Bad Situation

Rich was bitten again on Friday. For those of you that didn't see my post last week, this is a required internship at a "school" (i use the term loosely. Not much is taught there.) for non-verbal persons with autism, ages 5 through 21. The "teachers" are not NYS certified- the lessons are not very popular amongst other educators, and its just a bad situation.

The authorities at the "school" where this keeps occuring don't see the big deal. I'm sorry, but when a child BITES my FIANCE and draws blood, its a BIG DEAL! And when he does it again - now that's just absurd.

Both times, his skin was broken and he was bleeding. The first time, the kid bit his stomach and then signed that he was "trying to get the fat off". The second time, Rich was restraining the kid's hands because he had a food allergy rash on his face and was scratching himself like a madman, so the kid fought back with his mouth. He bit Rich's thigh and caused a huge blood blister to form.

Rich has tried to get out of that classroom and into another, but the school's coordinator won't let him. He tried to get assigned to guard a different kid, but again, the coordinator won't let him. He was told that he has to face his battles as they come along. AND he was told that he needs to stick w/ that kid, because no one else is strong enough to restrain him when he starts flipping out.

He has emailed his Professor (the one in charge of the internship), but she hasn't returned his emails. He won't see her until Wednesday, when he has his seminar.

I'm out of suggestions. I don't know what to tell him anymore.

Both times he was bitten, it was through his clothing. The school's coordinator said that the kid's saliva "most likely" didn't come into contact with the wound, so there's nothing to worry about. ARGHHHHHHHHH

Rich has no medical coverage right now. He's current on all of his shots, but what if there's something bigger involved? What if that kid has some communicable disease or something? Should he be potentially risking his life to restrain a kid so that he gets a good review and passes his internship?!?! I don't freakin understand it, but I'm sick over it.

He's cleaned both wounds with peroxide and triple-antibiotic ointment, documented both incidents for his personal files, and I've taken photos of everything.

What more can we do?
Is this illegal in anyway?
If this child is not healthy, would that have to be disclosed to his teachers?

Re: Bad Situation

Shorty - where is he getting his degree from? If I were Rich, I would march myself down to the chair of the dept and demand a chance in student, internship, etc or I would be taking my money to another school for my degree. Then I would go to the University President's office and let him know exactly why I was leaving.

I've known plenty of people who've had difficult/challenging student teaching or internship placements, but no one should ever be in a situation where his health or safety is in question or danger, in addition to the coordinator being so uncaring about it!

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I agree, he needs to take it up with his school.

I have had to do internships where I was in dangerous situations........his supervisor should be helping him and if not, his school should.

Good luck!

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I agree!!! He should go to the department head tomorrow, and show them his wounds!!!

That is completely ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Queens College. His main issue is that he's not dismissed from this internship til 3:30. The Queens offices close at 4. He doesn't even get a BREAK where he is not supervised by the coordinators, so he can't make a phone call about them.

I told him that he should email the chair of the dept in addition to his Professor, but he really likes her and wants to make sure he gives her a chance to deal with it before he goes over her head....I said DON'T WAIT, do it now, but he wants to give Prof. a shot.

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He should def. take it up with the school. See if the prof can help, but then immediately go higher. His health is at stake!

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Thanks Michal and everyone else - I'm just so mad that they put interns in this situation. Its so bad

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i have to say i am shocked that the school isn't doing anything about this situation to help.

His professor probably couldn't do anything but reassign if he could.

BUT the school that he works for should have a team of individuals that are there to support him and the child. A program supervisior a psychologist a social worker and a psychiatrist.

Biting is a common behavior in this population. But to stick an intern there without any help or training is RIDICULOUS as well as serious.

NO the people at this school DO NOT have to tell RIch of any serious health problems this kid has. That is illegal. BUT RIch should have been told about this kids behavior and what to do if the child does act out.

being bite 2 times already is UNACCEPTABLE. But nothing that your described above IMO sounds "illegal". THis is what comes with the populations...But Rich should have gone through a lot of training before just putting him in a classroom

Tell rich he better go get a TB shot as well.

Message edited 7/17/2006 6:20:38 AM.

Re: Bad Situation

There has to be another placement for him.

Logically, a kid's mental/physical health issues SHOULD be reported to the teacher but usually aren't. I don't know if that's a legal matter or incompetence. I once had a kid in a regular ed class who was on medication for auditory hallucinations, and I only found out through the grapevine. This was a violent kid, but luckily he decided that he liked me.

The only thing I can think of, and I don't even know if it's a real alternative, would be for him to call the NYSED and find out what HIS rights are. It's wrong for this to be happening to him. There are enough kids in summer schools, both in NYC and on LI, with special needs who are not dangerous and I hope his school finds a safe alternative for him.

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Ok first of all TB shot without a doubt.

Secondly, this school sounds like they are using him to avoid having to deal with this child on their own. Many intrenships and student teaching experiences involve using the student to take difficult situations off of their hands.

He needs to call in sick to this placement and take matters up with the porfessor and with the school.

As Jenn said, much training is involved in dealing with students like this and he should not have been thrown in there to deal with this because he is the only one strong enough to handle this student. Who handled this student prior to his placement there? Sorry but that excuse is just BS.

Let us know what happens!

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The school is in some way responsible for where they place their students, so if no action is being taken in the 'school' he's interning at, then yes, he NEEDS to go to QC and have something done. It sounds like he is being used because of his size. They don't need an intern, they need guards.

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sorry, but his situation is 100% unacceptable to me!

What degree is he getting that putting himself in harm's way every day is necessary??? And why do they have interns in such a dangerous situation?? Sorry, they are called "interns" for a reason - they don't have the level of experience needed to handle such situations!

I would call, e-mail or do whatever to every person in power at that college - professors, chairperson. It is ridiculous that one of his degree requirements is putting him in such harm.

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I am sorry. Please make sure he keeps these wounds clean.

He has to go his professor immediately and she does nothing then he has to go to the someone else, the president, director, this is out of hand. How long does he have left of the internship? How much is he supposed to take according to the school and the college.

Please keep us up to date and please tell Rich do not stop trying the school. Good luck to him!

Re: Bad Situation

Posted by Redhead

i have to say i am shocked that the school isn't doing anything about this situation to help.

His professor probably couldn't do anything but reassign if he could.

BUT the school that he works for should have a team of individuals that are there to support him and the child. A program supervisior a psychologist a social worker and a psychiatrist.

Biting is a common behavior in this population. But to stick an intern there without any help or training is RIDICULOUS as well as serious.

NO the people at this school DO NOT have to tell RIch of any serious health problems this kid has. That is illegal. BUT RIch should have been told about this kids behavior and what to do if the child does act out.

being bite 2 times already is UNACCEPTABLE. But nothing that your described above IMO sounds "illegal". THis is what comes with the populations...But Rich should have gone through a lot of training before just putting him in a classroom

Tell rich he better go get a TB shot as well.

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I talked to him last night - he's going to get some answers from QC TODAY.

This internship just started! He has to go through August 11th. He was bitten twice in his first 4 DAYS!

He had to call this kid's mother on Friday to tell her that the kid has his food allergy rash again, and the Mom nonchalantly asked, "oh, is X biting again? I've noticed it more at home."

Um...YES! So she knows - but isn't/can't do anything about it!

And Bri, I think you're 100% right. I think so many places use their interns or students teachers to do their dirty work. Its certainly not fair.

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and yes, I'll keep you posted
Thanks for all the help

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No advice, but I wanted to say how sorry I feel about the whole situation. I hope it gets resolved soon.

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Shorty, what is your DH going for his degree in? The reason why I ask is that you have referred to it as an "internship" and not student teaching, and most people going for teaching call it student teaching.

I'm just wondering what he is going for that would require him to work with this population of students.

I aggree that he needs to speak with someone ASAP. I'm also thinking that the poor kid they've paired him up with --- can you imagine having some strange person, a man no less, come in that you've never met before and start restraining you --- when you have a hard time dealing with things anyway --- then to have this stranger restraining you. I totally feel bad for your DH and aggree that he shouldn't be going through this, but I feel bad for the kid too.

Maybe I just don't know that much about working with autistic children. I'm compairing it to work with the emotionally disturbed kids that I've worked with -- but it might be really scary for the kid and so he is hitting/bitting more in response to the situation. The director of the program should have paired your DH with a child who could respond better to the change.

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He is already a teacher, but he's getting his masters in Special Ed.

Rich says that this kid LIKES HIM! He's the only one that the kid will listen to....MOST of the time, anyway.

Its a tough situation.

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Message edited 7/17/2006 11:38:54 AM.

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Pumpkin - the strength amazes me too!!!

The kid is only 8 or 9 years old!

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My first year teaching in Brooklyn I had a little 2nd grader in my class who was emotionally disturbed. She had a horrible situation --- was born with toxicology reports off the chart -- her mom used every drug known to man during pregnancy --- at 2 she was taken from her mom and placed in foster care because of abuse -- but her mom still had visitation rights and she saw her and her biological siblings until she was 5.5 -- then her mom took off and left and she didnt' see them again. foster mom adopted her but I could have SWORN that her mom's Boyfriend abused her. She had all the signs. He would pick her up and she would CLAW the walls trying to stay at the school so she didn't have to go home with him. We called it into ACS many times but they never found anything.

To make a long story short (yes, I talk too much) I had to restrain her almost daily. I would go home with huge bruises, bite marks, not to mention she spit at me and would trash my room almost daily -- I'd have to stay late, work through lunch, come in early just to clean the place up so that it would be presentable for the other 11 kids in my class.

And she weighed 43 lbs. She was a skinny tiny little thing, but I swear when she got into her fits of rage she could have lifted a car. These kids do have AMAZING strength.

Message edited 7/17/2006 12:34:54 PM.