****FOR BACKGROUND INFO, SCROLL DOWN****
NEWS UPDATE! Nov. 18th, 2008
Ms. Portillo has been suspended without pay for one year by the Port St. Lucie School District!!!
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/nov/18/st-lucie-schools-superintendent-recommend-one-year/
Here's an email address you can use to send a message of support to Alex and his family:
supportalex@treasurecoast.comHere's the link to the police report:
http://www.slate.com/id/2192480/entry/2192481/I was contacted by staff at CNN and they had me do an on-air interview about this petition on the Glenn Beck show! A video clip is available at http://www.ontarioautismcoalition.com
I'm happy to report that as of May 27th, Ms. Portillo has been removed from the classroom pending an investigation. It's a start.
"Portillo was removed from classroom duties until further action may be determined, according to St. Lucie County School district spokesman Janice Karst said this week. "
http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/972423,oust052708.articleLet's keep this petition going to send a loud message to Ms. Portillo and to all teachers that public humiliation is NEVER an appropriate form of classroom management.
Here's a background article on what happened:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/may/28/dr-phil-show-calls-mom-autistic-boy-voted-out-port/
Write the St. Lucie County School Board at
webmastr@stlucie.k12.fl.us
The school's principal is Marcia Cully: (772)337-6730
Morningside Elementary School Principal: Mrs. Marcia Cully cullym@stlucie.k12.fl.us (772) 337-6730St.
Lucie County Schools Superintendent: Michael J. Lannon4204 Okeechobee Road Ft. Pierce 34947-5414 Phone: 772/429-3925 FAX: 772/429-3916 e-mail: lannonm@stlucie.k12.fl.us
St. Lucie County School Board Chair: Carol Hilson 772-519-0397 HilsonC@stlucie.k12.fl.us
Vice Chair:Judith Miller772-528-4545 MillerJ@stlucie.k12.fl.us
BACKGROUND: Wendy Portillo, a Florida Kindergarten teacher, somehow thought it would be a good idea to invite her students, one by one, to tell one of their 5-year old classmates why they didn't like him. "A.B." has behavioural issues, and has been sent to the principal's office on occassion. After one such visit, Ms. Portillo held a vote on whether the students wanted to keep A.B. in their class. A.B. is in the process of being tested for Asperger's Syndrome, a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Whether this child has a disability or not, NO CHILD should be humiliated in such a fashion. If you think that this teacher deserves to be fired for such blatantly unprofessional and discriminatory behaviour, please sign this petition!
We, the undersigned:
Believe that the actions of Florida Kindergarten teacher Wendy Portillo show a lack of professionalism, compassion and good judgement;
Believe that classroom discipline should never involve shaming, isolation or cruelty;
Feel that allowing 5-year olds to "vote" on whether to keep a classmate is evidence in and of itself of professional incompetence on the part of the teacher;
Therefore, we request that Wendy Portillo be removed from her position as teacher in the State of Florida.
