Two Wicksburg School Officials On Leave After Alleged Abuse Of Special Needs Student
By: Megan Hunter
Updated: April 3, 2012
Two Wicksburg educators are on paid administraive leave after allegations of abuse against a special needs student.
Alicia Brown, a teacher, and Drew Faircloth, her aide, are on paid leave while Houston County Board of Education administrators investigate the possible mistreatment of 10-year-old Joe Salinas.
Salinas is wheelchair bound and suffers from Cerebral Palsy.
Salinas' mother placed a tape recorder on her son's wheelchair over the period of three days. During that time she heard some disturbing comments made to her child by Brown and Faircloth.
Both Brown and Faircloth were placed on leave last Tuesday when the allegations surfaced. They were allowed to return to work, but were not allowed to interact with Salinas on Friday. They have since been placed on leave again.
WDHN has obtained a copy of the tapes and has listened to the recordings. On the tapes you can hear "Little Joe," being told he would face timeout for drooling. Several times Salinas is talked to in what his parents said was a harsh manner, and they allege that he was hit or slapped by one of the educators.
Houston County Schools Superintendent Tim Pitchford said that Brown and Faircloth's employee contracts will come up at an April 9 meeting along with other non-tenured employees.
Alicia Brown, a teacher, and Drew Faircloth, her aide, are on paid leave while Houston County Board of Education administrators investigate the possible mistreatment of 10-year-old Joe Salinas.
Salinas is wheelchair bound and suffers from Cerebral Palsy.
Salinas' mother placed a tape recorder on her son's wheelchair over the period of three days. During that time she heard some disturbing comments made to her child by Brown and Faircloth.
Both Brown and Faircloth were placed on leave last Tuesday when the allegations surfaced. They were allowed to return to work, but were not allowed to interact with Salinas on Friday. They have since been placed on leave again.
WDHN has obtained a copy of the tapes and has listened to the recordings. On the tapes you can hear "Little Joe," being told he would face timeout for drooling. Several times Salinas is talked to in what his parents said was a harsh manner, and they allege that he was hit or slapped by one of the educators.
Houston County Schools Superintendent Tim Pitchford said that Brown and Faircloth's employee contracts will come up at an April 9 meeting along with other non-tenured employees.
