Marysville mom says her autistic child was sent home from school barefoot

MARYSVILLE, Wash. — “I looked at her feet and her feet were muddy, wet and so cold they were purple,” laments a Marysville mother, who says her special needs daughter was placed on a school bus without socks or shoes on her feet.

Mom Disiree Peterson shared her experience with Grove Elementary, which happened last Monday during the first major rainstorm of the season.

The mother admits her non-verbal, autistic daughter requires special attention — but says she worries now for her child’s safety.

According to the school district, the teacher was removed from the classroom following the incident, but the mother says her daughter is still complaining about being mistreated.

So, she is still fearful about what could happen next at Marysville’s Grove Elementary.

A special education teacher shared photos with Peterson documenting just how disruptive her 7-year-old daughter was in class last Monday. Peterson readily acknowledges her daughter has very special needs, so when the teacher sent the photographs, she immediately called but received no response from the teacher.

Then, she got an email that her daughter was sent home on the school bus barefoot.

“And she was screaming and crying when she got home that her feet hurt. I looked at her feet and her feet were muddy, wet and so cold they were purple,” said Peterson.

Peterson says she blames the bus driver, too. She placed the child in a safety harness which restrains her hands, but left her barefoot.

Peterson says the school is well aware that they could have contacted her to come pick her daughter up, “The school knows she needs one-on-one and she’s in an enclosed classroom due to autism. There’s three people that can be there in fifteen minutes. And even emailing the teacher, I emailed the teacher to tell her I am on my way to get her - and there was no response.”

She says she is glad the teacher was removed from the classroom, but she’s still upset over that fateful bus ride.

“Yeah, and it was the coldest, wettest day we’ve had so far,” said Peterson.

A district spokeswoman affirmed that the safety of all of its students is a top priority, and they are investigating that teacher’s actions.

But Peterson says even with the teacher gone, she’s concerned other children might be being mistreated, too.

Peterson’s other autistic daughter has complained to her as well.

“Her saying that the teacher doesn’t like her. The teacher’s mean to her. The teacher’s mean to her friends. So, if this is happening to my children, there’s other kids in the classroom are non-verbal and can’t speak up,” said Peterson, hoping to be the voice those kids might need.

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