A particular situation, not to say shameful, arises between the Risaralda Sectional Prosecutor’s Office and the Pereira Department of Education, representing the Pablo Emilio Cardona Educational Institution.
The complex case that has outraged the entire educational community (rector, teachers and parents), originated as a result of a video published in one of the most recognized news portals in the city, in which it was heard (before to download it from the network) apparently the voice of an official of the investigative entity and who recounted from inside the building how, according to her, the students of the aforementioned Institution suffer from mistreatment. In her description, the woman says that she and her work team are desperate for the suffering of the children.
The world upside down
The duty of the Prosecutor’s Office is to investigate, collect information, evidence and present it in order to file a complaint, but on this occasion the officials of this estate decided to put aside their work, bypass the regular channel, accuse of child abuse the people who They are responsible for these minors and to top it off they have constantly sent the quadrant to come to the classroom to verify the status of the students, but they are not happy with this, they constantly make videos from the balcony.
The teacher in charge of the group of children with different conditions of disability feels harassed and affirms that they often interrupt her work, because the policeman arrives and must stop the activities so that the uniformed officer can verify that nothing is happening.
Inside the school
The room where Aaron (the screaming boy) studies is a space made up of two boards, two windows that are open to keep it cool, sideboards for a large number of toys and some plastic tables and chairs.
This is how the headquarters of the Prosecutor’s Office is seen from the room, from where they make the recordings.Aaron has classic autism, a condition of low functionality and for this reason he needs the accompaniment of an ABA therapist, who without having body-to-body contact gives him clear and strong instructions to modify behavior so that this child can join different social spaces. Apart from the tone of the voice, the professional who is also a psychologist resorts to loud applause to get the minor’s attention.
What they think about the Ministry of Education
Ángela María Valencia is the leader of the Inclusion Program and yesterday morning attended the case and accompanied the parents. It should be noted that several of the guardians were consulted about the attitude of their children when they get up to go to study and they all said that it is very good, that they themselves hang their backpacks and get ready to go out even well in advance of school. entry time.
Who is the teacher?
Alexandra Estrada is a special educator with 22 years of experience, named property 17 years ago, all worked with autism and affirms that “it is quite desperate, yesterday there was already a man making a video of us from the street, apart from seeing the officials of the Prosecutor’s office on the balcony pending all the time from us. One here trying to do his job and give his best, but they are on top of it all the time. Who can work like that? It’s very outrageous to me.”
This teacher reports that when the uniformed officers arrive, the first thing they tell her is that there is a complaint from the Prosecutor for abuse, “because the children yell all the time and that is why we are doing something to them. I tell them show me where the abuse is.” She commented that she has worked in all the institutions in Pereira and that this is the first time something like this has happened.
life skills
In accordance with decree 1421 and to support the right to education, this program was implemented for children who require other types of work skills in the classroom. This work began with five children before the Pandemic.
What do you think of what happened?
Ángela María Valencia – Inclusive Education leader
«When the lady from the Prosecutor’s Office made a value judgment through Pereira en Vivo, about the abuse that was being caused to a child and it is important to know that she does it without knowledge of the Life Skills program. There are control entities and regular conduct, the first thing they should have done was come to speak with the rector.
Luis Fernando Valencia – rector
“The police have come to the classrooms and have confirmed that it is the natural condition of the child who has autism.”
Alexandra Estrada – teacher affected
«They mention that we mistreat children in the group, that we have them locked up and that is totally false. You were able to enter and it is the same with everyone who comes. There are children who can cry for an hour straight.”
Maria Gabriela Alfonso – Aaron’s mother
“The mothers of children with autism know that if they want a piece of candy and they don’t get it they cry, if they no longer want to work at the table with the teacher they cry. The teachers have infinite patience, it is a job that requires a lot of effort. I want to clarify that at no time has there been abuse or violence. It seems to me a great abuse with a person who is in a classroom for five hours with our children, it is not easy, the teacher leaves every day with a headache ”.
Cipher
68 children make up the IE Pablo Emilio Cardona life skills group.