Complaint Filed Against Muscle Shoals School System

The following was sent to us. We have removed the names:


I've debated many times whether to post this on social media or not.The main reason that I was hesitant about posting this is that I don't want people to get the wrong idea of the kind of person that my daughter is. XXX is a wonderful person with a heart of gold.She makes me laugh even on the very worst days.She is more than I ever dreamt of in a daughter. 

As most of you on here know, XXX has Autism.Many kids with Autism have behavior issues.Most of this is due to the fact that they have a hard time communicating and expressing how they feel with others.Many times this causes frustration for them and it comes out in anger. XXX has come a long way.Rarely do we ever have to deal with meltdowns at home anymore or out in public,but we know that there are triggers and it could still happen.She has Autism! Autistic kids have meltdowns! In the early part of February, XXX had a meltdown when she was in class with only the special needs teacher and the aide.No students were in the classroom at this time.She was very upset.

Special needs teachers and aides are trained to not get in a child's space during a meltdown.This did not happen and the teacher and aide were hit. XXX has a very detailed Behavior Support Plan and Behavior Intervention Plan.Without going into the whole plan,I will just say that if she begins to have a meltdown,she has a place to go to calm down called a calm down space.This is a room for her to calm down if she becomes upset where no one can hear or see her and she can calm down and then come out and finish her day.Taking her to her calm down space was not even attempted that day. XXX told me what happened and that she was very upset,but she didn't mean to hurt anyone.

She said,"I told them I was sorry and the aide said she forgave me." We had a meeting planned for the next week. The special needs teacher was in the meeting and XXX had still been in her room since the incident.She talked very little about the incident,but admitted that she knew better than to be in her space,but she was. XXX continued on in her room and many days went by.Remember this happened on Feb.7.On March 23 a deputy appeared at our door.I had no idea what he was doing there.It was papers for XXX, my husband, and I from guess who?

The special needs teacher had gone 6 days after the incident and the afternoon of the meeting and filed charges against XXX at the police dept.Criminal harassment with the INTENT to cause harm.WE had no idea that this special needs teacher had done this and yet she kept her "Alleged Assailant" in her room the whole time after the incident.This is someone who had been teaching special needs kids for over 20 years.

XXX has a plan for when she gets upset and it was not followed that day and an unfortunate incident happened.In a perfect world,an autistic child will never get mad or have have a meltdown,but in the real world,they do! In the real world special needs teachers take this chance every day in the profession that THEY chose. So,my question is why would you not try to help the child instead of introducing them to the wonderful world of the juvenile justice system? 

XXX, along with her Dad and I, have now had the joy of meeting with a probation officer. XXX has had the joy of sitting in a hallway waiting to go before a judge and watching people go by in handcuffs. XXX has had the joy of going before a judge and him asking how did she plead, without fully even understanding what is going on.People this is real!Especially you special needs parents out there.This happened to our daughter and it could happen to your child.Needless to say the charges were dropped and the judge threw it out, but not before we filed a complaint against the school system. 

I want to go on to say that XXX is doing good. She is doing well with behaviors and making really good grades.There have been some really good people at school that came into her life this year and for that we are thankful!I've always said that she is an over comer and she will continue to do great things and she will.She will not let this define her!

Putting the Muscle in Muscle Shoals