An investigative report by ProPublica has revealed a shocking incident at Garrison School that occurred last month.
The publication along with joint help from the Chicago Tribune over a year ago revealed the school had students arrested at the highest rate in the country, resulting in a civil rights investigation and changes in the school’s policies governing behavior.
The latest report says a video taken inside the school has captured a teacher gripping a 6-year-old boy with autism by the ankle and dragging him down the hallway on his back.
According to the report, the boy has been identified as Xander Reed, who has autism and does not speak. The report says Reed didn’t stop playing with blocks and go to P.E. when he was told to, according to a police report. Xander then “became agitated and fell to the ground,” the report said. When he refused to get up, a substitute teacher, Rhea Drake, dragged him to the gym. Another staff member took a photo and alerted school leadership. Principal Amy Haarmann told police that Drake’s actions “were not an acceptable practice at the school,” the police report said. Reed’s family asked to press charges.
Drake, who had been working in Xander’s classroom for more than a month, was charged about three weeks later with misdemeanor battery, according to online court records She has pleaded not guilty. Her attorney told ProPublica that he and Drake did not want to comment for this story. Drake is due back in Morgan County Court on the charge on June 4th.
School District officials have confirmed Drake will not be returning to the district, but made no further comment to ProPublica. Jacksonville Police officials will not discuss the case.