An on-call B.C. teacher was suspended for two weeks after she locked a 6-year-old boy with autism in a storage room last fall, leaving him unattended, documents show.
Sherri Loewen was teaching in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District on Sept. 16, 2016 when she locked the child in a storage room after he had a temper tantrum, according to a resolution agreement with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation.
The document says that Loewen’s education assistant moved the boy from the classroom to a storage room that contained bookshelves, a table and chairs. The assistant left the door open but was called to attend to another student. Loewen then closed the door, locking the boy in the room.
“She opened the door once to ask him if he wanted to play outside, but shut the door when (the student) yelled at her,” the document says.
Loewen did not stay and supervise the student through the window in the door to ensure his safety, according to the document. The education assistant returned to the storage room to find the door locked. After opening it with a key, she found the boy curled up in a ball, crying.
Some parents of students in the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District said they were shocked to learn of the incident.
“Maybe the school needs to put something in place to deal with that,” Sam Evans, a parent, told CTV Vancouver Island. “Especially when it comes to kids with autism and how to deal with them.”
In November, Loewen was issued a letter of discipline, suspending her from taking on-call jobs in the school district from October 26 to November 8. According to the document, this represented a four-day suspension without pay. She was also required to complete a six-hour course on non-violent crisis intervention in February.
The Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District declined to comment on-camera, but did issue a statement on the use of “self-regulation” or “sensory” rooms.
“All school districts must adhere to guidelines on physical restraint and seclusion in schools set by the province of B.C.,” said Dale Burgos, a spokesperson for the district.
“In Nanaimo-Ladysmith public schools, there are safe spaces set aside called self-regulation or sensory rooms,” the statement reads. “In the district, these rooms can be used for a variety of reasons and school staff are instructed to accompany students while in these rooms.”
According to Pam McAdam at the Nanaimo Child Development Centre, a centre designed to provide services for children with developmental needs, children with autism shouldn’t be left alone in a secluded room.
“If they’re alone somewhere, there isn’t anybody to ensure their safety which is the reason they were removed from a situation,” said McAdam. “Second, children often need adult support to come after the situation.”
Loewen is also facing a two-day suspension of her certificate of qualification that will take effect from May 29 to May 30, 2017.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island’s Jessica Lepp
