School puts autistic boy

in cell-like room
BRITTANY VONOW
THE COURIER-MAIL
OCTOBER 28, 2015 12:00AM

Kelly-Ann Brooks was outraged after seeing the room where her son Tate was sent.

Through their eyes

Kelly-Ann Brooks was outraged after seei...

Through their eyes

AN AUTISTIC student was locked inside a small room with the windows
boarded up at his Hervey Bay primary school because his teacher said he
needed time out.
Tate Smith, 9, was locked in the room unsupervised up to 20 times in the last year, left with
just a thin mattress on the floor and a pillow.
Mother Kelly-Ann Brooks said her son, who is in Year 3 at Kawungan State School, had been
left distraught by the ordeal, describing the 2x2m room as cell-like.
The Department of Education has now ordered the school to shut down the unacceptable
room, putting out a warning to all state school principals about proper disciplinary action for
students.
An investigation into the incident has also been launched.
The situation is unacceptable and when it was brought to my attention yesterday I
immediately ordered the school to stop using the room, State Schools Deputy DirectorGeneral Patrea Walton told The Courier-Mail.

The 2x2m room where Tate was sent.

The room had a thin mattress and pillow on the floor, and was boarded up.

Ms Brooks said she knew her son was taken to the room for chill-out time but had not
realised that the room was so small and locked while he was inside with the windows boarded
up.

Im just devastated for the poor little thing, she said.

He doesnt want to go back to school and his behaviour has really spiralled this year.
To me, when people say a chill-out area I imagine some pillows and books and stickers on
the walls. That room is not a chill-out area.
The Hervey Bay mother said her son struggled with his behaviour but locking him in a room
was not the answer.
The main thing is hes missing out on friends, and instead hes only getting into trouble, she
said.
For me, its like my son being in a cell like some kind of common criminal.
We have got it documented in behavioural reports that he has been put in there after
going over all his reports myself I have found references to it 18 times in one year.
Ms Brooks said she would now take her son out of the state school and get him settled
somewhere else.

Tate Smith was locked in the tiny, boarded-up room unsupervised.

I want him to be a normal little boy. He can do school work but he just needs that chance,
she said.
Ms Walton said the department has moved quickly to address the familys concerns.
The room is now being dismantled and the situation is being investigated, she said.
Additionally, I have today provided advice to all state school principals reminding them of
the Departments policy that under no circumstances must a student be placed in time out
without strict supervision.
Ms Brooks said she was now worried her sons experiences in the room had meant he had
regressed in his learning.
He has just been lashing out at everybody around him to the point where hes trying to get
himself sent home so he doesnt have to go into the room, she said.
Now this has come out, no wonder hes trying to get himself suspended.
She said her son had told her he hated being in the room.
No child should ever be locked behind a door like that, she said.
Ms Brooks said she had raised her concerns with the school but was yet to have a face-to-face
meeting.