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Autistic Boy Goes To School With A Hidden Recorder In Backpack, Two Teachers Get Fired
12-year-old Camden Davis, from Baton Rogue, Louisiana, had been attending the Hope Academy since last year. The academy specializes in teaching special needs students, and according to its website promotes “inclusion, encouragement, positive relationships and recognition of student accomplishment.”
Camden is severely autistic, and his mother Milissa had enrolled him at Hope Academy in the hope of giving him a supportive and understanding environment where he could learn at his own pace. However, she began to notice increased signs of distress in Camden after coming home from school and instinctively knew that something was wrong.
So one day, she decided to place a recording device in his backpack to get an idea of what might be causing his unhappiness, as he was unable to vocalize it himself. It’s fair to say that she was shocked with what she found. Camden was being bullied. Not by classmates or kids in the playground, but by the specially trained teachers who were supposed to support him.
“I’m sad and heart broken that this happened to Camden,” Milissa told Bored Panda. “I am his biggest advocate and his biggest fighter for justice. No child should have to have this happen to them. I brought this to light because I wanted my son to be the last kid that this happened to at this school. This is happening all over the world, and people need to learn to accept kids and adults with Autism. They have a light in them that shines so bright.”
Camden is at a new school and his new teacher has a degree in special ed, Applied Behavior Analysis, and a minor in psychology, so he is being well treated now. However, he still suffers some effects from his experience. “He still is having severe anxiety and wetting the bed,” Milissa told us. “He had not wet the bed since he was 3.”
“Bullying is terrible when it’s kids-on-kids. But it’s so much worse when it’s adults picking on your child.”
Scroll below to see how the story unfolded.
RELATED:
This is Camden, a 12-year-old from Louisiana who attended the Hope Academy, a special school for kids like him with autism
Image credits: WBRZ Channel 2
His mother Milissa wanted him to get a supportive and understanding environment where he could learn at his own pace
Image credits: Milissa Davis
So she felt extremely lucky when Camden was accepted to the school
Image credits: WBRZ Channel 2
Which is known for good conditions for students with special needs
Image credits: Google Maps
But she noticed that the usually cheerful and happy boy was distressed. He got aggressive and would frequently wet the bed
Image credits: Milissa Davis
The concerned mom tried talking to the school board, but she got nothing
Image credits: Milissa Davis
In her desperation, Milissa came up with a plan
Image credits: WBRZ Channel 2
She hid a recording device in her son’s backpack
Image credits: Spy Equipment UK (not an actual photo)
And the things teachers were saying to Camden left her in shock
Image credits: WBRZ Channel 2
Image credits: WBRZ Channel 2
Image credits: WBRZ Channel 2
The next day she took the recordings to the school board, which kicked off a chain reaction
Image credits: WBRZ Channel 2
The school’s principal, Lisa Stone, had to act quickly and fired the two teachers heard in the recordings
Image credits: WBRZ Channel 2
Here are the actual recordings that got the internet boiling with fury
Milissa pulled Camden out of the school immediately and has sought legal advice. Her social media post about the incident went viral but has since been removed, while the teachers involved appear to have been fired from the school. Hope Academy’s principal, Linda Stone, released this statement about the incident:
“On March 23, 2018, a recording posted to social media was brought to our attention. Apparently, a parent sent a student to school with a recording device in his/her backpack. The recording appears to be a compilation of audio clips, many of which involve private conversations between two adults with no other persons/children present. The recording contains regretful conversations between these adults.
The parent never brought the recording to the attention of Hope Academy before posting it on social media. The parent has also refused to meet with Hope Academy to discuss the actions we have taken to address the issue. The persons involved in the communications are either no longer with the school or will no longer be with the school after this semester.
Over these many years, Hope Academy has built a strong reputation for competently serving the educational needs of the special needs community. These recordings are not an indication of who we are. We ask that the community not let the actions of two persons reflect on the reputation of and the mission of our school-a mission we have tried so hard to build. We again extend an invitation to meet with the parent involved to discuss this incident further.”
Here’s what people had to say about it
What do you think ?
Maci Wilcox 7 years ago
I'm a 7th grader and even I can tell that these teachers are awful. One of my best friends is autistic, and he is the smartest person I know and would be very offended if someone said those things to him. I also help in the special needs classroom at my school, and they are some of the nicest kids in the entire building. I'm hoping to grow up to become a special education teacher, and I'll definitely be nicer than these teachers! I'm really glad that they both got fired!
Anne Reid 7 years ago
I wish those teachers were more like you! You have a big heart, Maci. Don’t let anyone change that. We need more people like you in the world.
Load More Replies...
Bella Smith 7 years ago
Does anyone feel reminded of Ms Trunchbal for Matilda and how she became a Headmistress! this is a real-life example of her :(
just a thought! 7 years ago
Exactly ! Can't believe there are real teachers like that. If they don't enjoy interacting with children then they shouldn't teach at all.
Load More Replies...
Mikaela-Rose Evans 7 years ago
I'm autistic (very high functioning). I have other mental disorders, like dyslexia, ADHD, Bipolar disorder and OCD. It's hard to think that people can really treat people like me like we're idiots, that we can't understand anything or things like that. People with learning disabilities aren't stupid. They learn differently. I wish there were more people who can understand this.
pusheen buttercup 7 years ago
I feel you, Mikaela-Rose Evans :) Even one who is nonverbal may possibly still understand what is going on. I have heard cases of where a few non-verbal autistic adults learned to type and expressed intelligence that no one thought they had. Regardless too of the level of functioning, a common mistake is to assume people with autism are all the same and not thinking about other factors such as for example ADHD, or the mere fact that it affects us all differently anyway. While this subject is complex, and it is understandable that many fall prey to misconceptions, thank you for helping to spread knowledge to others. :)
Load More Replies...
Cassie 7 years ago
I'm glad this mom did what she had to do to protect her child. FYI, recording without consent is illegal in many places and you could be charged with a crime if you do this. I read a similar story recently where another mother did the exact same thing and was arrested for it, so don't think authorities will just let it slide. Protect your kids, but know what you may be getting in to.
Sasy 7 years ago
Most definitely Cassie, and I am sorry that the system failed your kids in any way, what a terrible thing.
Load More Replies...
Matthew A 7 years ago
I would sue... the emotional damage done is worth more than firing over... who knows how long that went on...
BetsyB 7 years ago
I think the principal is just as bad as the teachers & is obviously a liar.
Isabel 7 years ago
I agree, that statement read very wrong. Good thing she took her son out of there (awesome mom, btw!). Environments with a negative atmosphere (gossiping, bullying etc) often seem to have this behavior because it's either tolerated or even reinforced from the top down. I hope there will be consequences for this school.
Load More Replies...
lunanoir69 7 years ago
My nephew had a PROFESSOR announce to the whole class that "William has a*s burgers!!". My nephew has Asperger's Autism, as well as his two siblings, his father and mother, and myself. That professor will NEVER teach in my state again, believe me!! Nebraska's public school system, and it's community college are a JOKE if you have any type of disability or learning disorder!!!!
Maci Wilcox 7 years ago
I'm a 7th grader and even I can tell that these teachers are awful. One of my best friends is autistic, and he is the smartest person I know and would be very offended if someone said those things to him. I also help in the special needs classroom at my school, and they are some of the nicest kids in the entire building. I'm hoping to grow up to become a special education teacher, and I'll definitely be nicer than these teachers! I'm really glad that they both got fired!
Anne Reid 7 years ago
I wish those teachers were more like you! You have a big heart, Maci. Don’t let anyone change that. We need more people like you in the world.
Load More Replies... Bella Smith 7 years ago
Does anyone feel reminded of Ms Trunchbal for Matilda and how she became a Headmistress! this is a real-life example of her :(
just a thought! 7 years ago
Exactly ! Can't believe there are real teachers like that. If they don't enjoy interacting with children then they shouldn't teach at all.
Load More Replies... Mikaela-Rose Evans 7 years ago
I'm autistic (very high functioning). I have other mental disorders, like dyslexia, ADHD, Bipolar disorder and OCD. It's hard to think that people can really treat people like me like we're idiots, that we can't understand anything or things like that. People with learning disabilities aren't stupid. They learn differently. I wish there were more people who can understand this.
pusheen buttercup 7 years ago
I feel you, Mikaela-Rose Evans :) Even one who is nonverbal may possibly still understand what is going on. I have heard cases of where a few non-verbal autistic adults learned to type and expressed intelligence that no one thought they had. Regardless too of the level of functioning, a common mistake is to assume people with autism are all the same and not thinking about other factors such as for example ADHD, or the mere fact that it affects us all differently anyway. While this subject is complex, and it is understandable that many fall prey to misconceptions, thank you for helping to spread knowledge to others. :)
Load More Replies... Cassie 7 years ago
I'm glad this mom did what she had to do to protect her child. FYI, recording without consent is illegal in many places and you could be charged with a crime if you do this. I read a similar story recently where another mother did the exact same thing and was arrested for it, so don't think authorities will just let it slide. Protect your kids, but know what you may be getting in to.
Sasy 7 years ago
Most definitely Cassie, and I am sorry that the system failed your kids in any way, what a terrible thing.
Load More Replies... Matthew A 7 years ago
I would sue... the emotional damage done is worth more than firing over... who knows how long that went on...
BetsyB 7 years ago
I think the principal is just as bad as the teachers & is obviously a liar.
Isabel 7 years ago
I agree, that statement read very wrong. Good thing she took her son out of there (awesome mom, btw!). Environments with a negative atmosphere (gossiping, bullying etc) often seem to have this behavior because it's either tolerated or even reinforced from the top down. I hope there will be consequences for this school.
Load More Replies... lunanoir69 7 years ago
My nephew had a PROFESSOR announce to the whole class that "William has a*s burgers!!". My nephew has Asperger's Autism, as well as his two siblings, his father and mother, and myself. That professor will NEVER teach in my state again, believe me!! Nebraska's public school system, and it's community college are a JOKE if you have any type of disability or learning disorder!!!!
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