06/08/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
Philadelphia, PA – The mother of an autistic kindergartner is claiming the boy’s teacher is tormenting her son, and that the principal is attempting cover up the situation, as reported by The Philadelphia Enquirer. The mother has filed a police report and requested her son be transferred to another class.
Keiah Hannah told The Enquirer that her son Krisire’s behavior has changed since he started classes at the Vare School in South Philadelphia. She explained that the child regressed to wetting the bed again and frequently loses his temper.
Hannah also claims bruises started to appear on the boy soon after he started attending the special-education classes.
She explained that, “[Krisire] would come [home from school] with a scratch on his face…His skin on his arms was red and irritated like he was pinched. He even came home with a bruise on his right hip.”
Upon confronting the teacher, Stephanie Shane, on the state of the boy, Hannah was told the boy fell during recess or while roughhousing with classmates.
Hannah also claims another teacher at the school, whom did not want to be named, told her a different story. According to Hannah’s informant, Shane was hitting Krisier. This other teacher has apparently told Hannah of several incidents in which the boy was treated poorly.
Shane has been with the school district since August 2005. She is currently refusing to discuss the allegations.
Joanne Capriotti, the school’s principal and a district spokesman, said that while no incident reports have been filed, she was investigating the claims. Capriotti also informed the press that Shane and an assistant teacher who previously worked with her had accused each other of misconduct.
Hannah believes Capriotti is covering for the teacher. She told the Daily News, “I tried to talk to the principal about it, but she kept interrupting me saying that she couldn’t see [Shane] doing this.”
Attempts by the press to reach Capriotti for comment were unsuccessful.
Media Information:
Address:
Phone: (866) 598-1315
Url: http://TaraMonks.visionsmartnews.com/south-philadelphia-teacher-torments-autistic-child_725.html
