Teacher Gives Boy with Autism ‘Most Annoying’ Award

As a mom to a child with autism, I have many fears about the world we live in.

I worry about children bullying him. I worry about his safety. I worry about him being targeted for emotional, physical or even emotional abuse.

I worry about so many things. I’m his mom. That’s my job.

But honestly, never have I worried about something like this story.

A father is expressing disbelief this week after his fifth-grader, who is autistic, was given a trophy dubbing him the “most annoying male” for the school year.

Yes, you read that right.

That boy could be Cooper. In a heartbeat.

Now I know for a fact that my son can be a challenge. We like to call him spirited. But I have always believed that the adults in his life would have his best interests at heart.

That they would keep him safe. And at the same time, respect him and treat him like every other child.

But this story makes me sick.

Rick Castejon told the Times of Northwest Indiana that a special education teacher presented the trophy last month during an awards ceremony for fifth-graders at Bailly Preparatory Academy in Gary.

Parents who attended the event fell silent as the boy received his award.

It was inscribed “BAILEY PREPARATORY ACADEMY 2018-2019 MOST ANNOYING MALE.”

Photo Provided by Rick Castejon

 “We were blindsided. We just weren’t expecting it,” Castejon said, according to the newspaper. “As a principal or teacher, you should never let this happen to any student.”

The dad said he didn’t want to make a scene and tried to leave the award on a table, but his son’s teacher lightheartedly reminded him not to forget it.

The father is speaking out now because he said he doesn’t want this to happen to another child.

“We just don’t want any other kids to go through this,” he said. “Just because they have special needs doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings.”

My heart breaks for this boy and his parents. No one should ever have to be humiliated like that. And especially for things their son cannot control.

Now, maybe this was a huge mistake. Maybe it was a politically correct oversight. Who knows.

But what confuses me is why an award for ‘most annoying anything’ would be given out? That’s just not funny. I have a six year old son who I know would feel very sad if he was given this ‘award.’

This isn’t funny.

This little boy is no different than your kid or mine. And he doesn’t deserve to be humiliated.

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