DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A mother in DeKalb County wants answers after, she said, her son with autism came home from school scratched, bruised and with ripped clothes.
Monica Perdew said her 11-year-old son, Bryson, is a student at Sagamore Hills Elementary School in Decatur.
She said her son came home last week with several injuries after school officials told her a paraprofessional accidentally scratched him after taking away his iPad.
Perdew said her son had a deep scratch on his face along with other scratches and bruises on his face and arms. She said his pants were torn.
“When I send him to school, I expect to get him back the same way I sent him,” she said.
Perdew said her son, who is mostly nonverbal, repeatedly asked for her after the incident through a communication device at the school. She said what happened is unacceptable.
“This isn’t just about Bryson. This is about all of the special-needs kids who cannot talk who are in the care of teachers and paraprofessionals. They have a duty to report,” she said.
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DeKalb County school officials sent the following statement:
“DCSD has thoroughly investigated the alleged incident, including gathering statements from witnesses. We are confident that the employee acted appropriately, and that the student is being treated within the bounds of our standards, procedure and policies.”
Perdew said that answer isn’t good enough. She said she wants to know if there is any video that may have captured the incident.
“(I want) transparency. Is there something to hide? And then training, so that this won’t happen. His clothes torn. What was happening at that time?” she said.
Perdew said her son has been reluctant to go back to school.
She said she will meet with school administrators on Wednesday.