Mother’s Outraged After Instructor Lower Her Autistic Son’s Hair With out Her Permission
A mother in Lawrence, Indiana, is dissatisfied with her son’s school after a teacher cuts his hair without asking her permission.
Nikki Battle said a Lawrence Central High School PE teacher cut the hair of her 17-year-old son, Jonathan Battle-Hayum, along with his eyebrows and facial hair, leaving bald spots and nicks.
Jonathan let his hair grow out for a while so he could braid it, and Battle says it will be months now before it grows back.
“It was an Afro. It was a big old handsome afro. His hair was fine. There was nothing wrong with his hair, ”said Battle.
Battle says her son has autism and the students teased him about his hair and bullied him at school. One case occurred last week when a student pushed her son and Jonathan grabbed the student to defend himself.
When Battle went to pick him up from school, she found that his hair was shaved. Jonathan said it was okay for the teacher to cut his hair, but Battle says it’s because her son would never argue with an adult, and she’s still upset about the matter.
“I don’t feel respected,” she says. “I feel left out that you did something without consulting a parent. This is not your child.
The school district issued a statement on the situation:
“Lawrence Township MSD and Lawrence Central High School take the allegations very seriously and are investigating immediately upon notification. It is not uncommon for school staff to go above and beyond to meet student needs outside of the classroom. The employee in question acted with the best of intentions to support the student. “
Although the district says the Teacher was only trying to do a good deed, Battle doesn’t believe it was. She says her son doesn’t want to go back to school and prefers to complete the rest of the school year virtually.
