Smoke and fire in a Willmar classroom

Posted at 12:42 PM on November 6, 2007 by Bob Collins (2 Comments)

Is a Willmar school teacher abusing her special education kids or not? The state Department of Education is going to have to decide that after five different investigations of special education teacher Lisa Vander Heiden.

According to a complaint filed with the department, and reported in the West Central Tribune, the teacher abused an elementary school special needs student for more than two years. The school district hired a law firm three times to investigate Vander Heiden. The firm cleared the teacher twice, but a third investigation into five specific allegations of abuse toward two students found that there was evidence the teacher refused to allow a girl use of the toilet facilities, calling it a "lapse in judgment."

The state, in two investigations, found evidence in both cases that something isn't right. One special needs student was placed at a desk with walls on three sides, then in a locked room, and denied toilet facilities.

In another investigation in April, the state found another case of denying students use of the toilet.

Again with the toilet denial.

The teacher in question was on administrative leave until this school year, when she was transferred, according to Margaret O'Sullivan Kane, the St. Paul civil rights attorney representing the child and her family, to a school that provides an "adolescent treatment unit that serves young people with mental health and behavioral issues who come from all over the state."

This was after, according to the Tribune, paraprofessionals came forward and blew the whistle on the situation.

In investigative reports obtained by Kane, paraprofessionals are quoted referring to Vander Heiden's room as "more of a punishment/torture area than a classroom," and "more of a room for punishment and verbal and emotional abuse."

A summary of allegations in the various investigation reports includes accusations of Vander Heiden yelling at children, belittling them, cuffing them on the backs of their heads, grabbing or jerking them by the arms, pulling their hair and excessive use of restraints and seclusion.

Reaction on the Web site included a mother of an autistic boy in New London, Minn., who said...

"A non verbal autistic child has been restrained now 2+ times and has come home with bruises, scratches, abrasions. The areas on his body are/were collar bone, wrists, ankles, upper arms, back, and his poor hands and fingers were swollen and his fingers blue and purple. This little boy loved to go to school. The last incident happened just a week and a half ago. My husband had to take 4 days off of work last week and be at home to put our son on the bus and be on 'stand by' for the call from the school, as I just can't go anymore. The last time I went - I had all I could do not to just 'lose it' and 'go off' on his teachers."

These sorts of allegations, even unproven, are troubling. Who wants to err on the side of the kids?

We'll find out on Friday when a hearing is held.

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Comments (2)

Ok, if you're going to quote from the comments on the Tribune's website, you need to ACCURATELY represent this information. The quote above is taken out of context. It actually refers to a child in a different school district. Here is the ENTIRE comment so that your readers can have the whole story:

I to agree with Diane 100%! I would like to also state that for as awful of a situation that this is, let's remember that mistreatment of Special Needs Students is not something that is/has only happened in the Willmar District. My husband & I are facing a similar issue right now with our 6 YO Autistic son at a different school district. The situation is not to the abuse extent ( we think ) as this young girl faced. I am uncomfortable elaborating at this time but will provide this: A non verbal autistic child has been restrained now 2+ times and has come home with bruises, scratches, abrasions. The areas on his body are/were collar bone, wrists, ankles, upper arms, back, and his poor hands and fingers were swollen and his fingers blue and purple. This little boy loved to go to school. The last incident happened just a week and a half ago. My husband had to take 4 days off of work last week and be at home to put our son on the bus and be on "stand by" for the call from the school, as I just can't go anymore. The last time I went - I had all I could do not to just "loose it" and "go off" on his teachers. We are required by law to send our child to school or to home school them. Our son has learned much attending school, the most impacting at this point* he has become aggressive at home, this started after the last "restraining". With in 24 hours of the last time, he put the restrained moves on his mother. He grabbed me by the wrists, hissed and screamed at me. He is a strong young boy. This has happened now repeatedly to his parents. The restrain moves have taught him how to be aggressive and they believe he is acting out what was done to him. At some point this learned behavior will be used against others. After dealing with schools and special education programs this is my conclusion: with the low funds spent/allowed, our schools have people undertrained/educated teaching and in charge of our special needs children. For some reason I have managed this child for 6.5 years and have never had to "restrain" him nor felt threatened by him. My 67 year old Mother in Law watches him at times and also manages him, along with countless other family members. It only happens at school. We looked at Willmar for him but decided that was a "no" because of this teacher in the article and how the district handled it. I think most districts are ill - equipped to handle many of the needs of their students but are unwilling to spend the funds needed to provide a safe learning environment for them with the proper staff. There is much that needs to be done for these students. Who would have thought that with all of the stress and worry that raising an autistic child comes with -- the one that scares me most and keeps me up at night is sending him to school!
Julie S
New London, MN
11/03/2007 8:07 AM

Taken from: http://www.wctrib.com/articles/index.cfm?page=comments&id=26561&start_row=61

Posted by Sara | December 16, 2007 6:53 PM

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If this type of abuse was reported at a home or homeschool, cops and social workers would be there to take the child away and arrest the offending adult, whether there was proof or not. Why the double standard? I think this should be taken much more seriously since it involves a public institution with professional employees. The mother of that New London boy should have called the police, and the teacher should have been arrested.

Posted by Susan A | May 26, 2008 2:07 PM

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