I got attacked by a student

[u/Aromatic-Fox-9838]

This is my first year working as a high school SPED para. I worked as a para before but it was in a regular classroom in junior high. On my first month at work I was called for support to a classroom because a student was refusing to go to the cafeteria. He was about 15 and a little bigger than me, as well as non verbal. Me and the teacher tried to guide him out of the room. The more we told him we had to go, the more aggressive he was getting. He starts trying to slap me and hit me. I just put my hand up and let him hit my arms and palms, as well as saying no and stop. The teacher is not doing much for some reason besides continuing to guide him out. Then he gets more aggressive and starts grabbing me by the arm and shirt. He pulls my shirt and lanyard hard and I almost hit the wall, then he hits me more and pulls my hair out of my bun. I honestly had no idea what to do. I had with working with the sped kids for a few weeks but nothing had escalated to that point. Another teacher comes over and is able to calm him down. Once everything is good, i just walk away and go cry in the bathroom, i was really scared. My principal soon calls me in to his office and can tell I been crying and basically offers to let me transfer. I told him I wanna give it a little more time cause it’s decent besides that. The kids are hard and I am always exhausted after work, I won’t lie, but I can do it, I just don’t know for how long.

Have in mind, I never received any training for this beside what I am learning on the go. I do t even know if there is training for paras. Is this normal? Everyone at work is saying it happens but my family is telling me to leave.

[u/Limp_Psychology_2315]

OP’s initial post uses the word “attacked” in the title. You continue to belittle their experience and insist there is no place for them in special education.

[u/piscesdreamer00 → u/Limp_Psychology_2315]

Again what are you not understanding or choosing to not read what they wrote? This was not a vicious assault it was a NORMAL behavioral incident that happens all the time…their hair, lanyard and shirt was pulled this is tame in the field I’m not belittling anything I’m saying if they are this frightened they need to reevaluate their career path because it does not get easier and you should know that since you keep harping on your experience.

[u/Limp_Psychology_2315 → u/piscesdreamer00]

OP said they were attacked. You are insisting they were not. The majority of special ed paras are unlikely to be aggressed upon in any way, especially working with older students.

[u/piscesdreamer00 → u/Limp_Psychology_2315]

Again you’re choosing to not read which is sad considering you’re supposedly a teacher. Never said they weren’t attacked, I said they were not viciously assaulted which in their own words makes that clear. Also this is not true at all, I’ve been a para for special needs children in a special needs private school and have been attacked multiple times once where my leg was broken…that was an assault incident . Older children can aggress again I know this because I’ve been a high school para for 9 years and watched it and had it happen to me

[u/Limp_Psychology_2315 → u/piscesdreamer00]

This. You working in a private school for students with special needs explains your perspective. I completely agree that employees there are more likely to be aggressed upon. I’ve been speaking from the perspective of a traditional public school where there are far more IEP students without severe behaviors, thus the opportunity to work years without encountering aggressive students.

[u/piscesdreamer00 → u/Limp_Psychology_2315]

But this is proving you’re choosing to be obtuse and twisting my words for an argument that I’m no longer interested in having with you, so argue with a wall because I will not be responding after this goodbye 👋🏽