WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Parents Protest Conditions For Special Ed Students (Bridgeport-WTNH) _ Parents protested in Bridgeport Thursday, claiming their special needs children are being treated poorly in the classroom. Parents rallied in front of the school where their children have been moved. They say the move is distracting, unsafe, and they oppose one of the classrooms because it's connected to a kitchen. News Channel 8's Judy Chong reports. It's called special education because these children require special care. But their mothers are furious because they feel the needs of the students are being ignored and worse mistreated. Case in point: The children had a substitute teacher who wasn't even certified in special education. Maria Ferraro, Mother: "He addressed to them that if they don't learn math, someday they're going to be working at McDonald's and someday he's going to see them selling drugs." Theresa Russell, Mother: "I was like appalled. They already don't feel good about themselves because they know they're diferent. And to tell them that by a teacher, someone they look up to...." The 6th graders were moved from the Bryant School and placed in an annex. These protesting moms say the children's classroom is a cafeteria next to a hot kitchen with nothing but a curtain dividing the two rooms. The annex is located about 100 yards from the main building of the beardlsey school the 16 special ed students have to walk across a busy intersection for gym and library classes which can be dangerous. And so is the lack of supervision. "The facility doesn't have anurse. It doesn't have a principal." One boy fractured his wrist while running for the school bus. His mother says school officials didn't even notice. Judy: "Where was your teacher at the time?" Edwin Bolonia, Special Needs Student: "I don't know. I didn't really look back. I just looked at my arm and it was like this." School officials are promising changes. Dr. Larry Ashley, Special Education Director: "On Monday there will be a qualified teacher and aide in the classroom and there will be an enviroment that's safe." School officials added a security guard, who we saw today helping the children cross the street. The director of special-ed also says the children will also have a new classroom, although he wouldn't go into details on where and what the conditions will be. The mothers, however, say they want their children back at the Bryant school. A school administrator says overcrowding is a big problem in Bridgeport. Four annexes are being used to accomodate the increase in the school population. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Parents Protest Conditions For Special Ed Students
(Bridgeport-WTNH) _ Parents protested in Bridgeport Thursday, claiming their special needs children are being treated poorly in the classroom. Parents rallied in front of the school where their children have been moved. They say the move is distracting, unsafe, and they oppose one of the classrooms because it's connected to a kitchen.
News Channel 8's Judy Chong reports.

It's called special education because these children require special care. But their mothers are furious because they feel the needs of the students are being ignored and worse mistreated. Case in point: The children had a substitute teacher who wasn't even certified in special education.

Maria Ferraro, Mother: "He addressed to them that if they don't learn math, someday they're going to be working at McDonald's and someday he's going to see them selling drugs."

Theresa Russell, Mother: "I was like appalled. They already don't feel good about themselves because they know they're diferent. And to tell them that by a teacher, someone they look up to...."

The 6th graders were moved from the Bryant School and placed in an annex. These protesting moms say the children's classroom is a cafeteria next to a hot kitchen with nothing but a curtain dividing the two rooms.

The annex is located about 100 yards from the main building of the beardlsey school the 16 special ed students have to walk across a busy intersection for gym and library classes which can be dangerous. And so is the lack of supervision.

"The facility doesn't have anurse. It doesn't have a principal."

One boy fractured his wrist while running for the school bus. His mother says school officials didn't even notice.

Judy: "Where was your teacher at the time?"
Edwin Bolonia, Special Needs Student: "I don't know. I didn't really look back. I just looked at my arm and it was like this."

School officials are promising changes.

Dr. Larry Ashley, Special Education Director: "On Monday there will be a qualified teacher and aide in the classroom and there will be an enviroment that's safe."

School officials added a security guard, who we saw today helping the children cross the street. The director of special-ed also says the children will also have a new classroom, although he wouldn't go into details on where and what the conditions will be. The mothers, however, say they want their children back at the Bryant school.

A school administrator says overcrowding is a big problem in Bridgeport. Four annexes are being used to accomodate the increase in the school population.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.