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Mapaville parents to file complaint against school nurse
Lawsuit filed in federal court


Andrew Jansen Photo Sheila Scott works with her son Chandler, 12, Monday at their home in Festus. Scott and other parents of children at the Mapaville State School have filed a lawsuit following what they believe is abuse and neglect.

By Chris Campbell
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 3:14 AM CST


A group of parents involved in a federal lawsuit alleging abuse of special needs students at Mapaville State School plan to file an additional complaint against a school nurse.

Craig Henning, an advocate for the disabled with the Crystal City-based Disability Resource Association (DRA), said multiple parents will file complaints with the Missouri State Nursing Board against Sally Forshee, a school nurse employed by the Mapaville State School.

The school has been at the center of controversy for almost one year, after secretly recorded audiotapes revealed what Henning and many parents believe is abuse and neglect.

Most of the children educated at the Mapaville State School are profoundly disabled, and many cannot communicate clearly.

Mapaville is one of more than 30 such schools across the state.



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A lawsuit recently filed in federal court by Scott and the parents of eight other students is asking the court to fire implicated staffers, install classroom cameras and eventually dismantle the entire state school system.

After becoming concerned with the quality of care their children were receiving, several parents placed recording devices in their children's backpacks.

After listening to the tapes, some of the parents expressed shock over their content.

"I was in disbelief, just disbelief," said Sheila Scott, whose son, Chandler Scott, was featured prominently on the tape. "I couldn't believe these people who loved and cared for my son would treat him this way."

More than 40 hours of tape was eventually turned over the the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for investigation.

While no criminal charges were issued, the tapes became evidence in a series of due process hearings for parents who filed abuse complaints against the district.

The incident that Scott found most troubling was the repeated ringing of a bell near her 12-year-old son's face by Forshee.

After saying "watch me send him into a seizure," Forshee rang the bell an estimated 30 times.

Scott said other school staffers present laughed.

When called to give evidence before a panel hearing, Forshee admitted she knew such behavior could trigger seizures.

Chandler Scott suffers from epilepsy.

Jill Randall, whose son Blake is a classmate of Chandler Scott, is outraged that district officials have not fired staff members facing abuse allegations.

"We are all making complaints," she said.

When reached by phone, Forshee declined to comment, referring questions to Charlie Taylor, superintendent of state schools.

When asked why Forshee remained employed, Taylor declined to answer, citing ongoing litigation and personnel issues.

Henning said he believes the reason for the state's unwillingness to act is obvious - liability.

"They don't want to admit wrongdoing," he said.

Scott, a former aide at Mapaville who said her suspicions were initially aroused when she picked up her son and found him covered in dried urine, said she is unwilling the return her child to school barring drastic changes.

"Our trust is shattered," she said.

 
 
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5 comment(s)

 

sunny wrote on Apr 25, 2009 4:45 PM:

" The Missouri Schools for Severely Disabled DOES have some good teachers that care about their students. One of the problems with the MSSD, though, is that it is a segregated system that lacks a local school board. How can effective decisions be made for a school on the other side of the state by a school board who does not even know the parents, teachers or children? MSSD students also deserve more than the one-size-fits-all practices that are imposed on staff by administration and decision makers in Jefferson City. "

winnie pooh wrote on Feb 24, 2009 8:53 PM:

" this nurse needs to be held down let someone ring a bell in her ears.she needs to be
charged with criminal charges
put in jail with the mean old broads and let them take her down. "

madmom wrote on Feb 24, 2009 10:52 AM:

" This nurse should not be working in the health care field or with children of any ability. She should be in jail and have her nursing license revoked permenently "

tigger wrote on Feb 24, 2009 10:29 AM:

" this nurse needs for someone to hold her down and ring a bell in her ears like she did this student. she needs to lose her license and be put in jail for crimmal charges "

madmom wrote on Feb 24, 2009 9:36 AM:

" THIS NURSE SHOULD BE FIRED AND NEVER ALLOWED TO PRACTISE NURSING AGAIN. HER ACTIONS WERE CRIMINAL AND THIS CHILD CAN NOT TELL US WHAT HAS HAPPENED. THIS IS WHY WE WANT CAMERAS IN THIS SCHOOL. TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM DEGENERATES LIKE THIS NURSE AND THE MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED THERE FOR MANY YEARS THAT DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN "

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