Camila de Jesus Almeida, mother of a six-year-old boy diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), expressed indignation after reporting that her son was returned home by a municipal school in Alagoinhas, Bahia, contained in a plastic bag and wearing a diaper soiled with feces.
The incident occurred on September 24th at the Municipal School of Comprehensive Education of the Field. According to the mother, the institution informed the family that the child needed to go home due to a lack of diapers and clothes for changing. However, Camila claims that these items were present in the boy's backpack.
In a statement given to TV Subaé, a affiliate of Rede Bahia in the region, Camila displayed the plastic bag used. She described the moment as a great shock and despair, mentioning that the cut made in the bag was to allow the boy's legs to be placed inside.
The mother emphasized that her own mother checked the backpack and found both the diaper and the clean clothes necessary for the change, stating that there was no justification for the treatment given to her son.
Mother files complaints after the case
After learning about what happened, Camila contacted the school administration and questioned the procedure. The principal, according to her, assumed responsibility for the decision, claiming she acted to prevent the boy from dirtying the Municipal Education Secretariat's vehicle. Camila expressed strong disagreement, declaring that her son was humiliated.
She also emphasized that the boy has non-verbal ASD, which prevented him from communicating what had happened. Camila stated that he did not have the right to be subjected to such a situation.
As a result of the episode, Camila filed complaints with the Municipal Education Secretariat. Furthermore, she registered a police report and took the case to the Public Prosecutor's Office of Bahia (MP-BA), the Municipal Council for Persons with Disabilities, and the Tutelary Council. The mother added that this was not the first time the boy had been sent home after getting dirty.
What the City Hall says
The City Hall of Alagoinhas, through the Municipal Education Secretariat (Seduc), issued a note informing that it took the relevant administrative measures after the incident involving the student from the Municipal School of Comprehensive Education of the Field. The Secretariat conducted hearings with both the family and the professionals involved to investigate the details and collect the necessary information for the inquiry.
Considering the seriousness of the fact, the documents and accounts gathered were sent to the legal department of the City Hall of Alagoinhas so that an investigation could be initiated, aiming to clarify the facts and determine any possible functional responsibility. The Municipal Government reaffirmed its commitment to the protection and well-being of students in the municipal network, assuring that it would closely monitor the case until its conclusion.
