Special needs expert ‘heartbroken' after substitute teacher allegedly punches autistic student
A substitute teacher in Seminole County is now out of the job.
Jeffrey Jung, 27, was fired after allegedly throwing punches at a student. To make matters worse, that student has autism and is nonverbal.
'My son has autism, so it is disappointing to hear news like this,' a father said outside Sanford High on Friday.
Parents in the area said no student should be exposed to aggression, but especially those with special needs.
According to the police report, the incident happened inside the classroom. Witnesses say Jung confronted the teen for allegedly causing a nosebleed on another student.
'Schools should be better prepared, better trained,' the father said.
According to police, the victim was lying on a mat in the classroom, then Jung allegedly leaned down and punched him in the ribs and arm.
The incident report, issued by a school resource officer, confirms the teen has autism and is nonverbal.
'Autism is a spectrum and anyone on it is an individual. However, about 40% of those individuals are considered intellectually disabled and about another 25% are borderline intellectually disabled,' said Margaret Thornton, when she learned about the incident. She is the chief operations officer at Opportunity Community Ability Inc., an organization that provides training for individuals with special needs in the community.
'I immediately feel heartbroken for that student and their family because their life has been forever changed,' she said.
Seminole County Schools said every substitute teacher, including Jung, is certified with Exceptional Student Education, or ESE.
'ESE is an umbrella. It manages a variety of different learning styles, cognitive levels. It's not quite as specific as a deaf and hard of hearing credential or a visually impaired credential, but it is for students that will be teaching individuals with special needs,' Thornton explained.
Although ESE training is necessary, it might not be enough when it comes to autism, according to the expert.
'A public educator who's working with children on the spectrum probably already has an ESC certificate. I would urge them honestly to have an Autism Spectrum Disorder endorsement, which is an additional level of education,' Thornton said. 'But what they also may need to invest in in the school system is working on teaching emotional intelligence and recognizing as an educator how we are feeling as we're working through the struggles of teaching individuals that need more support and maybe create more challenges.'
Jung worked as a substitute teacher in Seminole County since August 2024. He was charged with battery and has posted $1,000 bail.
The Seminole County school district sent the following statement regarding the case:
'Any allegations of misconduct by our staff will be taken seriously and handled quickly. We will continue to fully cooperate and assist law enforcement as they continue their investigation. The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority, and any type of behavior that jeopardizes that safety will not be tolerated in Seminole County Public Schools.'
The Sanford Police Department is the leading agency investigating the case. As of Friday, the department said there were no updates on the investigation.
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