School offers mother of severely autistic student $86,000 to keep him away

[Azul]

• Heather Houston wants her son David, 21, who is mute and has diabetes, to attend school in Yuba City, California

• The student's private nurse claims one teacher tried to force-feed David and caused him to vomit

A mother is fighting for her autistic son's right to an education after public school officials tried to palm her off with a settlement check to keep him away from classes, it has been revealed today.

Heather Houston wants her son David, 21, who is mute and has diabetes, to attend school in California until he is 22 which is his legal right.

Ms Houston said that authorities have failed to follow her son's individual education plan and taken extreme measures to keep him out of school, even offering her $86,000 last week.

She received the large check after her son was turned away from the first day of the school year on August 15. David is currently being home-schooled.

This followed an offer of $50,000 in June to keep David out of school, which the mother rejected.

Ms Houston has been negotiating with Yuba City Unified School District and Sutter County Superintendent of Schools since last year after lodging civil rights complaints that her son was force-fed and left out of school activities.

Ms Houston told ABC: 'The law says he's allowed access to education. I don't want their money. I never wanted their money.'

The family received an unsigned letter on August 27 which offered $86,000 for David to be kept away from public school.

He is currently entitled to go to school until his 22nd birthday next spring.

If Ms Houston accepts the money, she must drop any legal complaints against the school, the letter states.

Ms Houston told WUSA 9: 'You could offer me a million. I'm not going to take any money to sign away my son's rights to an education.'

The autistic student's education plan includes learning how to write down his name and phone number incase he gets lost, communicating with words on his iPad and about hygiene.

Annette Armstrong is the private nurse who goes to school with David to monitor his diabetes. She also understands when he is upset as he hums or puts his fingers in his ears.

She has cared for the autistic man for the past five years but claims that she was fired because she complained about a teacher force-feeding David.

Ms Armstrong said that one lunchtime, a teacher tried to feed David with a metal fork which he cannot use because his autism leaves him with extreme sensitivity to metal.

The nurse said that when David spit out the food, the teacher mixed it back into his bowl and made him eat it again. The incident left the student vomiting.

Nurse Armstrong added: 'I always have tried to … advocate for David and just try to get through the day. Why do we have to make the kid so upset that he pukes on his shoes?'

Ms Houston claims that David was later barred from campus with his private nurse after she refused to sign a waiver to allow another nurse to become involved in his care.

The Department of Education states that public schools are required to provide free and appropriate education for children with disabilities.

Both school districts deny any wrongdoing. Ms Houston is now taking her son's battle for an education to court.



A kid with disabilities is legally allowed to free education until the age of 22. Would you take the money and have the kid put in private/alternative school or fight to have him go back to the old school for the next few months?

 

[Ronald McDonald]

who cares he's a cac

 

[KinksandCoils]

I didn't read the whole thing but I feel like any type of mental disability its very sad but he is 21 and would only have one year left. What is so magical about that one yr. she would be reimbursed for him not being able to attend the school. No I don't think it's right but kids get kicked out of schools for hair styles and they don't get reimbursed. She should put him in a program with people who are autistic themselves. I would take the money. The money could go to helping him in some other sort of way. She should teach him how to do those things.

 

[marcuz]

she should have taken the 86,000

 

[LimitedEdition]

I wonder if he's very disruptive.

 

[MikelArteta]

autism is no joke i feel sorry for parents who have severe autistic kids. Basically a 24/7 hour job until you die or give your kid away, I always remember this family at this church i sometimes went to had a austic son. Dude never stayed still, would spit all over the place, couldn't talk and he was like 12 with the brain of like a 2 year old

have kids brehs

 

[LimitedEdition]

She probably just wants the money. School for him is basically free day care but damn Im sure she getting a check for his ass anyways. Idk how much learnig she think he gonna do in 9 months He wears Velcro shoes. I mean his cognition in 9 months isn't gonna markedly improve. He won't turn into Einstein in less than a year. I don't get it.

 

[KinksandCoils]

I wonder if he's very disruptive.

Probably that's why I can't sympathize with the parent for the school situation. I do feel sorry that her son has a disability. It's sad.

 

[Boogie]

I would have taken that 86 grand ​

 

[KinksandCoils]

The only explanation why I can think that she would want him in school so bad is the fact that she gets a break from him. Like someone else said his cognitive skills are very love. if he can't do the things that he is suppose to learn , that was mentioned already how would 1 yr or less help him when he had over a decade and a half to learn it?

 

[Spoonz]

She should of took the money and put him in a better school, one that could actually deal with his disability

 

[Jone2three45]

Use that money a buy a tutor or something.

 

[Bay Area]

Probably that's why I can't sympathize with the parent for the school situation. I do feel sorry that her son has a disability. It's sad.

You cant sympathize with a parent who has a child born with a condition that no one could have prevented? People with disabilities deserve the same rights and quality of life as the rest of us. Public schools are for EVERYONE, if this particular school cannot accommodate the needs of people with disabilities then it is the burden of the school to provide better training to its staff.

 

[Dooby]

Why try to educate such people.

I would have cashed in with the quickness! Female logic largely at play here.

 

[KinksandCoils]

You cant sympathize with a parent who has a child born with a condition that no one could have prevented? People with disabilities deserve the same rights and quality of life as the rest of us. Public schools are for EVERYONE, if this particular school cannot accommodate the needs of people with disabilities then it is the burden of the school to provide better training to its staff.

Reading is fundamental. I said on both of my post that I could sympathize. But as far as the school situation I can't. The only reason why I can't is because she was offered money . With that money she could put him in another program to help him. I know u seen that I said it was sad because he had a disability. All I'm saying is she should take him somewhere else. And like I said again I'm not sympathizing because she would be reimbursed which is better than them just sending him off.