Florida district removes teacher over “voting out” autistic kindergartner
St. Lucie County School District officials removed the Morningside Elementary kindergarten teacher who had students vote last week whether a 5-year-old should be allowed to stay in class from her teaching position pending an investigation. The incident has gained national attention, and network news organizations have aired reports on the story. Melissa Barton, the mother of 5-year-old Alex Barton, was interviewed live on CBS's The Early Show on Tuesday. Barton and Port St. Lucie Police Department officials said teacher Wendy Portillo made Alex stand in front of the room while his classmates told him what bothered them about him. Because the class was studying tallies and vote-taking, Portillo then led a class vote as to whether Alex should be allowed to stay in the class. Alex was voted out, by a 14 to 2 margin. He spent the rest of the day in the nurse's office and was upset when Barton picked him up after school. Alex hasn't been back to the school since Wednesday, when the vote occurred. "He's doing a little better," said Barton on Tuesday. Barton said Tuesday morning Alex was officially diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. District officials said Portillo—who has been a teacher for 12 years, nine at Morningside—was reassigned to the district offices. Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon said the district has to follow its policies and procedures and investigate the matter. If the allegations are true, the teacher could be fired, Lannon said. "Our whole focus is about the child. We are child advocates," Lannon said. "We do not hold children to ridicule or embarrassment." Barton said she thinks Portillo should be fired. "She has no business being near children at all," she said. As to the news of Portillo being reassigned, Barton responded, "That's just a slap in the face."
Source: TC Palm, 5/27/08, By Colleen Wilcox
[Editor’s Note: The ABA Journal reports below that Ms. Barton is considering a lawsuit.]
ABA Journal, 5/28/08, By Debra Cassens Weiss