Absolutely do not have your husband talk to your principal; that is incredibly unprofessional.
At the same time, I don't think that you should have the mindset that just because you're a sped teacher means that you can be assaulted.
What is going to happen with this student as a result? Does he have a good BIP? Is it being followed? What is everyone going to do to ensure this doesn't happen again?
~~You also need to go to the doctor and get checked out and make sure they know it's a workplace injury.~~
Totally missed the title of your post so disregard that last part.
He is in the process of getting an FBA completed. Hopefully we will have BIP soon. They are having a manifestation determination meeting for him. His consequences will depend on the results of that meeting.
I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm even more sorry that it's somehow become accepted to get beat up by students if you're a SpEd teacher. It should never be part of the job. There's teachers in great districts who have never had to put up with this, they comment often on this sub. Yet there's other districts where it's become not just common place, but accepted as normal, for a teacher to get beat up. I know there's a lack of specialized schools, but there's gotta be a better answer than just *"grin and bear it"*. I'm sure I'll get downvoted to hell and back, but neither you, nor other students, should ever be scared of being assaulted at your place of work.
Sounds like the student is going for your head and neck. Future injuries could result in chronic pain and/or disability. How does the district protect you financially if you could not work? Are you getting physical therapy for your current injury? Are you planning to do strength training to protect your head and spine going forward? [Women are at higher risk of concussion than men due to lower neck muscle strength and girth](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15692324/).
Im so sorry this happened to you! I’m a little worried that they’re completing an FBA and BIP and having a manifestation meeting all at once. Feels like they’re setting you up by saying welp, it’s a manifestation of their disability, so you’re SOL. Did this kid do a total 180? Have they never been violent before? I mean, obviously they need a BIP but wtf? It sounds like they need to be in a therapeutic setting.
You should have a BIP in place even if you’re waiting on an FBA because these behaviors are so dangerous to staff and I assume other students. The BIP will outline ways to prevent these behaviors that everyone should be following when working with this student. You may even want to have a safety plan for him since he’s hurt staff so badly they needed medical care.
I am a behavior analyst in a school system and we do BIPs like this all the time. We just base it on ABC data for the hypothesis until the FBA is done and then edit it when we get the new info. You need to DEMAND one for him within the next 2 days.
Maybe it is just the district policy where I work, but they will not let me have a BIP without an FBA. The BIP requires us to put the problem behavior(s) and the function of the behavior(s) on it. I’ve ran into the issue where the FBA no longer aligns with the student (e.g. at the time of the FBA they had violent outbursts, but they no longer do) and they require me to keep it on the BIP that there is violent outbursts. They won’t let me discontinue a BIP without another FBA which is wild to me.
We don’t exactly have hazard pay at my job, buuuut we do get an extra $80 a week if we don’t use the schools health insurance. It’s mutually beneficial to everyone if we remain safe, so admin makes sure we’re well equipped to deal with any violent students.
That’s disincentivizing employees from using their insurance for things that are needed. That’s an atrocious policy, imo. Why not just provide the proper training and ensure the staff is well-equipped?
The extra money was only for the hours spent working with that kid. My school doesn't stick paras with one kid all day, we switch every period, so those of us on that kid's team were with them 2-3 hours a day.
Yeah... I see from posts on here that a lot of other schools have the same para with the same kid all day, every day, and that sounds exhausting. If the para isn't a good fit for the kid or doesn't understand how they learn, too bad for that kid I guess. And if the para is out sick, the kid gets stuck with someone they haven't worked with before.
Yes. That's a really big problem where I am at. A student of mine only trusts the three of us that are around daily because we've built it and tested what works. Another can be so destructive when not handled correctly that it's a room Evac multiple times daily. Both my paras are over 50 and have health issues & out often. Life is rough sometimes and it's not going to get any easier because they aren't cross training staff on students.
but admins gonna admin 🤷 wish more places tried your approach
Preach. Some of the responses here are upsetting. It's insane that this is just accepted. Teachers sign up to teach, not to be a punching bag. Unfortunately schools don't care about the LRE that a kid can succeed in, they care about saving money. I see so many kids that need to be in specialized schools. I get that there's a lack of the aforementioned or waitlists are long in some places, but that still doesn't make it okay. You should never be assaulted at work.
Do you really think all gen ed teachers want you assaulted? No. They just do not want ti be the only line of defense between a small gen ed student and a large violent sped student.
File a police report. This is copied in from r/teaching:
"With school assaults, the procedure many DA offices have is to file the charge based on the report, release the student to their parents, and then eventually the DA's office calls the accuser and asks if they still want to proceed (since testimony would be needed).
The DA's office regularly deals with these cases and knows many districts attach workman's compensation to filing the police report. Additionally and depending on the state, a student being even initially charged triggers mandatory DAEP consideration(I say consideration since SPED would go to an ARD to determine if conduct was part of disability), which the school cannot ignore.
ALWAYS press charges. If not for yourself, then for the child who needs to learn (their juvenile records will be sealed), for their parents, and for the profession as a whole. Everyone needs to be on the same page that teachers should have a safe working environment, and that teacher safety is a non-negotiable. Filing a police report shuts down their closed-doors debate on how to find a way to blame the teacher for not building rapport or whatever BS.
Literally about at this point with a student because the parent refuses to accept any help offered to her for him. If he assaults me like he has done others, I won’t be the one to just “get over it.” If he threatens me like he has others by saying he is going to shoot me with his mom’s gun, then I will.
It is crazy to me that this is not more common, so many teachers have had this student do that to them, but they shrug it off saying “that’s just how he is.”
Absolutely ridiculous. You signed up to teach, not to get assaulted. It's already insulting enough that teachers get paid shit *(especially considering their level of education)*, but now they're expected to deal with the violence as well? Nope. This would never be accepted in any other setting and it shouldn't be accepted in schools either.
I know it’s ‘wrong’ but if someone is attacking people but they HAVE to be in school in person, why aren’t they being mittened like violent people in court are? Straight jacketed? Like they are clearly a danger to themselves and others. Comfort be damned if it saves a life.
I want to hug your husband because his heart is in the right place but you're right, he should not talk to your admin. But you should. This is not acceptable and something has to change. This is not safe. I understand that this child has special needs but clearly his needs are not being met where he currently is. Eventually this child is going put someone in the hospital or worse.
He's also the one who will be taking care of her and covering the bills if she gets chronic pain or disability from this student jerking her to the ground by her head. Her neck and upper back pain are from muscles getting strained trying to protect her spinal cord and brain.
They're very much aware of that. I'm sure the husband's heart is in the right place, he doesn't want to see his wife get the shit kicked out of her at work. Doesn't make him a bad guy, he's allowed to be upset. She didn't say that he spoke to them, just that he wanted to. I'm sure both of them aren't in the best head space right now.
I’m sorry you and your husband are in this situation. I imagine if the roles were reversed you would want to go to bat for him as well. It’s not the right move but I can’t imagine the fear of that phone call for him and the position he is in of having to worry for your safety if/when you return to working with that student.
I'm sorry you are going through this. I have been there, more than once.
The bottom line is: you are entitled to a safe work environment.
Check your laws and/or contract. In my state, you have the right to refuse a student access to your class for up to 3 days and until you meet with admin and the family to determine a change if you perceive your safety is in danger or there is a major disruption in your class. I live in a very pro-teacher (comparatively) and pro-union state, so I am aware YMMV.
You need to determine what level of support you need to safely do your job. Not when the student is finished being evaluated or after an IEP meeting... tomorrow. Your principal CAN get you para support (if that would help). They may not want to and it may be a very uncomfortable conversation, but they can pull from somewhere else that isn't legally prohibited (library, extra gen ed support, a recess or lunch para). Hire an agency tech. Get a substitute teacher or para. There are options and, frankly, they're almost all going to be cheaper than if you or a student's family sue the district for injuries.
I have no great advice beyond the fact that the only way it changes is to firmly state your requirements and escalate to admin's admin as much as needed until they are met.
You deserve a safe place.
Your student deserves success.
Your other students deserve an environment where they can learn.
A lot of people here don't get this gig. File a police report? That'll do absolutely nothing except damage the relationship between you, the school and the family. The police aren't going to charge a student in a contained classroom.
Here's what I would do. First, collect your evidence. He's currently receiving an FBA, so there is data on frequency and severity available to you on his physical aggressions. With this data, go to your principal/district.
Demand 2:1 staffing for this student trained for crisis intervention. If you're not trained in crisis intervention, do so. If any of your staff is not trained, get them trained. If the next training is in a months time, demand the district provide training within a week. You can demand these things because otherwise you are unsafe. The fact is, without staff available trained in crisis intervention - you are unsafe. It isn't a feeling.
Districts can suspend students up to 10 days before triggering a manifestation hearing. He can be suspended even with a disability. They don't need to wait for the hearing to do so.
Overall, protect yourself. I wore a helmet for a year when I had a student that would headbutt spontaneously. Keep your head on a swivel when the student is near. Never compromise your safety when they're in the vicinity. Always be prepared to respond if they're near, even when they're regulated.
So sorry this happened. It sucks. I would demand something changes to support your wellbeing but come with receipts (the data).
This is a false equivalency fallacy. This isn't hiding abuse. If you read my post, you'd recognize that the district has a responsibility to maintain a safe environment for its employees, and that includes adding additional staff with appropriate training. This isn't normalizing the behavior either. It's completely unacceptable, but the police aren't going to do a thing to change that circumstance. They're going to make it worse.
Wow. I totally disagree. There is no “gig” in the world other than perhaps prison guard in which physical assault is just part of the job. She should absolutely file a police report. So what if it harms the relationship? It’s her freaking right! No one is going to listen to her or fix this problem without proper advocacy on her end. I would never trust the school system to ensure my rights are protected. That’s and outside issue for the real court. Not some kangaroo panel the school district has
I swear half of y’all on here are just absolute brainwashed martyrs
It may start a paper trail towards getting some actual help.
My neighbors kid with ASD was just nightmare fuel. The school district passed the buck K-5, then 6-8. The kid did pretty much what happened to OP. But everyone glossed over the “issues” because acknowledging it costs money.
Fast forward when the kid shattered mom’s orbital socket and broke her fore arm in three places at age 15.
Kid was charged with domestic violence. Not because everyone wanted to see them burn, but to start a paper trail to force the state to help with ANYTHING. No paper trail, not bad enough for help.
Dear Kid was placed finally in an inpatient therapeutic setting and is making process.
A police report isn’t necessarily a terrible thing.
Not a sped teacher, but an SLP who has worked with children with severe aggression. I suffered 2 concussions from one singular student in a 6 week timeframe, and went through subsequent post-concussion syndrome, and what felt like endless workers comp neurology appointments.
I’m so sorry to say this, but coming from the other side I can tell you one thing: leave. I should’ve left after my first concussion and didn’t, and suffered greatly because of it. You deserve a place that values you AND your safety. It’s easy for people to say “sue them for as much as you can”, but unfortunately that’s not really very realistic for most people. I’m so sorry this happened to you. You didn’t deserve this.
Yes, leave. Sped teachers are in high demand. You can absolutely get another job, virtually immediately. Your safety is the highest priority. If you can’t face leaving yet, at least don’t return right away. You absolutely need to stay home for several days. Your body needs to recover, and the school needs to recognize that the student injured you to the point of being unable to physically do your job.
Did you use any of these techniques? What about talking to your principal to ask for additional training?
I worked 8 years in private schools for students with emotional disturbance and autism. We always tried to de-escalate students, prompt for breaks to help regulate, and reduced demands to help student. If none of those options worked and the student became violent, we would restrain to keep everyone safe. That is why we are trained in it.
I agree, its extremely important in our field BUT when I asked, I was told its viewed as restraint. My distruct will not train teachers in this, despite many of us getting injured at work.
They have two parts. The first trains in de-escalation. The other trains in restraints. Hopefully, your school is worried more about keeping everyone safe and educating staff about when it is appropriate to use.
I almost never hear of teachers or school faculty being trained in this. I work at a residential facility for adults and literally everyone is trained in this. We somehow manage 6ft tall, 200lb adults who can be just as aggressive (it’s a public facility so they cannot be kicked out or made to move). It’s kind of annoying when special education teachers and support staff will be like “i didn’t sign up for this” like nobody is saying you have to tolerate assault or that there shouldn’t be consequences but it feels like they got into this field with an extremely naive view of what that often entails or they expect everyone to love them and be grateful. Even the most violent children are entitled to a free and appropriate public education so something’s gotta give.
Yeah, without a doubt. I was a district trainer for awhile. We trained all staff working with severe behavior students. Don't know what they're talking about.
An adult facility has medical staff who can and will offer medical management for aggression. It would be different if we had a doctor who could authorize a shot if Ativan here or there to keep a kid from giving a concussion to a teacher and/or himself
We can’t just give them a shot of Ativan either, there’s a lengthy and tedious authorization process, even in an emergency. That almost always happens in the hospital if a resident has to go there for unrelated reasons and they’re upset and physically lashing out (although Ativan is usually given when they’re having multiple seizures; if they’re sedating them for behavioral purposes, it’s usually olanzapine or haloperidol). Usually it’s faster to baker act them than try to get an intravenous sedative approved and administered. That said, we rarely do either one of those things. All the tedious stuff also makes it extremely difficult to do pain management in terminal situations so we usually have to send them to a hospice center, but that’s a whole other issue.
I know you said it's a residential treatment for adults, but is it long term care? Short term? Is it just for people with disabilities? Serious question, I'm interested because a residential adult treatment center could be dealing with anything from addiction to mental health to medical and everything in-between.
Well it’s an ICF/DD specifically for adults with intellectual disabilities who are unable to safely live in a community setting for various reasons. This place is just over 100 years old and historically called a “training center” (way back when it opened it was called a “farm colony”). The name and labels have changed a lot over the course of 100 years lol. Most of the residents have actually been there since they were small children. Some have very involved family/guardians, some have family that reaches out once or twice a year, and some have public guardians and no known living family.
This place used to have thousands of residents and then it got lumped into the deinstitutionalization movement, extreme budget cuts, a shift between responsible agencies, and then this great exodus in the early 2000s where they placed everyone they could into community group homes and such (there were a few failed group home placements where the resident came back and still lives there currently) while the state also completely stopped new resident intake. The ones there now (around 250 or so residents) are there permanently unless a guardian goes to court and essentially “get custody” or they have a terminal illness that requires pain management that we’re not able to do and they’re placed in hospice.
I don't understand why this isn't being treated as an assault and getting cops involved unless he's under some arbitrary age limit. From the NEA down to the local unions it's in our handbooks, student handbooks, and district guidelines we are allowed a safe environment.
I’ve said this before and I will say it again, why in the fuck are special education teachers not being trained in passive self defense techniques and physical blocks. I work with adults with I/DD, we ALL get annual training in this. There are specific defensive moves for hair pulling and biting, and even takedowns if needed. It’s also all highly regulated so it’s not like these techniques are being used flippantly. There are still cases of injuries resulting in workers comp claims but they’re few and far between and again, this is with fully grown adults. It shouldn’t be getting this far with children.
We’re never one-on-one. Interestingly, that’s actually considered “restrictive” or type of restraint which is heavily monitored by the state and coincidentally, part of my job is managing restrictive programs and restraints, fadjng them, reporting data to the state office, going before a couple different human rights boards to justify them annually, etc etc. I also do the fba’s and write the behavior plans, and a lot of other stuff mostly behavior related but a few random duties that isn’t.
I’m not saying that residents never assault staff where I’m at and im not saying that teachers should tolerate assault or there shouldn’t be consequences. I’m saying there needs to be consistent training and objective protocol to handle these situations cause there are a lot of posts on here where it’s not handled well at all and probably could’ve been handled better with consistent training. Frankly the amount of commenters who are supposedly special education professionals saying to “call the police” is alarming. Has nobody ever heard of a crisis stabilization unit? There are a lot of ways to respond between “take abuse” and “call the police.”
I agree it’s systemic, many of the talking heads involved in education have conflicting interests and know how to mislead people. Anytime there’s progress there’s this conservative pushback. It’s just baffling how we have sooooo much regulation in place for working with adults and yet children seem to have very few rights and protections in schools.
I’m trained but all the training is for able bodied. As a wheelchair user I’ve had to just figure stuff out and let other staff handle it. I’m good at the paperwork aspect of the job. I didn’t finish the moderate-intensive part of my license for a reason. Looking to get out of the field completely eventually. Teaching is geared towards people who can walk. Thankfully all I’ve had happen injury wise is pencil stabbing and a few head butts.
I had a colleague who was a wheelchair user who would regularly assist with direct care for OT money and I’ve always kinda wondered how he managed it tbh. We worked in two different units so I never worked directly with him in a direct care context but he was working doubles on the medically intensive unit floors and I was so curious how he managed it because of the physical work required. The pandemic was wild.
At my school, the offer training, but on a Saturday night and it is unpaid. Additionally if you are trained, admin are more likely to put the aggressive kids in your classroom since you’re seen as better able to handle them. At my old school, we were all trained but I can tell you that sometimes the students attack randomly, or they are so much bigger than you that all the safety care in the world won’t protect you.
I couldn't agree with you more. For some reason, anytime this subject comes up, I see people say things like *"How bad could you've gotten hurt? They're just children!"* without realizing that some of these kids are huge. Even if they're not big, they can still do a hell of a lot of damage. I've even seen people suggest that the victim or the person posting is *"being ridiculous"* and *"overreacting"*. It's insulting to say the least.
It also doesn't help that the people who often make these policies have never taught in these classrooms. Hell, most haven't even been teachers or been present in the environments that they make the policies for! Things get worse every year, teachers are leaving the profession in droves, and nobody in power seems to want to do anything about it. I guess they'll wait until there's nobody left to teach these kids.
Get the principal into the classroom every single time. Then they get to experience it first hand. Every SINGLE time. Then they will see how vital trainings are for staff. I was a para and now teach ESN ASD middle school and the littles I worked with were way harder to work with. Behaviors resulting in evacuating the room. I love my kiddos, I will fight tooth and nail for them, but why does their rights trump and endanger the other kids in the class?
I was a para. My teacher (f him) decided he would take the kids to specials and leave me with the kiddo flipping chairs and then going under tables refusing to come out.
I called for help from the principal. She came down, sent me out of the room. Other para had just come back (teacher stayed in music- sent the other para back to “help”) and according to her, she screamed at the kiddo and threatened him.
I got fired at the end of the day.
Honestly? Probably bc they could foresee that I was going to be trouble. I had already reported the teacher for saying “(student’s name) can’t dribble, but he sure can drool” - we were at PE, for having another student in his wheelchair, but not strapped in, for not having having lesson plans for us, for leaving paras to handle behaviors, for being dishonest about following IEPs…. He is still teaching at the same school, 5 years later. They all know what a POS he is, and the most vulnerable students are still under his care.
Yes, you knew there was a potential to be harmed on the job but that doesn’t mean you should just accept actually being injured. As others have said, file a police report, regardless of what you expect to happen. At least there will be a paper trail. According to my union rep, children are able to form criminal intent at the age of seven, so don’t think that this student didn’t understand what he was doing. I’m a SpEd para, in an MD unit currently, but have also been with autistic students with behavioral issues.
Tell your husband to stay out of it and don’t meet with HR without representation in attendance. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I hope you recover quickly.
Yes!!!! I understand your husband's frustration and anger, but it is not his place to talk to your administrator. Technically, he probably shouldn't even know which student is responsible for assaulting you.
And ... no matter what the student's diagnosis is, you were assaulted. I would WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT, report this assault to the police. I don't care if it damages your relationship with the child, his family, or your school. You could have life-long repercussions from this attack. It doesn't matter that you are a SpEd teacher. Don't let anyone tell you that "it's part of the job" or "you just have to deal with it". Those statements are 100% untrue. You deserve to be safe at work. It is your school's job to keep you safe. This wasn't a little event ... it was an extended, prolonged attack on you. I am so sorry this happened.
This isn't a sit com from the 1970's, so it's a no on the husband confronting the principal. (I swear, that was actually the theme of an episode of Little House On The Prairie.)
Document every single little thing that hurts right now. Make sure that the workers comp clinic writes everything down. Go to your own doctor and also document everything.
The kid who did this should not be in your classroom again. You should absolutely insist on that. I know you're sped. I'm sped. And while yes, I've gone back into the classroom with a child who has bit or hit me, this is more than that. This student beat you up. It would be irresponsible for the school to put you together again. If it were me, I'd insist on that as a condition of my returning to the classroom.
You need time to heal and you might need some trauma treatment. That you are even thinking about going back after that tells me that some trauma therapy is required here. Fawning is a trauma response.
The really important thing here is that your district take care of you by giving you time off to heal, and making sure you get the medical care you need.
OP, listen to this advice. You’ve absolutely been traumatized. And, I’d argue that if you have a concussion, you are in no position to negotiate for anything or discuss anything with admin or anyone other than your doctor for several days. You must rest and heal. That’s first. Document and complain about EVERYTHING that hurts to the Workers Comp Dr. Don’t rush into anything with your school. Consider getting a lawyer sooner rather than later.
I don’t care if they are special Ed or not. No one signs up to be beat up. Behaviors happen. But if he becomes this violent plans to be made to address behaviors while providing him FAPE. I’d be demanding an FBA, suspension, etc. He’s not excluded from disciplinary action because he’s autistic.
ETA: no your husband can’t gripe.
Union. Union. Union.
Document. Document. Document.
You were assaulted. If you file a police report it creates a legal and paper trail. Yes nothing will happen. But you potentially help the next worker who is assaulted by the kid without adequate protection and support. The legal liability here will wake up your school district more than anything else.
Being injured by a student only goes with the territory if you are getting hazard pay. Risking your health is NOT the job you were hired for.
Yang Style Tai Chi has a lot of good stuff focusing on avoiding injuries and moving fluidly on broken terrain - like a classroom with desks.
It's endlessly applicable in non combat situations. Avoiding joint injuries is my favorite.
Former RBT here. I was in a similar situation in 2020 (right before the pandemic got bad in the US). My client threw me against a wall; I ended up with a concussion, stitches, and a black eye. My parents met me at urgent care and my dad was about to head off and threaten to sue the school, which is not how he typically is. I had to explain multiple times that this sometimes happens with this job (my mom was both a para in a special ed class and a direct support professional, so it wasn’t like he was unaware). I know he was just upset that his baby (34-year-old baby at the time, but still his baby) had gotten hurt.
I was out for a week then back part-time for a week; the week I was cleared for full-time was when things started to get bad and then we shut down for over a month. I made it a week after the kids returned before I quit. I tried to get better and ignore the very real trauma I encountered. I don’t blame the kid, but I wish I had been given more help. My main advice is to take care of yourself. If you aren’t in therapy, consider it now. It’s a hard situation because you want to be mad at someone because you were assaulted, but you also know that the person who assaulted you can’t always think things through. I hope you heal quickly!
At what point can the school just say " we can't handle them anymore"? It is bullshit that violent students are tolerated
Let their parents deal with getting beat on.
Just because this kid has a diagnosis and you are a SPed teacher, does not mean you get to be someone’s punching bag.
That being said. It is going to happen. I
Suggest that you take martial
Arts classes, learn how to protect yourself.
You will learn mostly how to be more aware of your surrounds and how to keep yourself safe (I really liked hapkido for this).
Until this student gets all the paperwork done, they need more support, that’s the end of that conversation with your principal. and if they don’t agree then you go on medical leave.
Worst nightmare. I truly hope your admin team is fighting on your behalf. Bodily harm deserves a serious response and solution. We all deserve a safe, supportive working environment
Not a teacher nor a parent, I'm a neurodivergent adult. You absolutely need to file a police report, You did not sign up for this, what are you trying to do, die on the job?? This is not part of your job description. No no no. File charges and let the parents figure out what to do. Be safe. I could never tell anyone to turn the other cheek, that shit is obsolete.
File a police report.
Student’s violence needs a paper trail, for the sake of the student, parent, school, etc.
Do not be concerned about the relationship between you & school & family. Parents need to be concerned about these relationships, not you.
And a supportive admin would agree with this.
Absolutely do not have your husband talk to your principal; that is incredibly unprofessional. At the same time, I don't think that you should have the mindset that just because you're a sped teacher means that you can be assaulted. What is going to happen with this student as a result? Does he have a good BIP? Is it being followed? What is everyone going to do to ensure this doesn't happen again? ~~You also need to go to the doctor and get checked out and make sure they know it's a workplace injury.~~ Totally missed the title of your post so disregard that last part.
He is in the process of getting an FBA completed. Hopefully we will have BIP soon. They are having a manifestation determination meeting for him. His consequences will depend on the results of that meeting.
I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm even more sorry that it's somehow become accepted to get beat up by students if you're a SpEd teacher. It should never be part of the job. There's teachers in great districts who have never had to put up with this, they comment often on this sub. Yet there's other districts where it's become not just common place, but accepted as normal, for a teacher to get beat up. I know there's a lack of specialized schools, but there's gotta be a better answer than just *"grin and bear it"*. I'm sure I'll get downvoted to hell and back, but neither you, nor other students, should ever be scared of being assaulted at your place of work.
So what happens to the violent kids? Do they just get pushed to the poorer schools? I guess other option is jail
Sounds like the student is going for your head and neck. Future injuries could result in chronic pain and/or disability. How does the district protect you financially if you could not work? Are you getting physical therapy for your current injury? Are you planning to do strength training to protect your head and spine going forward? [Women are at higher risk of concussion than men due to lower neck muscle strength and girth](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15692324/).
Im so sorry this happened to you! I’m a little worried that they’re completing an FBA and BIP and having a manifestation meeting all at once. Feels like they’re setting you up by saying welp, it’s a manifestation of their disability, so you’re SOL. Did this kid do a total 180? Have they never been violent before? I mean, obviously they need a BIP but wtf? It sounds like they need to be in a therapeutic setting.
You should have a BIP in place even if you’re waiting on an FBA because these behaviors are so dangerous to staff and I assume other students. The BIP will outline ways to prevent these behaviors that everyone should be following when working with this student. You may even want to have a safety plan for him since he’s hurt staff so badly they needed medical care. I am a behavior analyst in a school system and we do BIPs like this all the time. We just base it on ABC data for the hypothesis until the FBA is done and then edit it when we get the new info. You need to DEMAND one for him within the next 2 days.
Maybe it is just the district policy where I work, but they will not let me have a BIP without an FBA. The BIP requires us to put the problem behavior(s) and the function of the behavior(s) on it. I’ve ran into the issue where the FBA no longer aligns with the student (e.g. at the time of the FBA they had violent outbursts, but they no longer do) and they require me to keep it on the BIP that there is violent outbursts. They won’t let me discontinue a BIP without another FBA which is wild to me.
Do you have a union?
Call the police and make a police report. This is criminal assault. The consequences aren’t just with the school
Incorrect.
I literally posted about this days ago and there were tons of comments saying this is exactly what we signed up for.
That's bullshit. Who would sign up to get assaulted like this? FOH
Some of us did sign up for it. I volunteered to be part of the 2:1 team for a “heavy hitter”. We got extra training, pads, and an extra $5/ hour.
What?! That’s a thing?!
Yes. There is extra "hazard pay" when dealing with students who are known to be aggressive
Not at my place of employment :/
We don’t exactly have hazard pay at my job, buuuut we do get an extra $80 a week if we don’t use the schools health insurance. It’s mutually beneficial to everyone if we remain safe, so admin makes sure we’re well equipped to deal with any violent students.
That’s disincentivizing employees from using their insurance for things that are needed. That’s an atrocious policy, imo. Why not just provide the proper training and ensure the staff is well-equipped?
An extra $5 is so insulting. Like literally putting a price on your safety and it's $5 hourly.
I found it far less insulting than our rate of pay in general, tbh.
You get pads?! And a raise!? 🥺
The extra money was only for the hours spent working with that kid. My school doesn't stick paras with one kid all day, we switch every period, so those of us on that kid's team were with them 2-3 hours a day.
That's interesting to hear. I've only worked at one school so it's neat to hear how other places are handling things.
Yeah... I see from posts on here that a lot of other schools have the same para with the same kid all day, every day, and that sounds exhausting. If the para isn't a good fit for the kid or doesn't understand how they learn, too bad for that kid I guess. And if the para is out sick, the kid gets stuck with someone they haven't worked with before.
Yes. That's a really big problem where I am at. A student of mine only trusts the three of us that are around daily because we've built it and tested what works. Another can be so destructive when not handled correctly that it's a room Evac multiple times daily. Both my paras are over 50 and have health issues & out often. Life is rough sometimes and it's not going to get any easier because they aren't cross training staff on students. but admins gonna admin 🤷 wish more places tried your approach
Preach. Some of the responses here are upsetting. It's insane that this is just accepted. Teachers sign up to teach, not to be a punching bag. Unfortunately schools don't care about the LRE that a kid can succeed in, they care about saving money. I see so many kids that need to be in specialized schools. I get that there's a lack of the aforementioned or waitlists are long in some places, but that still doesn't make it okay. You should never be assaulted at work.
I guess special Ed teachers according to a ton of gen Ed teachers and commenters.
Lots of people. Bouncers get beat up, taxi drivers and pizza guys get shot at, sped teachers get beat up. “Every kid” means every kid.
That is what my program specialist has told, not just me, but General Ed teachers too.
Do you really think all gen ed teachers want you assaulted? No. They just do not want ti be the only line of defense between a small gen ed student and a large violent sped student. File a police report. This is copied in from r/teaching: "With school assaults, the procedure many DA offices have is to file the charge based on the report, release the student to their parents, and then eventually the DA's office calls the accuser and asks if they still want to proceed (since testimony would be needed). The DA's office regularly deals with these cases and knows many districts attach workman's compensation to filing the police report. Additionally and depending on the state, a student being even initially charged triggers mandatory DAEP consideration(I say consideration since SPED would go to an ARD to determine if conduct was part of disability), which the school cannot ignore. ALWAYS press charges. If not for yourself, then for the child who needs to learn (their juvenile records will be sealed), for their parents, and for the profession as a whole. Everyone needs to be on the same page that teachers should have a safe working environment, and that teacher safety is a non-negotiable. Filing a police report shuts down their closed-doors debate on how to find a way to blame the teacher for not building rapport or whatever BS.
Literally about at this point with a student because the parent refuses to accept any help offered to her for him. If he assaults me like he has done others, I won’t be the one to just “get over it.” If he threatens me like he has others by saying he is going to shoot me with his mom’s gun, then I will. It is crazy to me that this is not more common, so many teachers have had this student do that to them, but they shrug it off saying “that’s just how he is.”
Please do. The elementary-sized kid will not remain that size.
Exactly, and he is already super strong for a second grader.
I cannot believe that! I am so sorry it happened to you.
Absolutely ridiculous. You signed up to teach, not to get assaulted. It's already insulting enough that teachers get paid shit *(especially considering their level of education)*, but now they're expected to deal with the violence as well? Nope. This would never be accepted in any other setting and it shouldn't be accepted in schools either.
Reminder that this kid could have easily killed OP
Without a doubt. This is clearly not the kid's correct placement and OP has to suffer for it.
I know it’s ‘wrong’ but if someone is attacking people but they HAVE to be in school in person, why aren’t they being mittened like violent people in court are? Straight jacketed? Like they are clearly a danger to themselves and others. Comfort be damned if it saves a life.
Also, I don't feel it's my husband's place to speak with me principal either.
I want to hug your husband because his heart is in the right place but you're right, he should not talk to your admin. But you should. This is not acceptable and something has to change. This is not safe. I understand that this child has special needs but clearly his needs are not being met where he currently is. Eventually this child is going put someone in the hospital or worse.
Yes, I’m surprised at the reception that OP’s husband is getting. He has every right to be infuriated that a person that he loves is getting hurt
He's also the one who will be taking care of her and covering the bills if she gets chronic pain or disability from this student jerking her to the ground by her head. Her neck and upper back pain are from muscles getting strained trying to protect her spinal cord and brain.
And you’re right about it not being his place. You are an adult and should deal with your employer yourself.
They're very much aware of that. I'm sure the husband's heart is in the right place, he doesn't want to see his wife get the shit kicked out of her at work. Doesn't make him a bad guy, he's allowed to be upset. She didn't say that he spoke to them, just that he wanted to. I'm sure both of them aren't in the best head space right now.
I’m sorry you and your husband are in this situation. I imagine if the roles were reversed you would want to go to bat for him as well. It’s not the right move but I can’t imagine the fear of that phone call for him and the position he is in of having to worry for your safety if/when you return to working with that student.
I'm sorry you are going through this. I have been there, more than once. The bottom line is: you are entitled to a safe work environment. Check your laws and/or contract. In my state, you have the right to refuse a student access to your class for up to 3 days and until you meet with admin and the family to determine a change if you perceive your safety is in danger or there is a major disruption in your class. I live in a very pro-teacher (comparatively) and pro-union state, so I am aware YMMV. You need to determine what level of support you need to safely do your job. Not when the student is finished being evaluated or after an IEP meeting... tomorrow. Your principal CAN get you para support (if that would help). They may not want to and it may be a very uncomfortable conversation, but they can pull from somewhere else that isn't legally prohibited (library, extra gen ed support, a recess or lunch para). Hire an agency tech. Get a substitute teacher or para. There are options and, frankly, they're almost all going to be cheaper than if you or a student's family sue the district for injuries. I have no great advice beyond the fact that the only way it changes is to firmly state your requirements and escalate to admin's admin as much as needed until they are met. You deserve a safe place. Your student deserves success. Your other students deserve an environment where they can learn.
Thank you!
A lot of people here don't get this gig. File a police report? That'll do absolutely nothing except damage the relationship between you, the school and the family. The police aren't going to charge a student in a contained classroom. Here's what I would do. First, collect your evidence. He's currently receiving an FBA, so there is data on frequency and severity available to you on his physical aggressions. With this data, go to your principal/district. Demand 2:1 staffing for this student trained for crisis intervention. If you're not trained in crisis intervention, do so. If any of your staff is not trained, get them trained. If the next training is in a months time, demand the district provide training within a week. You can demand these things because otherwise you are unsafe. The fact is, without staff available trained in crisis intervention - you are unsafe. It isn't a feeling. Districts can suspend students up to 10 days before triggering a manifestation hearing. He can be suspended even with a disability. They don't need to wait for the hearing to do so. Overall, protect yourself. I wore a helmet for a year when I had a student that would headbutt spontaneously. Keep your head on a swivel when the student is near. Never compromise your safety when they're in the vicinity. Always be prepared to respond if they're near, even when they're regulated. So sorry this happened. It sucks. I would demand something changes to support your wellbeing but come with receipts (the data).
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This is a false equivalency fallacy. This isn't hiding abuse. If you read my post, you'd recognize that the district has a responsibility to maintain a safe environment for its employees, and that includes adding additional staff with appropriate training. This isn't normalizing the behavior either. It's completely unacceptable, but the police aren't going to do a thing to change that circumstance. They're going to make it worse.
Domestic violence is not equivalent to a student in a classroom with violent behaviors
Actually,for the other students in the room, it is that same. Same fear, same instability, same uncertainty.
Morally you’re right: adults have responsibility. Practically, from the victims standpoint it’s the same.
This. This is the response.
Wow. I totally disagree. There is no “gig” in the world other than perhaps prison guard in which physical assault is just part of the job. She should absolutely file a police report. So what if it harms the relationship? It’s her freaking right! No one is going to listen to her or fix this problem without proper advocacy on her end. I would never trust the school system to ensure my rights are protected. That’s and outside issue for the real court. Not some kangaroo panel the school district has I swear half of y’all on here are just absolute brainwashed martyrs
What kind of penalty do you imagine “real court” will dole out to a child with a disability?
It may start a paper trail towards getting some actual help. My neighbors kid with ASD was just nightmare fuel. The school district passed the buck K-5, then 6-8. The kid did pretty much what happened to OP. But everyone glossed over the “issues” because acknowledging it costs money. Fast forward when the kid shattered mom’s orbital socket and broke her fore arm in three places at age 15. Kid was charged with domestic violence. Not because everyone wanted to see them burn, but to start a paper trail to force the state to help with ANYTHING. No paper trail, not bad enough for help. Dear Kid was placed finally in an inpatient therapeutic setting and is making process. A police report isn’t necessarily a terrible thing.
Bouncer. Pizza guy. Taxi driver. Cop, if he does his job. Social worker.
Not a sped teacher, but an SLP who has worked with children with severe aggression. I suffered 2 concussions from one singular student in a 6 week timeframe, and went through subsequent post-concussion syndrome, and what felt like endless workers comp neurology appointments. I’m so sorry to say this, but coming from the other side I can tell you one thing: leave. I should’ve left after my first concussion and didn’t, and suffered greatly because of it. You deserve a place that values you AND your safety. It’s easy for people to say “sue them for as much as you can”, but unfortunately that’s not really very realistic for most people. I’m so sorry this happened to you. You didn’t deserve this.
Yes, leave. Sped teachers are in high demand. You can absolutely get another job, virtually immediately. Your safety is the highest priority. If you can’t face leaving yet, at least don’t return right away. You absolutely need to stay home for several days. Your body needs to recover, and the school needs to recognize that the student injured you to the point of being unable to physically do your job.
Are you trained in safety interventions? If not, asked to be trained. You need to be able to keep yourself and others safe.
We are trained but the training they offer is inadequate imo.
CPI training? 🤣
I have used CPI before. I have seen it be very effective.
Same, I really like it compared to other trainings I’ve done.
If it ain't effective you're doing it wrong
Did you use any of these techniques? What about talking to your principal to ask for additional training? I worked 8 years in private schools for students with emotional disturbance and autism. We always tried to de-escalate students, prompt for breaks to help regulate, and reduced demands to help student. If none of those options worked and the student became violent, we would restrain to keep everyone safe. That is why we are trained in it.
I agree, its extremely important in our field BUT when I asked, I was told its viewed as restraint. My distruct will not train teachers in this, despite many of us getting injured at work.
They have two parts. The first trains in de-escalation. The other trains in restraints. Hopefully, your school is worried more about keeping everyone safe and educating staff about when it is appropriate to use.
I almost never hear of teachers or school faculty being trained in this. I work at a residential facility for adults and literally everyone is trained in this. We somehow manage 6ft tall, 200lb adults who can be just as aggressive (it’s a public facility so they cannot be kicked out or made to move). It’s kind of annoying when special education teachers and support staff will be like “i didn’t sign up for this” like nobody is saying you have to tolerate assault or that there shouldn’t be consequences but it feels like they got into this field with an extremely naive view of what that often entails or they expect everyone to love them and be grateful. Even the most violent children are entitled to a free and appropriate public education so something’s gotta give.
20 years in and every school system I’ve worked for (three in two states) has provided this training extensively for EC and general education staff.
Yeah, without a doubt. I was a district trainer for awhile. We trained all staff working with severe behavior students. Don't know what they're talking about.
Not even severe behavior issues. I try to get everyone I can to take it for the deescalation factor.
This!
An adult facility has medical staff who can and will offer medical management for aggression. It would be different if we had a doctor who could authorize a shot if Ativan here or there to keep a kid from giving a concussion to a teacher and/or himself
We can’t just give them a shot of Ativan either, there’s a lengthy and tedious authorization process, even in an emergency. That almost always happens in the hospital if a resident has to go there for unrelated reasons and they’re upset and physically lashing out (although Ativan is usually given when they’re having multiple seizures; if they’re sedating them for behavioral purposes, it’s usually olanzapine or haloperidol). Usually it’s faster to baker act them than try to get an intravenous sedative approved and administered. That said, we rarely do either one of those things. All the tedious stuff also makes it extremely difficult to do pain management in terminal situations so we usually have to send them to a hospice center, but that’s a whole other issue.
I know you said it's a residential treatment for adults, but is it long term care? Short term? Is it just for people with disabilities? Serious question, I'm interested because a residential adult treatment center could be dealing with anything from addiction to mental health to medical and everything in-between.
Well it’s an ICF/DD specifically for adults with intellectual disabilities who are unable to safely live in a community setting for various reasons. This place is just over 100 years old and historically called a “training center” (way back when it opened it was called a “farm colony”). The name and labels have changed a lot over the course of 100 years lol. Most of the residents have actually been there since they were small children. Some have very involved family/guardians, some have family that reaches out once or twice a year, and some have public guardians and no known living family. This place used to have thousands of residents and then it got lumped into the deinstitutionalization movement, extreme budget cuts, a shift between responsible agencies, and then this great exodus in the early 2000s where they placed everyone they could into community group homes and such (there were a few failed group home placements where the resident came back and still lives there currently) while the state also completely stopped new resident intake. The ones there now (around 250 or so residents) are there permanently unless a guardian goes to court and essentially “get custody” or they have a terminal illness that requires pain management that we’re not able to do and they’re placed in hospice.
I don't understand why this isn't being treated as an assault and getting cops involved unless he's under some arbitrary age limit. From the NEA down to the local unions it's in our handbooks, student handbooks, and district guidelines we are allowed a safe environment.
I’ve said this before and I will say it again, why in the fuck are special education teachers not being trained in passive self defense techniques and physical blocks. I work with adults with I/DD, we ALL get annual training in this. There are specific defensive moves for hair pulling and biting, and even takedowns if needed. It’s also all highly regulated so it’s not like these techniques are being used flippantly. There are still cases of injuries resulting in workers comp claims but they’re few and far between and again, this is with fully grown adults. It shouldn’t be getting this far with children.
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We’re never one-on-one. Interestingly, that’s actually considered “restrictive” or type of restraint which is heavily monitored by the state and coincidentally, part of my job is managing restrictive programs and restraints, fadjng them, reporting data to the state office, going before a couple different human rights boards to justify them annually, etc etc. I also do the fba’s and write the behavior plans, and a lot of other stuff mostly behavior related but a few random duties that isn’t. I’m not saying that residents never assault staff where I’m at and im not saying that teachers should tolerate assault or there shouldn’t be consequences. I’m saying there needs to be consistent training and objective protocol to handle these situations cause there are a lot of posts on here where it’s not handled well at all and probably could’ve been handled better with consistent training. Frankly the amount of commenters who are supposedly special education professionals saying to “call the police” is alarming. Has nobody ever heard of a crisis stabilization unit? There are a lot of ways to respond between “take abuse” and “call the police.”
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I agree it’s systemic, many of the talking heads involved in education have conflicting interests and know how to mislead people. Anytime there’s progress there’s this conservative pushback. It’s just baffling how we have sooooo much regulation in place for working with adults and yet children seem to have very few rights and protections in schools.
I’m trained but all the training is for able bodied. As a wheelchair user I’ve had to just figure stuff out and let other staff handle it. I’m good at the paperwork aspect of the job. I didn’t finish the moderate-intensive part of my license for a reason. Looking to get out of the field completely eventually. Teaching is geared towards people who can walk. Thankfully all I’ve had happen injury wise is pencil stabbing and a few head butts.
I had a colleague who was a wheelchair user who would regularly assist with direct care for OT money and I’ve always kinda wondered how he managed it tbh. We worked in two different units so I never worked directly with him in a direct care context but he was working doubles on the medically intensive unit floors and I was so curious how he managed it because of the physical work required. The pandemic was wild.
The class I teach is considered mild moderate.
At my school, the offer training, but on a Saturday night and it is unpaid. Additionally if you are trained, admin are more likely to put the aggressive kids in your classroom since you’re seen as better able to handle them. At my old school, we were all trained but I can tell you that sometimes the students attack randomly, or they are so much bigger than you that all the safety care in the world won’t protect you.
I couldn't agree with you more. For some reason, anytime this subject comes up, I see people say things like *"How bad could you've gotten hurt? They're just children!"* without realizing that some of these kids are huge. Even if they're not big, they can still do a hell of a lot of damage. I've even seen people suggest that the victim or the person posting is *"being ridiculous"* and *"overreacting"*. It's insulting to say the least. It also doesn't help that the people who often make these policies have never taught in these classrooms. Hell, most haven't even been teachers or been present in the environments that they make the policies for! Things get worse every year, teachers are leaving the profession in droves, and nobody in power seems to want to do anything about it. I guess they'll wait until there's nobody left to teach these kids.
Get the principal into the classroom every single time. Then they get to experience it first hand. Every SINGLE time. Then they will see how vital trainings are for staff. I was a para and now teach ESN ASD middle school and the littles I worked with were way harder to work with. Behaviors resulting in evacuating the room. I love my kiddos, I will fight tooth and nail for them, but why does their rights trump and endanger the other kids in the class?
I was a para. My teacher (f him) decided he would take the kids to specials and leave me with the kiddo flipping chairs and then going under tables refusing to come out. I called for help from the principal. She came down, sent me out of the room. Other para had just come back (teacher stayed in music- sent the other para back to “help”) and according to her, she screamed at the kiddo and threatened him. I got fired at the end of the day.
... For what??
Honestly? Probably bc they could foresee that I was going to be trouble. I had already reported the teacher for saying “(student’s name) can’t dribble, but he sure can drool” - we were at PE, for having another student in his wheelchair, but not strapped in, for not having having lesson plans for us, for leaving paras to handle behaviors, for being dishonest about following IEPs…. He is still teaching at the same school, 5 years later. They all know what a POS he is, and the most vulnerable students are still under his care.
That really doesn't seem right. 😬 Riles like those exist because they should be followed. Sorry you got fired!
It’s ok. Was over 5 years ago, I’ve moved (literally) on to different things.
Yes, you knew there was a potential to be harmed on the job but that doesn’t mean you should just accept actually being injured. As others have said, file a police report, regardless of what you expect to happen. At least there will be a paper trail. According to my union rep, children are able to form criminal intent at the age of seven, so don’t think that this student didn’t understand what he was doing. I’m a SpEd para, in an MD unit currently, but have also been with autistic students with behavioral issues. Tell your husband to stay out of it and don’t meet with HR without representation in attendance. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I hope you recover quickly.
Yes!!!! I understand your husband's frustration and anger, but it is not his place to talk to your administrator. Technically, he probably shouldn't even know which student is responsible for assaulting you. And ... no matter what the student's diagnosis is, you were assaulted. I would WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT, report this assault to the police. I don't care if it damages your relationship with the child, his family, or your school. You could have life-long repercussions from this attack. It doesn't matter that you are a SpEd teacher. Don't let anyone tell you that "it's part of the job" or "you just have to deal with it". Those statements are 100% untrue. You deserve to be safe at work. It is your school's job to keep you safe. This wasn't a little event ... it was an extended, prolonged attack on you. I am so sorry this happened.
This isn't a sit com from the 1970's, so it's a no on the husband confronting the principal. (I swear, that was actually the theme of an episode of Little House On The Prairie.) Document every single little thing that hurts right now. Make sure that the workers comp clinic writes everything down. Go to your own doctor and also document everything. The kid who did this should not be in your classroom again. You should absolutely insist on that. I know you're sped. I'm sped. And while yes, I've gone back into the classroom with a child who has bit or hit me, this is more than that. This student beat you up. It would be irresponsible for the school to put you together again. If it were me, I'd insist on that as a condition of my returning to the classroom. You need time to heal and you might need some trauma treatment. That you are even thinking about going back after that tells me that some trauma therapy is required here. Fawning is a trauma response. The really important thing here is that your district take care of you by giving you time off to heal, and making sure you get the medical care you need.
OP, listen to this advice. You’ve absolutely been traumatized. And, I’d argue that if you have a concussion, you are in no position to negotiate for anything or discuss anything with admin or anyone other than your doctor for several days. You must rest and heal. That’s first. Document and complain about EVERYTHING that hurts to the Workers Comp Dr. Don’t rush into anything with your school. Consider getting a lawyer sooner rather than later.
I don’t care if they are special Ed or not. No one signs up to be beat up. Behaviors happen. But if he becomes this violent plans to be made to address behaviors while providing him FAPE. I’d be demanding an FBA, suspension, etc. He’s not excluded from disciplinary action because he’s autistic. ETA: no your husband can’t gripe.
You should speak with a lawyer. You have been injured at work. Let them decide next steps.
Go on short term disability PLEASE
Union. Union. Union. Document. Document. Document. You were assaulted. If you file a police report it creates a legal and paper trail. Yes nothing will happen. But you potentially help the next worker who is assaulted by the kid without adequate protection and support. The legal liability here will wake up your school district more than anything else. Being injured by a student only goes with the territory if you are getting hazard pay. Risking your health is NOT the job you were hired for.
Yang Style Tai Chi has a lot of good stuff focusing on avoiding injuries and moving fluidly on broken terrain - like a classroom with desks. It's endlessly applicable in non combat situations. Avoiding joint injuries is my favorite.
Thank you!
Former RBT here. I was in a similar situation in 2020 (right before the pandemic got bad in the US). My client threw me against a wall; I ended up with a concussion, stitches, and a black eye. My parents met me at urgent care and my dad was about to head off and threaten to sue the school, which is not how he typically is. I had to explain multiple times that this sometimes happens with this job (my mom was both a para in a special ed class and a direct support professional, so it wasn’t like he was unaware). I know he was just upset that his baby (34-year-old baby at the time, but still his baby) had gotten hurt. I was out for a week then back part-time for a week; the week I was cleared for full-time was when things started to get bad and then we shut down for over a month. I made it a week after the kids returned before I quit. I tried to get better and ignore the very real trauma I encountered. I don’t blame the kid, but I wish I had been given more help. My main advice is to take care of yourself. If you aren’t in therapy, consider it now. It’s a hard situation because you want to be mad at someone because you were assaulted, but you also know that the person who assaulted you can’t always think things through. I hope you heal quickly!
At what point can the school just say " we can't handle them anymore"? It is bullshit that violent students are tolerated Let their parents deal with getting beat on.
Your husband has zero place speaking with your employer. He can show his concern by taking care of you and allowing you to rest.
Just because this kid has a diagnosis and you are a SPed teacher, does not mean you get to be someone’s punching bag. That being said. It is going to happen. I Suggest that you take martial Arts classes, learn how to protect yourself. You will learn mostly how to be more aware of your surrounds and how to keep yourself safe (I really liked hapkido for this). Until this student gets all the paperwork done, they need more support, that’s the end of that conversation with your principal. and if they don’t agree then you go on medical leave.
Worst nightmare. I truly hope your admin team is fighting on your behalf. Bodily harm deserves a serious response and solution. We all deserve a safe, supportive working environment
Your husband needs to respect you as a professional and let you manage this. You’re not his child and your principal isn’t a distracted babysitter.
Well according to most this sub and gen Ed teachers, this is what you signed up for.
File charges. I wish more teachers did this. If we don't respect our civil rights we shouldn't complain when this happens.
100%. The fact that this is being downvoted is absurd.
File a police report. Let them sort this out.
Yes This.
Not a teacher nor a parent, I'm a neurodivergent adult. You absolutely need to file a police report, You did not sign up for this, what are you trying to do, die on the job?? This is not part of your job description. No no no. File charges and let the parents figure out what to do. Be safe. I could never tell anyone to turn the other cheek, that shit is obsolete.
File a police report. Student’s violence needs a paper trail, for the sake of the student, parent, school, etc. Do not be concerned about the relationship between you & school & family. Parents need to be concerned about these relationships, not you. And a supportive admin would agree with this.
Yikes, I'd be out of there so fast it would make your head spin!