Kentucky teacher filmed dragging autistic student fired

Jan. 08--An elementary teacher in Kentucky was fired Monday after she dragged a 9-year-old autistic boy down the hallway.

Tina Abrams, a teacher at Wurtland Elementary School, was filmed on security camera dragging the young boy, Alan Jackson, by his arms through the hall. Alan's mother posted the video on Facebook Sunday and it has already been viewed more than 85,000 times.

"Mrs. Abrams, considers herself to be completely innocent," Jackson wrote on Facebook. "She claimed she was preventing him from harming himself but it doesn't line up with his actions from the video. My son deserves justice."

Jackson said that Alan, who has autism, ADHD, PTSD, anxiety and depression, was diagnosed with a possible left wrist fracture and had swelling and bruising around his wrist.

Abrams was fired Monday, the Greenup County School District told WCHS.

"The district followed established safety protocol as soon as this situation became known. The parent was contacted immediately and the student was assessed by the school nurse and referred for outside medical evaluation," the school board said in a statement.

"All GCSD staff are trained to prevent incidents of restraint. Each school has a specially trained team to address immediate issues. In addition, each school has teachers specially trained to address autism related behaviors."

Child Protective Services was also contacted and the school launched a formal investigation.

Abrams has been charged with assault of the fourth degree, police told WCHS.

"Alan needs to be able to go to school and know it's a place where he is safe," Jackson wrote on Facebook.

"He deserves the highest quality education America can offer him with teachers specialized to care for his needs. Every child deserves this. Alan unfortunately may not have been the first child to have been injured by a school staff member, but let's take the necessary steps towards making him the LAST."

___

(c)2019 New York Daily News

Visit New York Daily News at www.nydailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.