A mother said her autistic son will not go back to Ardrey Kell High School after he was handcuffed at school last week.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School officials said they have to protect the safety of both the student and school staff.
But the outraged mom told Eyewitness News reporter Paige Hansen, she can't imagine any reason where handcuffs would be necessary.
"It breaks my heart for him because he doesn't know. He's trying and that's autism," said Kim Riley.
She told Channel 9 she still can't believe her 19-year-old son Devin was handcuffed by a school resource officer at the school last week.
"To get that call saying, 'Oh we let the officer handcuff him.' It's not right,” she said.
On Thursday, Riley said Devin's teacher told her, she thought Devin was about to bite her and that is why her son ended up in handcuffs.
CMS confirms the student was handcuffed by the school resource officer, but said anytime that sort of restraint is used, it is a last resort.
The district sent Channel 9 its policy on seclusion and restraint, which said in part that "mechanical restraint" like using handcuffs, may be used "as reasonably needed for self-defense" or "to ensure the safety of any student, school employee, volunteer, or other person present."
Riley said her son has been aggressive in the past, but never a danger.
She showed Channel 9 a psychological evaluation done in July where the psychologist said Devin is aggravated when restrained.
Riley thinks school staff should have tried harder to calm down her son verbally.
“That's what it is, communication. Not just immediately running in, grabbing handcuffs. No, that is not what you do with a disabled person,” Riley said.
For now, Devin is home with his mom who said, no matter the policy, her son should not have been handcuffed.
“He will not be coming back to Ardrey Kell. I don't feel he's safe,” Riley said.
CMS said Devin was in a class with seven other students who are overseen by three teachers, all of whom are trained to work with disabled students, known as "exceptional children."
Devin's mom pulled her son from the school last week.
She said she is working with CMS to find a new school to place him.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School officials said they have to protect the safety of both the student and school staff.
But the outraged mom told Eyewitness News reporter Paige Hansen, she can't imagine any reason where handcuffs would be necessary.
"It breaks my heart for him because he doesn't know. He's trying and that's autism," said Kim Riley.
She told Channel 9 she still can't believe her 19-year-old son Devin was handcuffed by a school resource officer at the school last week.
"To get that call saying, 'Oh we let the officer handcuff him.' It's not right,” she said.
On Thursday, Riley said Devin's teacher told her, she thought Devin was about to bite her and that is why her son ended up in handcuffs.
CMS confirms the student was handcuffed by the school resource officer, but said anytime that sort of restraint is used, it is a last resort.
The district sent Channel 9 its policy on seclusion and restraint, which said in part that "mechanical restraint" like using handcuffs, may be used "as reasonably needed for self-defense" or "to ensure the safety of any student, school employee, volunteer, or other person present."
Riley said her son has been aggressive in the past, but never a danger.
She showed Channel 9 a psychological evaluation done in July where the psychologist said Devin is aggravated when restrained.
Riley thinks school staff should have tried harder to calm down her son verbally.
“That's what it is, communication. Not just immediately running in, grabbing handcuffs. No, that is not what you do with a disabled person,” Riley said.
For now, Devin is home with his mom who said, no matter the policy, her son should not have been handcuffed.
“He will not be coming back to Ardrey Kell. I don't feel he's safe,” Riley said.
CMS said Devin was in a class with seven other students who are overseen by three teachers, all of whom are trained to work with disabled students, known as "exceptional children."
Devin's mom pulled her son from the school last week.
She said she is working with CMS to find a new school to place him.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More trending stories on wsoctv.com:
WSOC
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
