A Miami teacher is facing serious allegations after being accused of striking an 8-year-old autistic student at Dr. Edward L. Whigham Elementary School in Cutler Bay. Erbil Barkley, the teacher implicated in the incident, was arrested Wednesday, WSVN reported.
The mother of the student, Isaiah Torres, shared that her son came home with a visible red mark on his face which raised immediate concerns. "My son got home at 3:09 in the afternoon and his face was bright red like that," she said in an interview obtained by WSVN. Parents at the school have expressed their dismay, declaring their intent to delve further into the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault.
Circumstances that led to the incident are yet to be detailed, but the school district did not hesitate to act upon hearing the preliminary accusations. "Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is deeply disturbed by the case against this former employee. Immediately upon learning of the initial allegations, his employment with the District was terminated and he is prevented from seeking future employment at M-DCPS," the district stated, as per NBC Miami.
The boy's mother also conveyed the effects of the experience on her son. "My son had nightmares last night, my son didn't sleep good, my son has pain because he keeps on touching the side of area and I know it had to have been traumatic for him," she recounted to NBC Miami. Amid the backlash, the community is calling for further scrutiny and oversight within classrooms to prevent future incidents.
Despite the arrest, Barkley was not booked into jail but was given a notice to appear in court. On a related note, the mother intends to take her son to urgent care for an X-ray, stressing the uncertainty of when he might return to school. Meanwhile, Miami-Dade County Public Schools has highlighted its commitment to student safety and praised the work of law enforcement in responding to this matter. "We commend the diligent work of Miami-Dade Schools Police which resulted in this arrest," the district affirmed in their statement, as per NBC Miami.
