I am a concerned parent with a Kindergartener in the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District. My 5-year-old is on the Autism Spectrum and was suspended for having an allegedly ‘dangerous’ tantrum at school today.
I received a call from the school principal stating that my son had “engaged in an act of physical aggression towards a staff member.” In speaking with witnesses, none of the other people who were in class with my son observed him being aggressive with any staff members– In fact, it was reported to me that the teachers in the room were actually the ones being aggressive with my son.
While the district claims that my son was engaging in behavior which endangered others, neither he nor any of the other children in the room were removed for their safety (which is the protocol in the school’s Crisis Intervention Plan). In fact, my son was allowed to remain in his classroom for the entirety of the day and I was not notified about the tantrum until 6 hours after the incident occurred, when I received a phone call from the school principal at 3:39 PM.
NJ law clearly states that not only is it illegal to suspend or expel students who are in preschool through 2nd grade, but that schools must have policies and programs in place that identify students who are experiencing behavioral problems and provide appropriate in-school supports.
Please help me fight for my son. His suspension is scheduled to begin on Monday and he is being denied access to a free, appropriate education. Share our story far and wide!
Email the following individuals and demand that my son be allowed back in school on Monday, 1/24:
Superintendent, David Aderhold: david.aderhold@ww-p.org
Director of Special Services, Melissa Levine: melissa.levine@ww-p.org
Case Manager, Melanie Edmonds: melanie.edmonds@ww-p.org
Tag: @wwp_schools on IG and Twitter to demand justice!
