OT: Kim Crapisode Dept.: Mother sues School Board over treatment of autistic son

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Kim Crapisode Dept.: Mother sues School Board over treatment of

autistic son

By Mike

http://tinyurl.com/498mgp

The mother of an autistic boy is suing the Roanoke County School Board

for $100,000 plus interest, saying her child suffered serious setbacks

after he was punished in October 2006 for an incident at Glenvar

Elementary School.

The suit states that h Underwood " suffered irreparable injury

and damage and his pre-existing condition was aggravated which

worsened his mental health and physical well-being. "

Roanoke attorney Harvey Lutins filed the suit on behalf of h's

mother, Hope Brickey. " This little boy deserves better and his mother

deserves better, " he said.

On Oct. 26, 2006, staff at Glenvar Elementary determined that the boy,

a fourth grader, had written an obscenity in a bathroom and smeared

human excrement in another bathroom. As punishment, school principal

Danny Guard made the 10-year-old clean both bathrooms.

The lawsuit does not name Guard but states that the school principal

" reprimanded, punished, scolded and embarrassed " the boy, and that the

punishment caused depression and panic attacks that required the child

to undergo intensive psychotherapy.

On Nov. 9, 2006, Guard was placed on paid leave while the Roanoke

County Department of Social Services invesitigated. Two months later,

the department found that the boy had been mentally abused, according

to reports Brickey received. Guard appealed the decision. On Feb. 6,

2007, the department reversed its decision and Guard returned to work.