I also just want to point out, as a general aside but very much related to this case, IMO, that despite the efforts to mainstream special education students, even in the most attentive schools, we are still very much isolated from the rest of the population-still stuck in the basement in a sense. People just don't see us.
The aides in my district are barely trained beyond CPR and first aide, and many come in with an idea that they are mini correctional officers. It's a power thing for some.
I worked with an aide all of this year who began falling asleep sitting up in class. An autism class. With runners. And fighters. And I'm talking about every day. I spoke to her privately. I spoke to my teacher. I reported her to the principal, as did others.
My straw broke one day when she was sitting next to a seven year old who is severely autistic and has some pretty challenging disruptive behaviors. He was doing a puzzle and she was falling asleep. The puzzle was finished. He was quiet. Waiting for something else to do. And every time he moved a muscle she would start awake, show him the "quiet" visual, and say, "settle down." Then she would nod off again. This culminated in her starting awake and saying, "so and so, if you don't calm down I'm going to give you a time out".
Needless to say she was reported. Unfortunately she is still with us, but I can guarantee with this principal she is on thin ice.
My whole long-winded point of this tho, is this crappy behavior on the part of adults doesn't get caught as easily in our special-ed neck of the woods. Our kids are not always verbal and when they are, they either don't tell or they do tell and many don't believe them because, well, the kid has behavior issues.
I find myself leaning toward agreeing with the cameras-in-the-classroom proponents. And for our nonverbal kids? I'm already there.
