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Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Wendy Portillo's Side of the Story


Photo credit:
Photo by Pikaluk on Flickr

A little over a week ago, I posted about Alex Barton, an autistic kindergartener who was voted out of his class. Since then further reports have painted a more detailed picture of what happened in the classroom and Alex's teacher, Wendy Portillo, has spoken out to defend her actions.

On the morning of the incident, Alex was disrupting the class by lying under a table and pushing it up with his feet (a behavior my son's teachers and I are familiar with as well, although, needless to say, I at least, handle it differently). Alex was removed from the room and sent to the principal's office (and not for the first time that day). The "voting out" incident took place when he returned to the classroom. According to a report by the St. Lucie police, "Portillo said she did this as she felt that if (Alex) heard from his classmates how his behavior affected them that it would make a bigger difference to him, rather than just hearing it from adults."

In other words, this wasn't supposed to be an episode of Survivor, it was supposed to function more like an intervention.

Does understanding her intention change things? Not for me. I posted about the story only after, as I said, looking for compassion for her and trying to imagine some well-intentioned reasons why she might have done what she did. Yet, I couldn't think of anything that would mitigate my opinion that her attempt to use shame as a teaching tool -- however well intentioned or misguided -- had the effect of being cruel. And not just cruel to Alex, but cruel to the very children she was trying to help.

Ms. Portillo wanted to teach Alex to respect the needs of the other children, but in doing so, she was reinforcing several common societal misconceptions: about the nature of behavioral change, communication and yes, about respect for others.

Unfortunately, since each deserves a separate post, and I'm still recovering from both my trip and my virus, I'll save those thoughts until tomorrow...

Posted by at 7:26 AM
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11 comments:

  1. I feel sorry for the teacher because she probably didn't mean to do harm, but she should have thought the whole thing out beforehand. That is devastating to a child.
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  2. I don't know anything about autism but I have long admired Temple Grandin. Her book, Animals in Translation was just amazing! Some of her speeches are on YouTube. In the one I was watching today she talks about how her success stems, in part, from her 1950's upbringing. She said that her mother insisted she learn to sit still during church - but that it was a really good thing she didn't go to a "rock and roll type church" because she'd never have been able to handle that.

    The whole point being that there's a difference between being bad and being overloaded and it's hard to tell the difference when you don't know anything about autism.

    For crying out loud! It's the end of the year, all the kids are squirrelly autistic or not.
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  3. I'm conflicted about the teacher. I feel sorry for her in some ways, but god save us from people who mean well. I teach, and if it I have one goal above all others in the classroom, it is to make sure that I never humiliate or belittle a student. Do no harm! A classroom has to be a safe place in all ways.
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  4. vicariousrisingJun 3, 2008 03:46 PM
    The teacher was effectively teaching the other students how to gang up on a child who had disabilities. Terrific lesson.

    MPJ, I commend you for your patience and empathy. I just can't seem to drum up very much.
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  5. I was trying to figure out the motivation too. [however misguided]

    Slightly off topic, but in my boys class, every Friday they have a 'what do you like about your class mate' session that week.

    It always disintegrates into a giggling heap.

    Best wishes
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  6. This story didn't change my view of the incident either. I still think Ms. Portillo was wrong, wrong, wrong.

    Conducting an "intervention" is not having peers talk shit (s'cuse me) about their classmate to his face. And the teacher had no business trying to lead an intervention, that's the school social worker's job.
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  7. Decades before I was a professional in the field, I was a seven year old girl volunteering with adults with autism, MR, etc. Even at that age, I knew better. There is no excuse for that garbage. None.
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  8. First and foremost, I think the administrator of the school should be questioned. He/she, as well as the SpEd dept. should know that the rule of thumb is this: "Does the disability cause the behavior in question?" If the answer is yes, then the proceeding for termination of this teacher should begin immediately. There is NO exuse for what this person did. Disability or no disability, she should be fired on the spot for her unprofessional and insensitive actions. She not only violated the young boy, but she violated the minds, souls, and feelings of the rest of her class. FIRE HER NOW!
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  9. I think the teacher needs treatment for something. Not sure what. Stupidity, perhaps, or mental illness?
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  10. It just goes to show that we parents need to keep a close eye on what's going on. I think unfortunately for Mrs. Portillo, she was made example of and we can see how much work is ahead of us in teaching about ASD.
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  11. How does one teach respect for another by behaving badly? I still think she should find a new career away from young minds.
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