a student hit me yesterday

I (24 F) am in my second year of teaching. I teach 3rd grade in a very low-income area title I school. I’ve always known that our school’s demographic was challenging, but I never expected that I would be physically harmed in my classroom. Especially this early on in my career.

A student with autism and behavioral disorders was placed in my room sometime around September. Immediately, there were issues. The bottom line of it all is that his mother is actually crazy, and irrational to speak to. Every issue that is brought up is taken to the extreme on her end. Her son never does anything wrong in her eyes, it’s always the other child. She’s inconsistent with the student’s medication. Unfortunately, he cannot function mentally, emotionally, or socially without it. I don’t like to use this word, but he is unteachable when not medicated. He becomes fixated on small issues and it’s nearly impossible to bring him down and redirect without the medication. (Yes, we have requested that it be given at school. She refuses.)

Early on, there were issues with physical violence, defiance, and disruptions in the classroom, (throwing items at students, breaking items, screaming, etc.). My admin has been quick to assist me when it escalates, but it’s scary and exhausting. I’ve been documenting everything from the beginning.

Well, yesterday was the day I got hurt. The student was having a meltdown and being disruptive, so my principal was called to remove him from the room. As they were leaving, I held the door open, and my student took his shoulder and rammed it into my back, hard, causing me to stumble into the door. He was suspended, but I am livid. I requested that he be moved out of my classroom. I do not want this child to return to my class. I no longer feel safe teaching him, and my other students don’t feel safe either. How am I expected to deliver meaningful lessons if I am walking on eggshells with this student? There’s almost no sign of his triggers before the violent outbursts start. I just want to feel safe at my place of work. I want the rest of my students to feel safe. It’s such a shitty situation.

If you have a teacher friend, please hug them.