Often we think of the people who care for our special needs children as angels. We see these people go above and beyond to make sure these special children are safe and get the love and support that they need.
But, unfortunately, not all people who have the privilege of being around these beautiful children are fit to be in their positions.
That’s why a teacher and teacher’s aide were fired from Baton Rouge, Louisana’s Hope Academy, a school for special needs children, after a hidden recorder overheard the teachers verbally abusing an autistic student.
This beautiful boy is 12-year-old Camden Davis he has severe autism and has trouble verbalizing. It’s astonishing to think that someone could be abusive to him.
Camden’s mother Milissa Davis specifically placed him in Hope Academy so that he could get specialized care.
So, she was thrilled when he was accepted to the nonprofit school since it is known for its supportive environment and providing individualized services for each student’s academic, social, and emotional progress.
She wanted to make sure her son could learn at a rate that was comfortable for him. But eventually, she noticed negative changes in her son’s behavior when he would come home from school.
Camden can’t vocalize so he couldn’t tell his mother what was going on.
Camden was usually a very happy child, but after being enrolled in school his mother saw that he was distressed, aggressive, and would often wet the bed. Milissa tried to talk to the school board about it but she said the issue was never addressed.
So, out of desperation to find out what was happening with her son, she hid a recording device in her son’s backpack.
She found out her son was being bullied, but not by other students.
The things these teachers said were completely awful. He was mocked, as was his mother. The teachers also used obscenities.
“Bullying is terrible when it’s kids-on-kids. But it’s so much worse when it’s adults picking on your child,” Milissa told Bored Panda.
She took the recording and posted it on social media, took her son out of the school and got a lawyer.
“I’m sad and heartbroken that this happened to Camden,” Milissa said. “I am his biggest advocate and his biggest fighter for justice. No child should have to have this happen to them. I brought this to light because I wanted my son to be the last kid that this happened to at this school. This is happening all over the world, and people need to learn to accept kids and adults with Autism. They have a light in them that shines so bright.”
Hope Academy’s principal Linda Stone basically bashed Milissa in a written statement. At first, the school fired one teacher and said the other would be let go at the end of the semester but eventually changed their tune and fired the second teacher.
Board President Brandon Black said that the school is discussing adding cameras to the school, requiring more sensitivity training, and refining background checks.
Here’s Stone’s full statement:
“On March 23, 2018, a recording posted to social media was brought to our attention. Apparently, a parent sent a student to school with a recording device in his/her backpack. The recording appears to be a compilation of audio clips, many of which involve private conversations between two adults with no other persons/children present. The recording contains regretful conversations between these adults.
The parent never brought the recording to the attention of Hope Academy before posting it on social media. The parent has also refused to meet with Hope Academy to discuss the actions we have taken to address the issue. The persons involved in the communications are either no longer with the school or will no longer be with the school after this semester.
Over these many years, Hope Academy has built a strong reputation for competently serving the educational needs of the special needs community. These recordings are not an indication of who we are. We ask that the community not let the actions of two persons reflect on the reputation of and the mission of our school-a mission we have tried so hard to build. We again extend an invitation to meet with the parent involved to discuss this incident further.”
Camden’s story ended up going viral in national media and was even discussed by celebrities, according to WBRZ.
His mother thanked those who shared the story and stood up for her son.
“”It would just make his day to know that this many people cared about him,” Milissa said.
Camden is now in a school with highly trained professionals. You can learn more about this story below:
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