Parents say autistic boy was hurt at school

When Isaiah Hart, a first-grader with autism, came home from school Oct. 25 with a knot on his head and scratches around his neck, he told his parents that his teacher did it.

The principal at the school, James Rhoads Elementary in West Philadelphia, investigated and found no evidence to corroborate Isaiah's claims, but the 8-year-old's parents are upset that the school has no answers as to how he was hurt.

"If they didn't do it, why didn't [the Department of Human Services] come out to my house and question me or the school district or anyone come and find out who did this?" asked Isaiah's father, Eugene Hart. "I used to worry that if something ever happened, would he be able to tell me? And now I know he can tell me, but I have to worry will anyone believe him."

Fernando Gallard, a spokesman for the school district, said the district's investigation into the "very serious allegations" has ended.

"There is no evidence," he said. "It could be that the child fell. . . . We take these allegations very seriously."

Even if Isaiah's injury was an accident, Hart said, someone should have noticed that a disabled child was hurt and notified someone.

Hart said the trouble began when Isaiah started screaming in the middle of the night on Oct. 1 that a teacher's aide was hitting him.

His parents filed a complaint with Principal Ernestine Caldwell, but Caldwell said that the aide denied Isaiah's claims and that the three other adults in the classroom said they hadn't seen anything.

Then, when Isaiah hopped off the school bus and into his family's green minivan on Oct. 25, his mother, Rian, peered into the back seat and noticed a whopping knot on her son's forehead and scratches on his neck.

She asked him what happened, and he said his teacher "bopped me on the head," she recalled.

Eugene Hart said he filed a complaint with police, along with another complaint with Caldwell. Before a police officer, the principal and the teacher, Isaiah identified the teacher as the one who hit him, his father said.

Caldwell said she conducted another investigation, but none of the adults involved - including bus personnel and the school nurse - confirmed that any assault had taken place.

"I think the adults are the best witnesses," said Caldwell, who didn't interview the children in the class or Isaiah.

Caldwell said she also conducted two classroom observations and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. The teacher and aide have worked in special education for 20 and 31 years, respectively.

"There is no evidence of what the child says," Caldwell said. "I have no idea when that was done."

Jerry Jordan, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, said investigations like this vary on a case-by-case basis.

"When a parent makes a complaint, the principal will try to find people who were around," Jordan said. The principal "may question a couple of children and talk to the child, of course."

The Daily News isn't identifying the teacher or aide accused by the child because they haven't been charged with any wrongdoing by police or the district.

Police investigated but were unable to determine if a crime had been committed, said Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives.

Walker said the case was referred to the Special Victims Unit and the District Attorney's Office. DHS is also aware of the case.

Meanwhile, Isaiah's parents are searching for another school for Isaiah, whose behavior, they said, has changed drastically since he was hurt. They are also considering home school.

"One minute he is happy, the next second he is crying and wants to go off and be by himself, and that's what's been going on since the incident," Eugene Hart said.