Edgecombe County teaching assistant charged with assaulting disabled student appears in court
AND REAGAN IS BEING HELD ON A
$75,000 BOND.
>> TODAY, A FORMER EDGECOMBE
COUNTY TEACHING ASSISTANT
APPEARED IN COURT ON ASSAULT
CHARGES. GINA GRAY IS ACCUSED
OF GRABBING A 5 YEAR-OLD
STUDENT WITH AUTISM BY THE
NECK, GW BULLOCK, ELEMENTARY
ONLY ON WRAL, CARLY HAYNES
SPOKE WITH THE CHILD'S FAMILY
AND HAS THEIR RESPONSE
>> FAMILY MEMBERS SAY THE
STUDENT HAS MILD AUTISM AND
CAN SPEAK TODAY. THEY CAME TO
THE SCHOOL TO WATCH A VIDEO OF
THE INTERACTION CAPTURED ON A
SCHOOL BUS CAMERA
>> AND THAT'S COME COUNTY
TEACHING ASSISTANT WAS AN IN
SCHOOL TODAY, BUT IN COURT,
REGINA GRAZED ACCUSED OF
GRABBING A STUDENT WITH AUTISM
BY THE NECK
LAST MONTH.
>> I WAS HURT. WE CRIED.
ALL STILL HURT. I
HE'S 5.
>> LAWANDA COOPER ALSTON
WATCHED THE VIDEO INVOLVING
HER GRANDSON AS HE WAS BOARDING
A BUS AT GW BULLOCK ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL. SHE WAITED FOR HIM.
SHE'S TRYING SHE SLAMMED HIM ON
THE BUS STEPS. IT'S NOT THE
FIRST TIME WRAL HAS COVERED
CHARGES LIKE THIS IN SEPTEMBER,
A WAKE COUNTY TEACHER WAS
ACCUSED OF KICKING A SPECIAL
EDUCATION STUDENT WHILE THEY
WERE SITTING DOWN AND IN MAY,
ANOTHER WAKE COUNTY TEACHER WAS
CHARGED WITH HURTING AT LEAST
5 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
THE STATE HAS EXPERIENCED
PERSISTENT SPECIAL EDUCATION
TEACHER SHORTAGES FOR DECADES.
EXPERTS SAY THAT ALSO INCLUDES
TEACHING ASSISTANCE. WE ASKED
TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
INSTRUCTION. HOW DOES THE
DISTRICT ENSURE SPECIAL
EDUCATION TEACHERS ARE
QUALIFIED AND ARE THEY TRAINED
UP ON DE-ESCALATION? WE DIDN'T
IMMEDIATELY HEAR BACK. I DON'T
CARE WHAT KIND OF DEGREE YOU
GOT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE
TOLERANCE AND THE PATIENTS, YOU
KNOW, THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.
>> GRAY'S NEXT COURT APPEARANCE
IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 22ND.
>> WE TRIED GOING TO HER HOUSE
TODAY TO SEE IF SHE HAD A
RESPONSE. SHE WASN'T READY TO