By Portland Medium Staff
Multnomah County is dealing with a brutal act by one of it’s employees against a special needs child. Tiria Jones, a 9-year-old who has autism, had attended Four Creeks School for five days when the incident occurred in the fall of last year. According to the complaint filed March 14 in Multnomah County Circuit Court, the child suffered bruises to his legs.
The lawsuit is seeking $700,000 in damages for physical injuries to the boy and emotional harm to the mother and son. In the incident, a worker hauled the third grader down the hall and pushed him into a seclusion room. The child stuck his foot in the door and the worker picked him up and threw him across the room. This caused the student to strike his head, the suit alleges.
Physical punishment is illegal in Oregon public schools. However, restraint and involuntary confinement can be used as a last resort to prevent physical harm to other students or employees. The district says that it trains staff to use verbal cues, holds and seclusion as de-escalation tactics and informs families after staff members use them.
This is considered illegal punishment by the Multnomah Education Service District worker. The name of the employee involved and whether the person faced discipline or was fired are confidential. However, the suit says the worker was placed on leave two days after the incident.
The district initially said the child was punished for climbing on top of a bookshelf and kicking and spitting at staff. Before video of the incident was made public, the district said that the kid had been placed in restraints and separated from his class.
The video surveillance video showed a school worker grabbing the boy after he tried to open a locked door and ripped paper off the door. The Oregon Law Center filed the suit.
