In Ninove, in Flanders, the prosecution is opening an investigation into acts of abuse in a school. Several autistic students would have been humiliated by teachers. Some students would have been tied to their chair or even locked in a room.
In the school establishment, the worst humiliations, suffered by 12-year-old children. Suffering from autism, they were mocked for their differences by a group of eight teachers. Shocked, a teacher comes out of silence and testifies for the Flemish channel VTM.
“For example, a student had hit her knee against a chair. The teacher laughed and wrote on the board ‘she’s stupid’ quoting the name of the student. It stayed there during the whole lesson when this young person was already very bad about herself and had dark thoughts. The teachers knew it”she assures.
Psychological violence was accompanied by physical abuse. A student was reportedly locked in a room. Another would have received a blow with the help of a school kit. A pupil of hyperactivity was even tied to a chair according to another witness. “Obviously, one of the students was very active in class. It was driving the teacher crazy. He said ‘hope, problem solved’ and posted a photo of the student tied to the chair with tape”indicates the witness.
The teachers pointed out shared their misdeeds on a Whatsapp group. “The teachers made fun of the students with a language disorder. They had fun imitating them. I have already denounced these facts, but the coordinator did not care. For her, it was necessary to take into account the context. There was no malicious intent”adds the witness.
The person in charge of the network to which the school belongs, assures that he will put in place sanctions, after the investigation. “We deplore this situation. Our goal is to offer a dignified education to our students. And we must be able to guarantee it”, points out Nathalie Jennes, spokesperson for the “Go!” school network.
Following the media coverage of this mistreatment, the East Flanders prosecutor’s office took up the case. Parents, teachers and management will be heard to determine whether offenses have been committed.