MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis mother stood in front of the press Thursday morning and said she suspected a Minneapolis Public Schools aid had hurt her autistic son. At her side was the Minnesota Parent Union.
Last Friday, Aja Cobb said she walked up to the bus her 10-year-old son was on to ask how he behaved during bus rides.
"My 10-year-old son attends Riverbend Education Center and has been diagnosed with severe autism," said Cobb.
Cobb said she was met with a hysteric aide.
"She just started blurting out how she had to take something from him," she said.
Cobb said she wasn't sure what was happening but took her son off the bus.
“Once they drove off, he called out to me and pointed to a bruise on his arm,” said Cobb. “He said, Mom, and pointed. I sat him on the hallway stairs, took pictures and sent it to his teacher.”
Cobb said she filed a police report and took her child to the emergency room where they contacted CPS. She allowed her son to return to school on Monday since she was assured the aid wasn’t in. Tuesday, she walked her son to the bus.
“I discovered that the aide was on the bus,” said Cobb. “I declined to put him on the bus, and I took him to school on my own.”
Cobb said she asked school leadership to keep the aid away until there was an investigation and said she couldn’t get a guarantee from the leadership she wouldn't be there. She filed a restraining order which was granted.
“Positions requirements are according to federal law needs to change when working with disabled youth,” she said.
In a statement, MPS said the school's principal made a report to the Minnesota Department of Education earlier this week.
"We take these allegations seriously and are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all our students," the statement read.
MPS did not respond to the question about cameras on the bus.