Parents say teacher harmed autistic kids

Lindsey Collom
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 30, 2003 12:00 AM

GILBERT - The personnel file of Indira Dias paints the picture of a quick-tempered woman unfit for work with autistic children.

Dias has had a brief, tumultuous history with the Gilbert Unified School District, as indicated by records released this week. The 53-year-old was hired in August to work with five autistic students at Finley Farms Elementary School - a job, records indicate, she may have had no business doing.

Gilbert police Lt. Ken Fixel said two families have filed complaints accusing Dias of child abuse. She has been on paid leave since Jan. 16.

Dias provided glowing references in regard to her work with special-needs children in several private schools in California. But the four instructional aides in Dias' class at Finley Farms Elementary painted a different portrait of the teacher. They told Finley Farms Principal John Maas that Dias was quick to scold yet failed to provide instruction.

In a report dated Sept. 16, district speech coordinator Kathi Cummard and special-education coordinator Jane Hecker observed Dias' class and noted there was "no coherent plan for the children. The children were wandering and appeared to have no planned activities."

"Autism is beyond her abilities," wrote one of the aides. "She has a hard time realizing that these are not typical kids, and they cannot be taught like typical kids."

Dias defended herself by saying she was not given autism instruction or training by the school district. Records indicate she signed up for but failed to attend several training sessions.

Aides also said Dias had very little interaction with students. When she did, she irritated easily and, on occasion, physically handled the children in a harsh manner.

A mother filed a child abuse complaint Jan. 22 with Gilbert police indicating her daughter, who is autistic and has cerebral palsy, was handled roughly by Dias. Classroom aides corroborated the mother's claims.

Dias is accused of force-feeding the girl on several occasions. According to the report, Dias once "grabbed (the girl) by the arm and threw her down to the ground; dragged her across the room to a chair; picked her up and slammed her down into it."

Fixel said Dias may have returned to California. Attempts to reach her have been unsuccessful.