A non-verbal, epileptic 5-year-old boy was isolated and clothed in a trash bag by his kindergarten teacher, according to a Chicago mother who spoke to WGN News.
Nyesha Terry said she found her son, Lloyd, sitting in a desk apart from his classmates with a trash bag wrapped around his torso. After she complained and came back the next day, Terry found Lloyd in the same set of circumstances.
“My heart broke,” Terry told WGN News. “He is the only child that was isolated.”
The trash bag was used because Lloyd’s teacher was concerned his shirt would get wet, according to Terry. While saliva often drips onto Lloyd’s shirt due to his epileptic condition, Terry said the school could have used bibs or other types of clothing it had stored.
“My heart broke”
“Because it’s hazardous,” Terry said. “He could chew on it or swallow a piece, he could be playing with it and suffocate himself.”
Terry, who photographed Lloyd in the trash bag, has contacted Child Protective Services over the incidents.
“We work to ensure all students are comfortable in their learning environment,” a CPS statement said. “This incident is inexcusable and CPS has launched an investigation. We will take all appropriate actions to ensure this issue is resolved and prevented from happening again.”
Terry bought Lloyd a bright, plastic vest after the pair of episodes occurred, hopeful the trash bag would be relegated to the garbage.
“I hope that this will just give parents with special-needs children some insight to what’s going on when we’re not around our children,” Terry said.
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