Boy with autism cut from school concert

SHEBOYGAN - Zander Miota, an 8-year-old student at Northview Elementary in Howards Grove, attended all the practices leading up to the school’s spring concert and excitedly talked about the upcoming performance with his parents, but after the final rehearsal, he came home with a note alerting the family of the school’s decision to not allow him to participate.

Why?

Because Zander’s autism caused him to be “overstimulated” and “disruptive” during practices, according to the note and a follow up phone call with the parents on April 19.

This incident has Zander's father questioning the district's approach in a social media post that's spreading quickly.

The trouble started with the reasoning listed in the note for Zander's exclusion from the April 21 concert.

“The classes and music teacher have worked very hard to make this a wonderful show,” the note read. “With both Zander’s best interest and the rest of the students and adults involved we decided that Zander should not participate.”

Josh Miota, Zander’s father, said he was unable to reach his son’s teacher or principal, who the school confirmed is out of town for a funeral, to follow up on the situation.

After “taking a long time” to get back to him, Josh received a call from Howards Grove School District Superintendent Chris Peterson, who said that it was actually Zander’s choice to not participate. At this point, Josh turned to social media with his frustration.

“(Zander) was suppose to have a spring concert tonight, but his teacher from Howard's Grove pulled him from the concert because she felt he would be too wild,” Josh wrote. “Please explain to me how crushing a child's spirit will help him at all? Or how most children aren't wild to begin with? This teacher took his personal life and held it against him, an 8 year old, when all he wants to do is be accepted and sing some damn Beatles.”

As of early Friday evening, the post had accumulated nearly 500 shares in a day and a half.

“I was just so sick of it happening. I just went on a rant and posted it,” Josh told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. “I’m sick of seeing my son feeling like he is segregated.”

While Zander’s education at the school is mostly one-on-one teaching in a separate classroom, Josh said the boy is supposed to be integrated into the music class, gym, field trips, recess and other extracurricular activities and events, but this has not always been the case.

The boy’s father said Zander wasn’t allowed to participate in the end-of-year school party, has been excluded from field trips and was not permitted to take swim classes offered by the school.

In addition, Josh was concerned that a Sheboygan County Sheriff’s officer attended one of Zander’s Individualized Education Program meetings between the family and school.

The family does not feel they have received much help from the school in navigating their concerns.

“Their excuse all the time is, ‘We think he’s a risk to the other kids, but we love him,'" Josh said.

Peterson told a reporter Friday afternoon that the school cannot comment on individual cases for privacy reasons, but that he believes the district’s special education staff are dedicated to helping every student.

“Our district’s goal is to meet the needs of all the children, special needs or not,” Peterson said.

He could not comment on the procedure for deciding whether or not a child should participate in an event, saying everything is done “on a case-by-case basis.”

The family does not have any problems at home with Zander, who they describe as a “normal, non-violent kid” who loves technology and playing Minecraft.

Josh confirms that he has seen video of his son knocking over desks and being upset at the school, but said the child has never been aggressive toward people.

He believes that the “segregation” at the school is contributing to the negative behavior because “Zander is a totally different person” at Northview compared to home.

“He needs to be around his peers," Josh said.

The family does not believe the school that Zander said he didn’t want to participate. If this was the case, they are upset that no one sat him down to ask why. Additionally, no one notified the parents until the decision was made.

Since the Facebook post, Josh said other parents have reached out with concerns about the district’s treatment of their special education children. He does not believe the school has been honest when asked if they are equipped to educate his son.

“What bugs me the most is that by separating him, they are teaching the other kids that he is different,” he said.

To any parents who have concerns about their special education students, Peterson encourages them to contact him,

“We have a very open door policy,” he said. “We communicate on a regular basis with all of our families.”

Reach Leah Ulatowski at 920-453-5134, Lulatowski@sheboyganpress.com or @Leah_Bekah on Twitter.