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Mother alleges Cooper Elementary School principal broke her autistic son's leg
A Gwinnett County family wants a principal to resign and be criminally charged after they say he broke their child's leg while attempting to calm him down. Parents say the 9-year-old boy is on the autism spectrum.
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Gwinnett County family wants a principal to resign and be charged after he allegedly broke their child's leg while attempting to calm the child down.
The troubling incident involves a 9-year-old and happened at WJ Cooper Elementary School yesterday in Lawrenceville.
The principal says he, another administrator and a student were attacked by the child.
The 9-year-old's mom, Dr. Lisa Shell, who works at Cooper Elementary school, says she received a call to abruptly take her son home Tuesday after a disciplinary "incident."
Family of a 9-year-old Gwinnett County student are calling on a principal to resign and charges be filed after an incident where their child broke his leg. (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
She started videotaping the child, who mom says has emotional issues and is on the autism spectrum, as he explained that the principal, Paul Willis, allegedly broke his leg while attempting to calm him down. It happened in the school's Behavior Recovery Room.
Realizing her son was injured, Dr. Shell rushed him to Northside Gwinnett Hospital and kept asking questions.
Mom: "Who pinned you on the wall?
Child: "Mr. Willis."
Mom: "Was anybody else there?"
Child: "Yes"
The mom, who works at the school as a detention supervisor, recalled what her son finally told her when they got in the car.
"Mr. Willis started throwing me around the room, and then he stomped on my leg he was trying to get out of the room, and they pinned him up, so he has a broken tibia," the mother revealed.
The physician assistant at the hospital immediately called police since they are mandated reporters.
Gwinnett County Public School Police and DFAC are now investigating while Dr. Shell, who says she was reprimanded by the principal just last month for intervening when her son had another issue, feels like she let her son down.
"I wanted him there for school for academics because he's so smart, but I never thought that this would happen to him. So, yeah I feel like I failed him and I didn't protect him," the mom said with tears in her eyes.
Principal Willis sent out a letter to parents and staff saying the 9-year-old "continue to act out hitting, kicking and biting the other administrator and me." He went on to say physical attacks on students and staff will not be tolerated.
Dr. Shell and her husband want the principal to resign and be charged criminally.
"I think it's time for him to go because he's not caring about the children the way he should and if…and if now we're at the point where we're breaking children's legs there's a problem, something in the system is broken," Dr. Shell said.
The fourth grader has been suspended from school and his school transfer that allowed him to attend here has been revoked.