Schoolboy With ADHD Reduced To Tears After Being Given 'Most Likely to Be Distracted' Award

A mum is furious after her 12-year-old son with ADHD was reduced to tears by his teacher after he was awarded a 'most likely to be distracted' award in front of his entire class.

Derek Cooper's mother Tera said he was welling up with embarrassment after being given the award, titled the ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) award which read 'Most likely to be distracted by... Look something shiny!' and was accompanied by a picture of a zombie being lifted up by a balloon.

And now the seething mother has said she will take legal action against her son's school, Plainfield Central School in Connecticut.

NBC)

She told NBC Connecticut: "He had tears in his eyes.

"He's embarrassed because he had to accept it in front of his entire class."

Derek also received an award for being the most improved at social studies, and another titled '#BermudaTriangle' which said he was most likely to borrow something and never give it back.

Mrs Cooper said although she had never met the teacher, she and the school would have known about Derek's condition because he was on a plan that could allow for changes in his education programme.

The law that grants Derek his education plan forbids discrimination against people with disabilities.

Derek's mum added: "I don't know if she thought it was funny but it's not funny. She's the teacher. It's supposed to be a safe space."

NBC

Mrs Cooper said her son told her that other students had received 'ADD awards' too.

The school's principal, Scott Gagnon, said he told parents that the matter would be taken care of as soon as possible.

He said: "Parents were assured that, along with our central office administration, this matter would be handled promptly as we are acting on good faith in the interest of the student and his family."

According to NBC, Plainfield Public Schools Superintendent Kenneth Di Pietro did not want to comment in full on the situation because it was being addressed as a personnel issue, he said: "Our effort to respond immediately and follow up is certainly evidence that we as a district and personally take such matters seriously."

Topics: Viral, School, Mental Health, Feels, US News, Education

Mischa Pearlmen

Mischa is a freelance journalist usually based in either New York or London. He has written for Kerrang!, Record Collector, NME, the New York Observer and FLOOD magazine, among others. Contact him at [email protected]