Naperville, Illinois Teacher Injured in Classroom Sues District

Paula Jackson, a special education teacher in Naperville , Illinois is suing her school district because of physical and emotional injuries she suffered during an altercation with a 4th grade student with special needs. This story is unfortunate no matter the perspective. Any time staff  a teacher is injured while working with a student my sympathies go out to the teacher. However, even from the small description of the case in the news story that the student had serious behaviors on a frequent basis suggests to me that his IEP was likely not appropriate and the system failed both the student and the teacher. The incident where the teacher was injured she was removing a chair from his hands after he was in a full blown tantrum. I do not know if there was a behavior plan or whether the teacher has crisis intervention training. In my experience generally (and not in specific regarding this district) is that she likely did not have adequate training, the staffing may have been insufficient and and the plan lacking or altogether non-existent.  In those instances where staff is injured lack of training, staffing or planning (or all three) are a prime cause or factor. There is a large body of information as to how to address behavioral issues in school that need to be employed, so that staff and student are not injured, and teachers are able to teach and students are able to learn.

Comments

[Mary Cottle]

My "behaviorally disabled" 12-year-old child's school-appointed Aid has filed battery charges against him for hitting her with a Capri Sun juice container. The prosecutor's office is aggressively pursuing the charges. His Public Defender's Office lawyer hopes out of a jury of twelve people someone will be sympathetic. And while I am simultaneously terrified and angry that the school personnel charged with caring for my son have filed this charge I think I understand it may be about her wanted to sue the school district for "not protecting her!"

[Teresa St.Angelo]

I cannot tell you how much I agree with the article when it talks about the aspect that for an injury to occur there would have to be a lack of training, staffing or planning.
I have noticed the teachers that do not have a plan or the enthusiasm behind finding different ways to help the students are the ones who get injured by a student.