Abuse Allegations Need Corroboration

If nothing else, whistleblower Jerry Roth deserves credit for drawing attention to possible abuse of handicapped children at a Coeur d’Alene middle school.

Eventually, we’ll learn if Roth’s defense of those children cost him his teacher’s aide job, as he claims. Or if he was fired Feb. 4 because he was unwilling to follow instructions in the special education classroom, as district officials contend.

One thing’s certain, however; disabled children at Lakes Middle School are better off today because Roth spoke up.

The Coeur d’Alene School Board, which this week upheld Roth’s firing, and district officials have taken his allegations seriously. They have promised to bring in an outside expert to evaluate the special education program, put consulting teachers or administrators in the classroom as monitors, and take “appropriate action” against any employee found to be abusive.

Now, it’s up to Jerry Roth’s supporters to follow through.

We’d urge parents and others who witnessed possible abuse to come forward with dates, names and places in which the incidents occurred. The Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office is willing to prosecute any criminal abuse, but it’s not willing to be part of a “witch hunt” against district employees.

Unfortunately, special education instructor Chris Gooley has been advised not to discuss the Roth case. So, she can’t defend herself against claims that disabled teens in her classroom had their arms held behind their backs, had their heads forced to the ground and spent extended periods of isolation in a “timeout” room.

School officials say some of the alleged abuse may simply be misinterpretation of unavoidable physical restraint.

We don’t envy special education teachers.

They have one of the toughest jobs in today’s schools, instructing “mainstreamed” youngsters who are big enough to harm themselves and others. The teens can be difficult to control. At Lakes Middle School, one youngster sprayed bleach in Gooley’s eyes. Another has a nasty habit of throwing himself down in a crowded hallway and going limp.

Still, experts say that a skilled teacher can calm students with the right words or touch.

Carl Mickelson, a Moscow attorney who advocates for the disabled, said: “Neither the timeout room or physical restraints in and of themselves are wrong. But if that’s creeping up all the time, then they’re not managing things correctly.”

Ultimately, Coeur d’Alene school officials could have avoided the current controversy by responding quickly to Roth’s original complaints - particularly when parents and others backed them up.

Yet, the Coeur d’Alene School Board and the district deserve credit for taking proper steps now. They, along with the prosecutor’s office, also deserve some breathing room to sort out the serious allegations.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = D.F. Oliveria/For the editorial board