A Rockdale County mother is demanding changes from the local school board after an alleged assault on her nonverbal, autistic 8-year-old son by a paraeducator at Pine Street Elementary School. Yemaya Lyles plans to hold a news conference on Tuesday to push Rockdale County Public Schools for increased safety measures for children with special needs and to promote equality among all students, Atlanta News First reported.
The incident, which Lyles said occurred inside a classroom last month, involved a teacher's assistant, Arie Jones, who has since been charged with simple battery and terminated from his position. According to a statement by Lyles' attorneys, obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta, the family has faced difficulties in attempting to obtain security camera footage of the incident from school officials and the police department. Despite the formal charges and investigation by the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office, official videos of the event have not been released to the public or the concerned family.
During an interview, Lyles graphically described the assault: “The guy struck Antonio, then kind of put him in a headlock and took him to the restroom,” she recalled, noting the apparent discomfort of the assailant captured on camera after emerging from the restroom: “When he comes out of the restroom, the guy kind of holds his hand, like ahh, like I just hit something, and it hurts. It’s blatant on the camera.” This follows another recent incident where Janice Foot, a Rockdale County special education teacher, was arrested and charged with child cruelty, as per Conyers police and Atlanta News First detailed.
Lyles and her legal team are urging the school board to make substantive shifts to the current handling of special education within the county's system."This incident, and similar recent incidents in Rockdale schools, indicate that we have a serious problem in Rockdale County schools relating to the education and treatment of special needs children. If special needs children are being abused or mistreated in schools, they are being denied a free public education, which is guaranteed to them by the United States Constitution," Attorney Kianna Chennault explained, a statement echoed by FOX 5 Atlanta. The family has requested a written response from the Rockdale County School Board by year's end.
