Mcps Rara educator KICKED AUTISTIC elementary student

[Anonymous]

Do better mcps. Always the worst teachers for the most vulnerable students


https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/08/21/montgomery-county-paraeducator-accused-of-kicking-child-with-autism/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMU2IljbGNrAxTYgmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeFVkMYEFyG66GJg0sipTrVYyKT5M_7Z-S5CdRoDZiJfasErP-Hs2yxnPxpTU_aem_sCK298nyDpv3cLPj7f3acg

[Anonymous]

For those who can't read the report because of the paywall:

A paraeducator in Montgomery County was charged with child abuse Monday after she was accused of kicking an elementary-school-aged child with autism in the chest because the boy drank some of her soda.

Meleni Hoffman, 32, faces felony abuse and misdemeanor assault charges in Rockville District Court, where she is scheduled for a hearing next month.
Hoffman, who has not been arrested, did not respond to messages left on a publicly listed phone number. As of Wednesday, a lawyer was not listed as representing her in court records.
Investigators say that on April 9, at Candlewood Elementary, Hoffman took out a snack “that interested the kids in the class,” causing them to gather around her. One child ran over and “took a sip of her soda,” police said.

“No!” Hoffman yelled and kicked the student in the chest, causing him to fall, according to charging documents.

Montgomery County Police said two staff members, including another paraeducator, witnessed the incident. Investigators have not said how old the boy is.

A paraeducator, sometimes referred to as a teacher’s aide, is a school employee who is supervised by teachers and assists with classroom instruction.

Police began their investigation after the child’s mother reported the alleged assault, according to charging documents. Though she picked up her son from the Rockville campus, with the help of school faculty, she said she wasn’t told about the incident until an assistant principal called her about 15 minutes later.

This insane. How did MCPS staffer KICK a child and she was not arrested nor was it considered an assault???

Also, how did Baltimore Sun get this story before Bethesda Today or any of the local DC-area news stations??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who can't read the report because of the paywall:

A paraeducator in Montgomery County was charged with child abuse Monday after she was accused of kicking an elementary-school-aged child with autism in the chest because the boy drank some of her soda.

Meleni Hoffman, 32, faces felony abuse and misdemeanor assault charges in Rockville District Court, where she is scheduled for a hearing next month.
Hoffman, who has not been arrested, did not respond to messages left on a publicly listed phone number. As of Wednesday, a lawyer was not listed as representing her in court records.
Investigators say that on April 9, at Candlewood Elementary, Hoffman took out a snack “that interested the kids in the class,” causing them to gather around her. One child ran over and “took a sip of her soda,” police said.

“No!” Hoffman yelled and kicked the student in the chest, causing him to fall, according to charging documents.

Montgomery County Police said two staff members, including another paraeducator, witnessed the incident. Investigators have not said how old the boy is.

A paraeducator, sometimes referred to as a teacher’s aide, is a school employee who is supervised by teachers and assists with classroom instruction.

Police began their investigation after the child’s mother reported the alleged assault, according to charging documents. Though she picked up her son from the Rockville campus, with the help of school faculty, she said she wasn’t told about the incident until an assistant principal called her about 15 minutes later.

This insane. How did MCPS staffer KICK a child and she was not arrested nor was it considered an assault???

Also, how did Baltimore Sun get this story before Bethesda Today or any of the local DC-area news stations??

Wow, just F wow

[Anonymous]

He must have been very small to have been kicked in the chest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do better mcps. Always the worst teachers for the most vulnerable students


https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/08/21/montgomery-county-paraeducator-accused-of-kicking-child-with-autism/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMU2IljbGNrAxTYgmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeFVkMYEFyG66GJg0sipTrVYyKT5M_7Z-S5CdRoDZiJfasErP-Hs2yxnPxpTU_aem_sCK298nyDpv3cLPj7f3acg

Full article at Parents’ Coalition link. They gifted the article.

https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2025/08/montgomery-county-paraeducator-accused.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do better mcps. Always the worst teachers for the most vulnerable students


https://www.baltimoresun.com/2025/08/21/montgomery-county-paraeducator-accused-of-kicking-child-with-autism/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMU2IljbGNrAxTYgmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeFVkMYEFyG66GJg0sipTrVYyKT5M_7Z-S5CdRoDZiJfasErP-Hs2yxnPxpTU_aem_sCK298nyDpv3cLPj7f3acg

Para.

[Anonymous]

As a parent of a SPED kid in MCPS this doesn’t surprise me. This happens everyday - MCPS doesn’t create a safe environment for our kids. nothing ever happens to the staff member, kid is labeled the problem. Parents concerns dismissed. Lawyers get involved, CPS is called and nothing happens….

My 2 cents is understaffing and trying to mainstream to the max is making everyone more reactive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a SPED kid in MCPS this doesn’t surprise me. This happens everyday - MCPS doesn’t create a safe environment for our kids. nothing ever happens to the staff member, kid is labeled the problem. Parents concerns dismissed. Lawyers get involved, CPS is called and nothing happens….

My 2 cents is understaffing and trying to mainstream to the max is making everyone more reactive.

What did your lawyer do? Have you sued mcps?

[Anonymous]

Wow that sounds pretty bad.

When first seeing the title, I was willing to get the paraeducator the benefit of the doubt. Where something might've been incidental contact and blown out of proportion. And not to offend anyone but being identified as Special Ed can be a very wide spectrum and for a variety of reasons.

But to be actually be able to kick a kid in the chest seems to be pretty deliberate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow that sounds pretty bad.

When first seeing the title, I was willing to get the paraeducator the benefit of the doubt. Where something might've been incidental contact and blown out of proportion. And not to offend anyone but being identified as Special Ed can be a very wide spectrum and for a variety of reasons.

But to be actually be able to kick a kid in the chest seems to be pretty deliberate.

No injury reported.

My guess is the para was sitting in a chair and she pushed the kid away with her foot when he grabbed her drink (which she absolutely should not have had in the classroom).

This is why you shouldn't bring in minimum wage untrained people off the street to care for disabled students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent of a SPED kid in MCPS this doesn’t surprise me. This happens everyday - MCPS doesn’t create a safe environment for our kids. nothing ever happens to the staff member, kid is labeled the problem. Parents concerns dismissed. Lawyers get involved, CPS is called and nothing happens….

My 2 cents is understaffing and trying to mainstream to the max is making everyone more reactive.

There is no mainstreaming in this story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow that sounds pretty bad.

When first seeing the title, I was willing to get the paraeducator the benefit of the doubt. Where something might've been incidental contact and blown out of proportion. And not to offend anyone but being identified as Special Ed can be a very wide spectrum and for a variety of reasons.

But to be actually be able to kick a kid in the chest seems to be pretty deliberate.

No injury reported.

My guess is the para was sitting in a chair and she pushed the kid away with her foot when he grabbed her drink (which she absolutely should not have had in the classroom).

This is why you shouldn't bring in minimum wage untrained people off the street to care for disabled students.

That was my immediate thought as well as to what may have happened.

SpEd paras make 21/hr, about 44k a year, for 6-7 hours of dealing with the most challenging behaviors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow that sounds pretty bad.

When first seeing the title, I was willing to get the paraeducator the benefit of the doubt. Where something might've been incidental contact and blown out of proportion. And not to offend anyone but being identified as Special Ed can be a very wide spectrum and for a variety of reasons.

But to be actually be able to kick a kid in the chest seems to be pretty deliberate.

No injury reported.

My guess is the para was sitting in a chair and she pushed the kid away with her foot when he grabbed her drink (which she absolutely should not have had in the classroom).

This is why you shouldn't bring in minimum wage untrained people off the street to care for disabled students.

True, but they have so many of these para positions advertised and so few applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow that sounds pretty bad.

When first seeing the title, I was willing to get the paraeducator the benefit of the doubt. Where something might've been incidental contact and blown out of proportion. And not to offend anyone but being identified as Special Ed can be a very wide spectrum and for a variety of reasons.

But to be actually be able to kick a kid in the chest seems to be pretty deliberate.

No injury reported.

My guess is the para was sitting in a chair and she pushed the kid away with her foot when he grabbed her drink (which she absolutely should not have had in the classroom).

This is why you shouldn't bring in minimum wage untrained people off the street to care for disabled students.

Yup! The special education problem will not be solved by throwing more paras at it as Taylor is doing. This is going to be a big mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who can't read the report because of the paywall:

A paraeducator in Montgomery County was charged with child abuse Monday after she was accused of kicking an elementary-school-aged child with autism in the chest because the boy drank some of her soda.

Meleni Hoffman, 32, faces felony abuse and misdemeanor assault charges in Rockville District Court, where she is scheduled for a hearing next month.
Hoffman, who has not been arrested, did not respond to messages left on a publicly listed phone number. As of Wednesday, a lawyer was not listed as representing her in court records.
Investigators say that on April 9, at Candlewood Elementary, Hoffman took out a snack “that interested the kids in the class,” causing them to gather around her. One child ran over and “took a sip of her soda,” police said.

“No!” Hoffman yelled and kicked the student in the chest, causing him to fall, according to charging documents.

Montgomery County Police said two staff members, including another paraeducator, witnessed the incident. Investigators have not said how old the boy is.

A paraeducator, sometimes referred to as a teacher’s aide, is a school employee who is supervised by teachers and assists with classroom instruction.

Police began their investigation after the child’s mother reported the alleged assault, according to charging documents. Though she picked up her son from the Rockville campus, with the help of school faculty, she said she wasn’t told about the incident until an assistant principal called her about 15 minutes later.

Here's the rest of it:

That administrator, who was not named, said that at about 12:30 p.m. that day, the boy had “lunged” for a paraeducator’s soda and was kicked in the stomach before another staff member intervened, according to charging documents.

The mother told police that she had asked who the paraeducator was. But the assistant principal would not say, explaining that the school doesn’t do investigations and that they had contacted Child Protective Services.

Police said the mother took her child, who is non-verbal, to an urgent care for a check-up.

The mother called police again the next day and said a CPS caseworker had identified Hoffman as the paraeducator, according to charging documents.

It was not clear what disciplinary action, if any, was taken after the alleged kick.

A spokesperson for the county school system did not respond to several questions about the incident on Wednesday.