have your selective outrage right here, asshoies. Get fcuked.
This Teacher and aid both should be fired immediately, no tenure works for this situation. They should be prosecuted for child abuse and put in jail. No handicap child should ever go though this from any teacher. The School board is a disgrace for allowing this to go on and the people in charge should face disciplinary action. If this was my child, I would sue for everything I could get, this can never happen to another child anywhere, what a disgrace. This was in New Jersey, Gov. Christie cut the education budget by over 50% in State and Fed Aid. Good job Gov.
it is what we get when we force the schools to accept children who have no business in school. what a waste!!!
Most on the autism spectrum are more intelligent than you are.
@Squid, your the waste mate, a waste of space, move over and get a humanity check!
This a horror story but my main concern is that would these people be re-hired in another district to continue their agenda of foul actions. No names were released, they can safeguard them but not the innocent children made to cower by adults who are supposed to be their safeguard. There should be some sort of civil recourse or misdemeanor penalty assessed. I would highly doubt this is the first time they perpetrated this type of crap and won't be the last if allowed to continue in their "careers" There should be some sort of national registy (mandatory) of administrators, teachers, aides, employees who are fire or put on administrative leave for such actons. National access allowed as in sex offendors lists. These people are more culpable having access to our most prescious resource and the damage they wreak is just as horrific.
The teacher should be fired obviously. The school social worker and occupational therapist's primary job is to root out teachers like that and they collude with the teacher to place the blame on the father. Outright fraud. Sue them all as individuals, let the school district keep its money to help the students, but take every dime from those three. See how they like being disabled, because if you don't have money in this country you are disabled.
To grannynanny... According to the fathers website 1 aide was fired 2 others are still working in that school district, just not at that school.
The teachers involved should be terminated and NEVER be allowed to set foot in a classroom again.Yes,there should be laws that would prosecute these scum bags.
I was just thinking about recording a person at the school I work at because of their bullying behavior but realized they are miserable excuses of a human being and there really isn't anything I could do about it. Might put a wire on. Maybe if people knew they were being watched they'd change.
we waste too much money trying to teach retards. give them a broom , they will never be anything more than a janitor anyway
Squids are Cephalatards. They will never be anything but a Mollusk. Slice them up, fry them, and make a tasty treat!
This man is a truly great parent. It's sadly unusual to find a parent who cares deeply about his child. Children should be the top priority of us all as a society, and the most vulnerable ones need and deserve extra attention and protection against all bullies. They haven't been getting it though. The school system is corrupt and full of such lousy, mean drunks and other buffoons masquerading as teachers, and these felt secure enough to mistreat this child precisely because they knew he could not verbalize his suffering. It really shouldn't take putting wires on a kid to bring this problem into the harsh public spotlight. Enough parents and nonparents acting more like this parent has done can start to change things.
I'm going to wire myself up and and go about my business, but have my lawyer monitor the feed so he can file lawsuits in real time for me.
Very clever, but not very civil.
Darrall you do that and you'll be richer then buffet.
Even beyond this abusive situation,...I think what we increasingly have are stern, tough minded "administrators" as teachers instead of people who have a way with children or teaching.
Teaching is a career path, but it is not the right career for everyone.
I know teachers and parents who appear to have limitless, effortless patience and a real way with children - as if they are shepards,...and then you see those who are gruff and domineering enough to "get the job done".
I am grateful when I see my child being guided, instead of being pushed the increasingly punitive, zero-tolerance meat grinder of modern education.
Sometimes the problem is the child, but sometimes the problem is how they are handled.
I think a greater percentage of kids react positively to positive reinforcement and belonging,...than punishment and harassment.
Some teachers "get it",...and some reeeeally don't,...and IT SHOWS.
We need to reform our educational system and specifically reward our BEST teachers.
It just makes sense.
Good work , Stuart. God bless you and Akian.
Ms Jodi was a plague to my son as well.
He was not a special needs student, but he has come to me with several stories of her "mean side". I found it frustrating, because it is hard to say anything regarding a tenured teacher and have it "truly" heard by the school. They protect their own.
She was unnecessarily bossy, and cross with the kids. Good riddance. Glad to see her go. Life at Horace Mann just got better.
Perhaps now,...the teachers will consider whether their tone with the children is appropriate. REMEMBER: That kid might be wired,...LOL. (No, REALLY)
There are bad apples everywhere. Smart dad. Good work.
Unfortunately the teaching community, not all of it mind you, but 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% is self protectionist and will do nothing but give lip service.
Matt-2631617, you should seriously get your statistics right. In my teaching community (private special ed early childhood school), the only teacher whose students are not absolutely thrilled to come to school every day is the teacher who takes personal phone call during the schoolday and, therefore neglects to get on the floor with her students and play. In my experience with young children, they don't go for lip service.