Teacher records autistic boy stuck in chair - WNEM TV 5

Teacher records autistic boy stuck in chair - WNEM TV 5



GOODRICH, MI (WNEM) -

An 11-year old autistic child gets his head stuck in a classroom chair but instead of helping, the teacher recorded it. 

Officials say the teacher, Nicole Mcvey, recorded it all on her cell phone as the rest of the class stood by. The incident happened in a fifth grade classroom at Oaktree Elementary in Goodrich last November. 

You can hear the teacher ask him if he wants to get tasered and then the principal comes in referring to it not being an emergency. He resigned shortly after.

At a meeting Monday night, parents rallied behind her at the school board meeting.

Patrick Greenfelder was hired by the boy's family as the incident has sparked so much controversy in the community.

Greenfelder says the teacher is on paid administrative leave while private tenure hearings debating her future take place.

Late last year the board voted to fire her.

Goodrich Superintendent Scott Bogner sent TV5 this statement.

Under Michigan's tenure law, that teacher has a right to a private hearing of any charges against her.  The district is obligated to respect that right and will not discuss specifics of this case.

Greenfielder says the incident happened in November and the community has rallied behind teacher without seeing this video. At the Goodrich school board meeting, parents continued to stick by her.

We're told the boy was stuck in the chair for roughly ten to fifteen minutes. 

His parents' attorney says they are considering a lawsuit against the school district, but they want to wait and see how the tenure hearings playout for the teacher involved.

Attorney Greenfelder has told me that the video was distributed to not just school staff, but to the friends of the principal and teacher who were not school staff. He says this is a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and contradicts the argument that this was a "teaching moment."