Her son's behavior was getting worse by the day, and she didn't know what to do. She tried talking to Camden's teacher to see if they knew what could be the cause, but they all assured her everything was fine.
She had a feeling the school was lying. So, she took matters into her own hands. What she discovered was shocking.
Meet Milissa Davis
Milissa Davis from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was a mother of two brilliant boys. Her 12-year-old son Camden had special needs, and she was fiercely protective of him.
So, when he suddenly started showing signs of distress, she knew something was wrong.
Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy
When Camden was accepted to Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy, Milissa was on cloud nine. She had no doubt in her mind that this school was the best choice for her son.
Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy promoted “inclusion, encouragement, positive relationships and recognition of student accomplishment.”
Getting Her Hopes Up
Milissa hoped the school could give Camden the support he needed to thrive academically and socially. But soon, she would discover it was the complete opposite.
She soon began noticing changes in her son's behavior. He became more irritated and aggressive and even started wetting the bed. When Milissa asked Camden what was wrong, he couldn't explain the issue.
Speaking With His Teachers
Milissa wasn't about to let it go, though. So, she went to the school to talk about Camden's situation with the principal and school officials.
However, the school staff wasn't cooperative at all. So, Milissa decided to do a quick test of her own. She bought a tape recorder and placed it in her son's backpack in the morning before school.
Extreme Measure
Milissa knew it was an extreme measure, but she felt she had no other choice at the time. So when Camden came back from school, she took the device from his backpack and rewound it.
On the tape, she heard one of her son's teachers scolding him for not completing his homework. However, the worst part was yet to come.
Mocking The Boy
The teacher's tone was condescending. He was mocking the boy's attempts at verbalizing. On the recording, one of the teachers can be heard saying: 'You're just writing the word. What is hard about it?'
'Camden, why don't you have anything written down? That's why you can't sit with everyone. Tell your mommy that,' the teacher continued.
Evil Teachers
'Let’s see what they do with him in f***ing public school. He was going to go to Live Oak Middle. Uh ah, he wouldn’t make it for a minute,' another teacher shouted.
Milissa couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew she had to do something about this.
Unacceptable Behavior
Milissa heard a conversation between the teacher and her teaching assistant. They were talking badly about her son, even using swear words. Milissa burst into tears as she listened to their conversation.
“I just wanted to cry, scream and do everything I could because it was so bad,” she recalls.
In Shock
“To think that I had sent my son there every day, and what had happened before that, I don’t know about.”
Milissa once again went to the school officials with the evidence, but her concerns were dismissed. So, she immediately pulled her son out of the Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy and posted the audio on her Facebook page to get the school's attention.
Viral Post
It didn't take long for Milissa's post to go viral, forcing the principal to take action. In her statement, Principal Linda Stone said that one of the teachers had been fired and the other would be let go shortly.
She also asked Camden's parents to come to speak with her and other school officials about the incident. But Milissa had a different idea in mind.
Taking Legal Action
She hired the services of attorney Charlotte McGehee and filed a complaint with the Department of Education.
“No child should have to have this happen to them,” Milissa said. “I brought this to light because I wanted my son to be the last kid that this happened to at this school.”
Second Teacher Fired
The pressure forced the principal to fire the other teacher immediately. Many Facebook users praised Milissa for her smart actions and for sharing her story with the world.
Other people shared their own stories of child abuse at school. "Unfortunately, this happens more frequently than you think. My autistic son came home with bruises all over him. They claimed they just had to restrain him. He became non-verbal except for sweating that year," one woman wrote.
Child Abuse
"After the year with that teacher was over, he became verbal again, but he told us stories about different teachers telling him not to believe in God. Teachers doing nothing all day but talking between themselves and complaining about the kids, work, etc.." she continued.
"Teachers making fun of and smacking another student that had balance problems and would grab onto things and people to steady himself."
New School
Milissa transferred her son to a different school, making sure that the staff there was professional and qualified.
Camden's new teacher has a degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and special education.