A Colorado mother is calling for change in the wake of vicious attacks from schoolyard bullies against her 11-year-old son, who has been bloodied and bruised in the incidents, the Independent reports.
Ashley Bibbo recently wrote a now-viral Facebook post about her son with high-functioning autism and the relentless assaults he faces from bullies. Most people who engage with her son would not realize he has autism, Bibbo said. Yet, he still struggles in social situations and bullying often intensifies the problem.
(If it is on your heart to share – please feel free to, we need to protect our students from bullying and raise…
Posted by Ashley Bibbo on Thursday, December 14, 2017
“This year, my child has continually dealt with bullies that have been cruel and relentless,” she wrote. “I have been in contact with the school every week due to incidents involving him and other boys.”
Children with high-functioning autism can find it difficult to interact with others and read social cues. They may invade people’s spaces or act impulsively when rejected, Bibbo said. One incident on Oct. 3 resulted in significant facial injuries, but the school didn’t make a record of the assault, according to Bibbo, who said she had difficulty getting in touch with a school official about the attack.
“After a few more incidents and an aggressive situation in November, I was finally told the woman in charge had resigned, and I was put in contact with the person taking over her caseload.”
“I called and left messages with no response,” she wrote.
Four students later injured the boy earlier this month, including one who reportedly filmed the encounter. When school employees intervened, they did not know how to respond to her son and failed to work with him properly, she says.
“Heartbreakingly, he was restrained by security which only further escalated the situation and made him feel as though he was at fault,” Bibbo wrote.
Parents have responded to the social media post with expressions of comfort and concern.
Bibbo wants them to share her experiences so that it raises awareness about high-functioning autism, the impact of bullying and how schools should respond.
“We can do better,” she wrote. “We have to do better in order to raise a generation of productive, well-adjusted children.”
[Ashley Bibbo’s son/Facebook]
