Nationwide — Madison Walker, an 11-year-old African American autistic girl from Jackson, Mississippi, was reportedly hit three times in the face by an employee at Galloway Elementary School, said her grandmother, Latrina Harris. The employee reportedly works in the school’s special needs department. Walker’s family is now demanding accountability and wants the school district to address what happened.
Harris said the school principal told her that the alleged incident happened in a hallway. She said the employee may be someone who works with Walker on a regular basis. Because Walker is nonverbal, Harris said she is particularly concerned that her granddaughter may not be able to explain what happened or speak up for herself.
According to WLBT, the grandmother questioned why an employee trained to work with children with special needs would allegedly hit an autistic child. She said Walker was struck three times and stressed that staff members should know how to respond when a child is having difficulty. Harris also raised concerns about other students who may be unable to report mistreatment because of their disabilities.
After learning about the alleged incident, Harris kept Walker home from school. She said the missed classroom time was a concern because the 11-year-old already needs her education and support. Harris is calling on the district to make sure employees who work with students with disabilities receive proper training and are held accountable when concerns are reported.
Jackson Public School District, which operates Galloway Elementary, said it could not discuss the employee because of personnel rules. The district said the safety and well-being of its students are a top priority and that it takes appropriate action when concerns involving students and employees are reported. JPS also said all employees must follow district policies and the state educator code of ethics.
Walker’s family said it plans to continue advocating for her and wants the district to take the allegations seriously. Harris said she hopes the situation will also protect other children who may have difficulty communicating when something happens to them. The district has not publicly identified the employee or provided further details about any disciplinary action.