We have an anti-bullying law here in Kentucky.  Given that my kiddos have the luxury of avoiding the public school playground and school bus, I didn’t even know.

Until yesterday.

Ky. family sues school for failing to stop bullying

I hope they win!

I still feel that all this talk still falls short.  Before we can stop children from bullying each other there needs to be a national campaign to draw attention to the problem of TEACHERS bullying students.  Exactly where do you think a kid in kindergarten learns to bully?  From his parents.  AND from his teachers.

What?  Don’t agree with me?

St. Lucie teacher has students vote on whether 5-year-old can stay in class

5-year-old Alex Barton’s teacher made him stand in front of his kindergarten class and had his fellow students say what they didn’t like about him and then vote whether he should remain in the class.

Police report reveals teacher’s side of incident in which boy ‘voted’ out of Port St. Lucie class

Morningside parent Terrence Moore, whose daughter Jessica is in the kindergarten class and was interviewed by the resource officer, said Portillo is an exceptional teacher.

“She’s top notch. She’s a very caring teacher,” Moore said.

Moore said Portillo is big on making sure the children use their manners and she lets the children know what she expects of them.

“In (Jessica’s) mind, (the vote) was a real non-event,” Moore said.

Moore said his daughter told him Alex was disruptive in class, and she voted for him not to return to the class at that time.

Jessica became upset when Portillo was reassigned to school district offices while school officials investigate the incident, Moore said.

“When she found out that was happening, she started to cry,” Moore said. “She loves Mrs. Portillo.”  (Of course, Alex Barton probably loved Mrs. Portillo, too.  Then she abused that love and humiliated him in front of his entire class.)

So… If this is how the ‘exceptional’ teachers behave,  exactly what is going on in the classrooms of those who are not so exceptional?

I am stunned by the number of teachers who are supporting this teacher because they feel that Autistic and Aspergergers children are too disruptive to the other students in the classroom.  I believe that Alex  Barton’s diagnosis isn’t even a factor in this heinous thing the teacher has done.   Humiliating a child in front of his entire class, telling him he isn’t wanted in the classroom, is NEVER, NEVER, NEVER appropriate!  Allowing his classmates to tell a child exactly why they don’t like him, making him stand there and listen, is beyond human.  The teacher admits she did this.  She believes she was justified.  SHE SHOULD NOT BE IN THE CLASSROOM EVER AGAIN!