OTTAWA — The mother of a nine-year-old autistic boy who was handcuffed by a police officer during a "difficult day" at school says children like hers are being failed by the education system.
Stephanie Huck says she and her husband were called to her son Daniel's school in Ottawa yesterday after he acted out in the principal's office.
She says they arrived to find a police officer in the school and were told their son had to be restrained, although details were not provided.
Huck, who is outraged at her son's treatment, says the incident highlights the need for better training and more support for school staff on how to deal with children with autism.
She says there needs to be a realization that every child has different needs and says there are children with autism that are "sinking in the school system."
The Ottawa Catholic District School Board says its staff "acted appropriately to ensure the safety of everyone involved."
Ottawa police aren't commenting on the specifics of the incident but say officers may handcuff people to protect the public, the individual being restrained or the police officer.
