An autistic student needed a quiet place to work. His desk was put in a bathroom stall

[Demovictory9]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/21/us/autistic-student-desk-in-bathroom/index.html




A school district in Washington state is facing criticism for putting an autistic student's desk in a bathroom stall after his mother said he needed a "quiet place" to do his best work.

Danielle Goodwin told CNN affiliate KOMO that she had discussed her 11-year-old son's special needs with his teacher. But when they showed up at Whatcom Middle School in Bellingham, Washington, this week, they found is desk in a bathroom stall, Goodwin said.
"I was stunned," she told the station Thursday. "I was so shocked I just took the picture because I didn't believe what I was seeing."
Goodwin did not respond to CNN's request for comment on Saturday, but she shared the picture on Facebook, showing her son's desk over the toilet, and his chair next to the bathroom sink.
She asked if he could work in the library and was told no, Goodwin said in the Facebook post. She was also told that "it was fine for him to be in there" because the school didn't use the space as a bathroom."
Her son also has an autoimmune disorder, Goodwin told KOMO, further highlighting why the suggestion he work in a bathroom was problematic.

[Loki Liesmith]

1. Didn't they do this to Costanza?

[California_Republic]

2. I'm giving benefit of doubt

Just trying to make it work for the student

[kcr]

4. No

I'm not giving you the benefit of the doubt any more than I am the school. Rethink this, because no decent person thinks this is ok.

[California_Republic]

10. Teachers buying supplies

In my view is unacceptable, but teachers and administrators are trying to do the best the can with limited funds, red tape, state and federal laws. I’m just saying I believe they considered all options, janitors closet, building a room in the class room, transfer to other school. And if those were not available, then maybe good people felt this was they only way at that time. It’s never so black and white

[obamanut2012]

11. The other poster is correct: your view is appallingly wrong

You do not try to help a student and meet requirements but putting a kid IN THE FUCKING BATHROOM WITH A DESK NEXT TO THE FUCKING TOILET! You refit a closet or something similar. NOT SOMEPLACE WHERE PEOPLE SHIT.

What is wrong with the school? What is wrong with you?

[California_Republic]

13. You don't offer any solutions.

[Joe941]

5. Agreed. Don't jump to conclusions.

[Iris]

7. The school has a library.

That’s enough for me.

[Igel]

9. I don't know about your school,

but my school has a lot of stuff going on in the library.

Full-class sessions on how to do research. Class readings and projects. Once a quarter the history classes have exhibits and mock "museums" set up with other classes, sometimes from a different, nearby school, showing up to watch/learn. There are classes meeting there just to get out of the classroom. If there's a film that's going to be played for two classes, they meet there. If the teaching theatre's busy and two classes have to merge, it's to the library.

It's organized with a section in the middle for students on their own, with the stacks in the back. But on either side of that middle section are spaces for having 30-60 students at a time.

"Quiet" is not a good word for that space much of the time. Some times, sure. But if you want consistency, it's a bad choice.

I also find it distracting. There are decorations. Bright colors. Student art exhibits. Lots of windows--and in the case of my school's library, right outside the window is a playground for the on-campus day care. There's grounds keepers.

[treestar]

3. Dwight Shrute experienced this

If it works, it may just be creative.

As long as his pencils don’t end up in jello.

[Iris]

8. This is a real child. Why not the library?

[treestar]

14. No sense of humor

But how do you know the library is better? Maybe the quietest place was the bathroom. People look for shot to be outraged about.

[Skittles]

6. um...no, just no

ridiculous, demeaning

[obamanut2012]

12. People handwaving this as okay, or not that bad, make me sick

They put a child's desk literally right next to where people shit. The optics are that they consider this kid so dehumanized that he belongs where shit belongs.

They could have refitted a closet. They could have called in the parent(s) to discuss the limitations they have, and work to find a solution.

What you don't do is tell a kid you think he deserves to be where people shit.