Education

District Says It Removed Teacher Caught Mocking Autistic Boy – But 2nd Recording Suggests Otherwise

A New Jersey school district has responded to one father’s public campaign after he posted audio he says captured school staff being verbally abusive to his autistic son.

Stuart Chaifetz sent his 10-year-old son Akian to school wearing a hidden recorder after he started getting reports that Akian was acting out violently in class. The resulting audio, he says, revealed his son’s teachers gossiping, calling Akian a “bastard” and teasing and violently yelling at students.

Chaifetz posted the material to YouTube, where it has since surpassed three million views. A statement from Cherry Hill Public Schools said it “acted swiftly” once it received the original recording from Chaifetz in February and that the people heard speaking inappropriately are no longer employed by the district.

“I want to assure our parents that the individuals who are heard on the recording raising their voices and inappropriately addressing children no longer work in the district and have not since shortly after we received the copy of the recording,” the statement from Superintendent Dr. Maureen Reusche reads.

Watch Chaifetz’s original video below:

But in a second video — posted Tuesday after the district released its statement — Chaifetz alleged the teacher, Kelly Altenburg, had merely been moved to a different school. To prove it, he recorded himself dialing a phone number to Cherry Hill High School West and then an extension leading to the voicemail greeting of his son’s former teacher.

“I am releasing this now because I have to justify the purpose of this campaign and to show I wasn’t wrong,” Chaifetz said. “All I’m seeking is justice from my son and to protect future children because this teacher does not deserve to ever teach a child again.”

The school district has not yet responded to Chaifetz’s latest claims.

Comments (44)

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  • countrysideflair
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 7:35pm

    Dude, get over it. Tenured teachers (union members) can never be fired! It is the best job in the world. If you are a female teacher, you can even have sexual relations with your young male students and somehow manage to keep your job (male teachers actually do go to jail for that)

    Add to that a 9-month work year, full medical, sick leave, vacation, education stipend, and a damn good wage… $35,000-$85,000 / year.

    Report Post » countrysideflair  
    • Smoovious
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 8:47pm

      “Dude, get over it” is exactly how this crap continues to grow and get worse.

      Everyone has to pick their battle that they feel passionate about, and this is his, and I’m behind him on it.

      The reasons you stated for him to get over it, are exactly the things that need to be fought.

      The world never, EVER, changed for the better, because of the “dude, get over it” types… it was always because of “the world is what you make it” types.

      Grow up, coward.

      – Smoov

      Report Post » Smoovious  
    • heymarla
      Posted on April 27, 2012 at 12:45am

      SMOOVIOUS, Ever consider he was being facetious?

      Report Post »  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 6:13pm

    …
    God bless this single Dad, for such a great job of raising his Son.
    Wish everyone was lucky enough to have a Dad like him.
    He should file criminal charges.

    Report Post »  
  • LeadNotFollow
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 5:47pm

    …
    Fire bad teachers. Don’t just shuffle them from one district to another. No child should be abused by anyone. In this case, there should have been criminal charges filed.

    Report Post »  
  • PingPongPing
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 4:23pm

    if you have a linkedin account, here is her profile.

    http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=102504726&authType=name&authToken=MEkg&locale=en_US&goback=.npp_%2Fkelly*5altenburg%2F2a%2F3b3%2Fa46

    Report Post » PingPongPing  
  • Sarah Nicole
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 4:11pm

    Here’s a picture of Kelly

    http://fandaily.info/news/photo-kelly-altenburg-horace-mann-teacher-recorded-bullying-aiken-chaifetz/

    Crazy how you never can tell about some people…

    Report Post »  
  • six4life
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:34pm

    I agree with -MILS- put her picture up… ALL other parents deserve to know who this disgusting human is. I am SICK of these people just getting a slap on the hand and moved around. We have a special needs child who cannot talk. Although I trust her teachers/paras, I WILL BE INVESTING IN A RECORDER

    Report Post » six4life  
    • piper60
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 4:40pm

      Kind of like the priests getting moved around when they get caught fondling male children, isn’t it?

      Report Post » piper60  
    • biffo
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 5:19pm

      She’s got a union to protect her. That’s why we only hear about these creeps every once and awhile. The rest get away with it, as long as their dues are paid up.. Teachers unions do not care about the kids..

      Report Post »  
    • cantstandlibs
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 6:29pm

      “They” will be checking, like the TSA, your children for recorders. Now we get their grubby hands all over these poor kids. Bet me…

      Report Post »  
  • Unbelievable
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:14pm

    MMM MMM MMM Barack Hussain Obama MMM MMM MMM

    Shall I say any more?

    Report Post »  
  • THX-1138
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:13pm

    You must condition the future Serfs while they’re young so that they obey without question even the most cruel of masters.

    They are the Farmers. We are the Cows. Moo.

    Perhaps this teacher will be “diasppeared’ for letting a recording slip past her. That kind of thing makes the whole group look bad.

    The only lesson here is that there is a market for concealable, 8-10 hour recording devices for our children. I think I know what I’m getting all my nephews and nieces for Christmas this year!

    Report Post » THX-1138  
  • kindling
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 3:02pm

    It is not about the children for these people. I have 2 handicapped children and I have horror stories of seeing things happen not only to my kids but other children in their class rooms. I ended up pulling them from public school because I was told unless a teacher actually strikes a child they can’t be gotten rid of. I even watched a teacher incourage an autistic boy “sexually” use the teacher’s foot and she just say and laughed about it. A male aid took the boy away to cool off but when he was brought back she allowed it again. I reported it and nothing happened to that teacher. It happens everywhere when you have children that can’t tell you what is happening to them.

    Report Post » kindling  
  • PurrrpleMtnMajesty
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 2:33pm

    The liberals promote violence and it is ignored or given superficial attention.
    Conservatives (think tea party) is the most peaceful, clean, kind group & are
    accused of being violent, etc on every MSM station.

    This man is a terrific father. Wish more children (and adults) had a father like him.
    He’s compassionate, rational, calm, yet firmly defends his position with undeniable facts.
    What an incredible example of a man. I wish more parents took such an active role in what is happening in their children’s schools.

    Report Post »  
  • valarie
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:54pm

    I could actually punch this despicable (female dog) in the face. What a monster.

    Report Post » valarie  
  • noleftturn
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:54pm

    ….. fact is, you can’t fire a union teacher. The best you can hope for is that she’ll be assigned to an empty room everyday while receiving full pay and benefits until she retires with another boatload of benefits. Ain’t it grand!

    Report Post » noleftturn  
    • justin.blake
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 2:13pm

      Ahhh…this is why Unions are still needed in today’s economy! To protect the poor and downtrodden…../sarcasm off

      Report Post » justin.blake  
    • mils
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 2:50pm

      put her picture up and tell people her name and school she came from and that she is going to their school…where ever that is…

      Report Post »  
  • elosogrande
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:51pm

    Come on! What do you expect? These people protect each other! Only two things can happen. They either move teachers who get caught with bad behavior to a different school or district, or they “early retire them”, we we pay the s.o.b.’s for the rest of their lives.

    Ho Ho! The joke’s on the Taxpayers once again.

    Report Post »  
    • JustAThoughtor2or3
      Posted on April 27, 2012 at 12:41am

      I agree that she should be fired, but please don’t assume every school district is like this. In the school where I work, she would have been fired in a heartbeat! It would not be tolerated!

      Report Post »  
  • Magyar
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:49pm

    This excuse for a teacher should never again be allowed to step foot inside of a classroom –unless, of course, it’s in Mahwah State Prison providing remedial reading for the other convicts in D-Block!

    Report Post »  
  • kat747
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:42pm

    ……..at least the school system transferred her to the level of schooling where she could “talk the talk”.
    What is really disheartening is the fact that our NJ taxes pay for this caliber of teacher when there are a lot of decent, good teachers who cannot find teaching positions.
    Get rid of tenure and get rid of those unions – teachers are “supposed” to be professionals. Why do they need a union ?

    Report Post »  
  • psadie
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:30pm

    The teacher needs to be fired NOT transferred to another school! She isn’t fit to teach children anywhere. So where is the Teacher’s Union on this? Are they protecting her and her pension?

    Report Post »  
  • Mikev5
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:27pm

    This is very disturbing and calls for getting fired you wonder how long these teachers have been doing this sort of thing.

    I had learning disabilities as a kid my Parents even set me back one year so I could catch up and had to take special learning classes also what made even harder is I have dyslexia I was a very frustrated kid and actually didn’t think I had problems.

    School was hell for me till High school then all of a sudden learning started getting easy for me but I still have problems that follow me.

    I stood up to every bully in school regarding anyone that had some disability you don’t diss a person for his disability they had no choice in how God made them.

    DEAL with it or go away we don’t need your nasty words.

    Report Post » Mikev5  
  • deeberj
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:25pm

    Typical. Move the inept or just no good teacher/doctor/nurse/priest to another location. If those bad teachers have tenure, it’s very difficult to fire them. Just being told they were no longer employed in the district should have been a red flag that they were being shuffled off on someone else. There should have been hearings before the school board to get them fired.

    Report Post » deeberj  
    • mils
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:39pm

      A nice BIGBIG picture of Kelly Altenburg on internet might do well…\
      .warn parents
      “:( SHE’S COMING TO YOUR SCHOOL TO :(MISTREAT YOUR CHILD”..:(
      And she’s loaded with wine….

      Report Post »  
  • jackact
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:23pm

    When are we going to dismantle the national, and unconstitutional, babysitting service called the US dept of education?
    States rights America, that is the constitutional path forward.
    That way if you are going to turn out to be a future government employee you can go to a public school in a true blue state and remain stupid for the rest of your life…….
    DUH!

    Report Post »  
  • Free2speakRN
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:19pm

    Shell game.

    Report Post »  
  • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:16pm

    According to the concensus in the TN legislator bullying thread, bullying is just hunky dory and only the weak minded commit suicide over it. In that light, what did this teacher do that was so bad? Seems like a lot of Blazers would give her a medal.

    Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • mcsledge
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:26pm

      For one, bullying by peers is much different than bullying by an adult. Only an idiot would think otherwise.

      I highly doubt that most of those who contribute to The Blaze’s blog are so shallow as to support bullying. Progressives might endulge if it is a means to an end.

      Report Post » mcsledge  
    • barber2
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:37pm

      Pul-eeze. Love to hear a Lefty throw out the bullying accusations. Remember: ACORN members with bull horns in bankers’ front yards ? Union mobs bussed in to the Wisconsin legislature? Democrats legislators fleeing Wisconsin to avoid voting after a valid election ? OWS ? Occupy the Courts ? The Martin Hoodie marches ? POTUS demeaning the SCOTUS in a State of the Union speech ? If you want to discuss bullying, let’s start with these examples. Typical Lefty Hypocrisy .

      Report Post »  
    • Fubared
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:49pm

      Lez-
      Why would anyone defend an adult that talked down to and mistreated kids, in their care, with special needs? How and what kind of person is good with that? If that poor kid was gay and having issues we would hear all kinds of vitriol about special treatment being needed and bigotry and blah blah rainbow coalition poop too. I don’t get that at all.

      Report Post »  
    • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      Posted on April 29, 2012 at 9:38pm

      @ Fubared:
      I dunno. What adult would sanction and approve of bullying of LGBT, and suspected LGBT, children by heterosexual, or suspected heterosexual, children in public schools, even to the point of the LGBT child’s suicide? Obviously, LGBT children are just mentally weak and out of favour by the majority anyway. Good riddance.

      Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
  • nobull14
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:12pm

    All I can say is TEACHER’S UNION

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:11pm

    In Fact… we are a Species of Predators… where the Strong are favored over the Weak. While it is true… that we think & dream… a poor understanding or recognition of Reality… will lead to your destruction!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • barber2
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:08pm

    I smell a union. And the usual cowardliness of school administrators who hide behind their doors rather than address the messy issues of discipline and / or parental interference . Vouchers and home schooling seem to be necessary these days . Just another example of the great waste of tax money thanks to the Race Card, the Discrimination Card , the Lefty DOE and their Lefty union mobs.

    Report Post »  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on April 26, 2012 at 1:02pm

    WWWWHHHHAAAATTTT?

    the school LIED ?????/

    why am i not surprised ?????

    Report Post » Psychosis  
    • JustAThoughtor2or3
      Posted on April 27, 2012 at 12:35am

      I’m so thankful that this dad did something! I’m a teacher and it makes me sad that this occurs. It also makes me realize how important it is for teachers, parents, and adults to be aware of what we say to kids. It can be easy to lose patience and be uncaring (not to this extreme craziness). I think that we all need to be more sensitive to the needs of kids around us. I am so said when I hear something like this.

      Report Post »  
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