Speak Up For Orren

****UPDATE******SCROLL DOWN FOR AN UPDATE*****SCROLL DOWN FOR AN UPDATE****


In Baltimore City, there is a trend to plea down or dismiss cases that are not drug or gun related. This is a strategy to reduce the serious drug and crime epidemic raging in the city.

A woman was employed on a school bus as an aide to assist disabled children to and from school. These children are non verbal, half of them autistic and most with profound developmental delays. Last year, at least three different families from a small Jewish community in the northwest part of the city called the school with complaints about this woman. Parents were distressed by her demeanor when she met their children at the top of the steps inside the bus. This would often be their child's first interaction with a non relative for the day. She never smiled, talked kindly or even wished them a good morning. The attitude she exhibited was disturbing and prompted numerous phone calls. A number of children had a hard time getting on the bus. The noise, the vibrations or possible tiredness were reasons the families assumed their child resisted going on the school bus. Many autistic children find such transitions very difficult.

On January 23rd, 2008, the veil was lifted. This woman, Shirley Manley, was witnessed by school teachers striking a little 43 pound boy in the face. He had not been acting out or misbehaving, he was simply sitting halfway on the bus bench, singing or talking to himself as he often does. After the assault, the teachers saw, as the bus pulled away, Orren holding his hands over his face crying.

What is especially shocking in this incident is that Orren has an extremely high pain threshold. He did not cry at birth or at his circumcision. As a toddler, he once had serious burns on his feet and reacted oblivious to them. After vaccinations, he jumps down and raises his arms, yells "yay", happy to no longer be restrained by his mom and the nurse, unaffected by the injections.

The school did everything they were supposed to. , calling the police to stop the bus and later to report the incident to the appropriate authorities. The police delayed taking down a report for three days. Only after Orren's parents attained protective orders against the bus aide and the driver (a state required "mandatory reporter" who reported nothing) only then were the individuals removed from the school bus.

These children are some of the most vulnerable members of our society. There is not a single video camera on these school buses. Due to the inaction and complacency of the driver who was two feet away assisting another child onto the bus, we have no idea how long the aide has been physically abusing Orren or any of the other children.

It has been three months with a new driver and bus aide. Orren is getting there. He still remains resistant at times to board the school bus in the morning; however he is no longer hiding his shoes, removing his clothes, dumping his lunch on the ground as a stalling tactic to miss the bus and be brought to school by a family member.

Orren is incapable of being interviewed by the police detective, as are his peers. This upcoming court case is their only chance for justice. Orren and his schoolmates were trying to speak up, something was WRONG on their bus, something they did not want to be near. We, his family, didn't hear him. We had no idea this behavior was possible. It is our worst nightmare. The child who cannot converse with us needed to desperately, to be protected, to be safe. We are protecting him now. We are protecting those children who may be on a school bus with this woman.

Please stand with us and SPEAK up for Orren so that another child can be safe. So that any morning any other parent can wave goodbye to their son or daughter with the peace of mind that after the noisy bus ride their child will descend those steps with a smile and ready to start their day.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.  PLEASE CLICK ON THE 'Letter' TO YOUR LEFT TO SEE WHAT IS BEING SENT OUT.  YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR ORREN - AND OTHER CHILDREN LIKE HIM.


****UPDATE******
The arraignment was held and the prosecutor REALLY wanted to offer Shirley Manley a 'Probation Before Judgement'  That means that she would be on probation for a certain period of time and at the completion the charges would be DISMISSED!!  Off her record!!!  But this petition helped,  when I gave it to the prosecutor, he was suprised and shocked at the public interest.  He said based on the trends of Baltimore City Juries that are chances were 50-50 for a conviction.  Grudgingly, he agrred to go to trial.  Even the Judge was suprised that they were not cutting a deal.  ALL OF YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE!!  We will submit this entire petition to be a part of the court record for the trial in July.  Thank you again.