ACPS Jefferson-Houston Elementary School administrators put on leave after autistic 4-year-old walked away from school

[Anonymous]

In many districts public school teachers aren’t allowed to use child safety gates or latches on doors because they are too restrictive.

Daycares can do it all the time. Preschool in an elementary school is a great thing most of the time and then you run into stupid regulations like this.

To the person who claims the teachers weren’t watching well enough please please come take one of the many many vacancies for pre k sped teacher! We need you!

[Anonymous]

Bottom Line for any School:
Safety is Job #1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In many districts public school teachers aren’t allowed to use child safety gates or latches on doors because they are too restrictive.

Daycares can do it all the time. Preschool in an elementary school is a great thing most of the time and then you run into stupid regulations like this.

To the person who claims the teachers weren’t watching well enough please please come take one of the many many vacancies for pre k sped teacher! We need you!

Have you tried door alarms? What about those split doors sometimes you can get away with that. Like this:

[Anonymous]

It's definitely not acceptable. That being said, I think the constant vigilance with kids who tend towards elopement can be challenging to maintain. My closest friend from graduate school has an autistic son who has eloped from their home, and she is an excellent and attentive mother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fox 5 says the girls was found barefoot in the tunnel next to the metro so looks like PP is correct. Girl is also nonverbal. I am so glad the girl is ok.

I wonder if she slipped out during nap

No, it was at the end of the school day. That's not naptime.

It is sad reflection of our society that hundreds of people drove by a 4 year old wantering around barefoot and didn't stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I were ACPS I would agree to a private placement immediately. This parent knows her daughter is not being served well at the school and wants a move. Saves everyone time and attorney fees. Just do it.

There's really not a lot or any private placements for 4 year olds.

[Anonymous]

It is sad reflection of our society that hundreds of people drove by a 4 year old wantering around barefoot and didn't stop.

Hundreds of people would not be driving down Cameron towards the metro at the time school lets out. It's a non-zero number, yes, but not hundreds by any means.

[Anonymous]

I'm shocked that they are punishing the school staff. My child and some of his classmates eloped multiple times from a CSS site --including several where police had to be called in--and there was never any indication that the staff was punished for it.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like she was out for at least 20 minutes, that's a lot of people driving by

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is sad reflection of our society that hundreds of people drove by a 4 year old wantering around barefoot and didn't stop.

Hundreds of people would not be driving down Cameron towards the metro at the time school lets out. It's a non-zero number, yes, but not hundreds by any means.

I believe the child was found literally in the middle of the street in the tunnel/intersection of Cameron and Commonwealth, by the King Street metro entrance, next to the Hilton hotel. It is a very busy intersection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fox 5 says the girls was found barefoot in the tunnel next to the metro so looks like PP is correct. Girl is also nonverbal. I am so glad the girl is ok.

I wonder if she slipped out during nap

No, it was at the end of the school day. That's not naptime.

It is sad reflection of our society that hundreds of people drove by a 4 year old wantering around barefoot and didn't stop.

Are you positive? That was our nap time when I worked in a SPED preschool

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were ACPS I would agree to a private placement immediately. This parent knows her daughter is not being served well at the school and wants a move. Saves everyone time and attorney fees. Just do it.

There's really not a lot or any private placements for 4 year olds.

+1. They basically don’t exist. She may have been in an appropriate placement. The problem is that eloping can be difficult, even when a child has a 1:1 things can come up. People get sick, have to use the bathroom etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were ACPS I would agree to a private placement immediately. This parent knows her daughter is not being served well at the school and wants a move. Saves everyone time and attorney fees. Just do it.

There's really not a lot or any private placements for 4 year olds.

+1. They basically don’t exist. She may have been in an appropriate placement. The problem is that eloping can be difficult, even when a child has a 1:1 things can come up. People get sick, have to use the bathroom etc

They do exist they’re just rare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were ACPS I would agree to a private placement immediately. This parent knows her daughter is not being served well at the school and wants a move. Saves everyone time and attorney fees. Just do it.

There's really not a lot or any private placements for 4 year olds.

+1. They basically don’t exist. She may have been in an appropriate placement. The problem is that eloping can be difficult, even when a child has a 1:1 things can come up. People get sick, have to use the bathroom etc

They do exist they’re just rare.

What are the ones in this area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In many districts public school teachers aren’t allowed to use child safety gates or latches on doors because they are too restrictive.

Daycares can do it all the time. Preschool in an elementary school is a great thing most of the time and then you run into stupid regulations like this.

To the person who claims the teachers weren’t watching well enough please please come take one of the many many vacancies for pre k sped teacher! We need you!

Have you tried door alarms? What about those split doors sometimes you can get away with that. Like this:

Awww. We are teachers and can’t cut the metal fire doors just because we want to or even if we ask it doesn’t just happen. Alarms may be okay, I used one for a bit but frankly if you are changing a kid while your two assistants are sitting on the floor or changing someone and feeding another, who is chasing and how agile are these people that they can get up immediately and give chase. If the kid leaves through an exterior door, those are precious seconds a kid can run. Make no mistake preschool kids can also fit through smaller spaces so even if you are on the trail, they can escape. I played sports at one point in my life, so I’m pretty good a blocking, but I can’t say the same for everyone I have worked with. I live in fear of a kid eloping and frankly living your life for years at high alert takes a toll.