Kentucky School Accused of Stuffing Autistic Student in Duffle Bag
In a shocking incident, a Kentucky school is being accused of abusing an autistic child.
Autistic fourth grader Christopher Baker was stuffed into a green duffel bag on Dec. 14 at his Harrodsburg, Ky. school after misbehaving, according to his mother.
“He was treated like trash and thrown in the hallway,” Chris’ distressed mother Sandra Baker told AP.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Baker told reporters that she was not informed of the school’s disciplinary action and came to the Mercer County Intermediate School to find her son shoved inside a duffel bag with the strings pulled tight.
A student aid was watching the child, but it is unclear how long Baker was stuck inside what school employees label a “therapy bag.”
“The employees of the Mercer County Public Schools are qualified professionals who treat students with respect and dignity while providing a safe and nurturing learning environment,” Superintendent Dennis Davis said in statement regarding the incident.
Davis could not comment directly on the Baker incident due to confidentiality laws but education officials in Kentucky have said that they are investigating the incident.
“When I got him out of the bag, his poor little eyes were as big as half dollars and he was sweating,” Baker said.
Baker asked officials what they would have done had there been a fire at the school to which she got the response “we would have dragged the bag out of the school.”
An online petition on Change.org has sprung up over the incident with many calling for those who were involved to get fired over the incident.
There are no laws prohibiting Kentucky schools from using restraint and seclusion as disciplinary measures, however, many are arguing that incident is a signal that laws be put in place to ensure that all students are protected and treated with dignity.
To view a video of Ms. Baker describing the incident please view below.
