How a workforce shortage can make special education jobs more dangerous

Margo Jimenez says her husband would occasionally come home from work injured.

“One day he came home with a black eye, his glasses were broken and he had bites on his arm,” Margo remembers. “I said, ‘Did you report it?’ He said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Why not?’ He said, ‘Margo, because it happens all the time.'”

Fred Jimenez worked as a special education instructional assistant for the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio. He helped students with disabilities meet their learning and physical needs, and his work included everything from changing diapers to helping students with practical instruction to controlling violent outbursts.

On February 7, one of those violent outbursts sent Fred to the hospital.

Fred was pushed by a high school student with a cognitive disability. He fell and hit his head, which led to a brain hemorrhage.

He died 10 days later without ever waking up.

Margo Jimenez points out a memorial to her late husband, Fred Jimenez, in her yard – a stone with his name engraved on it. Next to it there is another stone, in memory of her son who died in a car accident.

A workers' compensation form details Fred Jimenez's injury. It says, "Employee was pushed by a student and hit his head." — A workers’ compensation form details Fred Jimenez’s injury. It reads: “Employee was pushed by a student and fell on his head.”

“I literally have no one since Freddy passed away,” Margo said.

“Every day is a challenge for me, every day, every day, all day. So I’m just doing the best I can with what God has given me.”

Fred’s story is an extreme case, but the situations he faced in the classroom are a common one.

Students receive special education for a wide range of disabilities. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most college students have developmental disabilities are not more aggressive than other students. But for some, their disability can lead to frustration and, in turn, aggression. Other students may have disabilities, including a tendency toward aggressive behavior.

“It’s not surprising,” Susan Dvorak McMahon said after learning about the injuries Fred suffered before his death.

McMahon, a professor of psychology at DePaul University, researches violence against teachers and has conducted national surveys of teachers’ experiences. Among her findings, published last year: Special educators are more likely to experience violence or aggression from students.

A Northside special education teacher who spoke to NPR on condition of anonymity said her leg was so severely injured while a student was in the middle of an aggressive outburst that she needed surgery. She provided this photo of the bruising that occurred after the injury. She asked not to be named for fear of retaliation.

“These issues have been going on for a while, and as we asked teachers about their worst, most disturbing experiences, we read a lot of responses that were really – they’re really hard to read,” McMahon said.

There isn’t much research on how often special educators get injured on the job, but… a study from Pennsylvania published in 2014 Research has shown that special educators are nearly three times as likely to be physically assaulted by students as general educators.

That could make it more difficult for school districts to hire special education staff, at a time when schools across the country are struggling to fill those positions. A recent federal investigation Vacancies for special education have been found nationally most difficult for schools to fill. District officials told NPR this was also the case in Northside.

How staff shortages can lead to unsafe conditions

After Fred’s death, his colleagues filed an internal complaint with the Northside Independent School District, alleging that his death was part of a widespread pattern of student-inflicted injuries in special education classrooms.

Exhibits full of photos and email exchanges paint a picture of how the district’s staff shortages can lead to unsafe conditions and serious injuries.

Special education teacher Sheree Kreusel signed the complaint.

Special education teacher Sheree Kreusel worked with Fred Jimenez before moving to his last job at a high school. "I've had so many injuries" she said. — Special education teacher Sheree Kreusel worked with Fred Jimenez before moving to his last job at a high school. “I’ve had so many injuries,” she said.

“I’ve had so many injuries,” Kreusel said. “I’ve had three concussions, two broken noses, stab wounds in the stomach, countless bites, scars from bites. And that’s unfortunately very normal.”

Kreusel worked with Fred before moving to his last job at a high school. She teaches high school students with cognitive disabilities, and for the past fifteen years she has worked in a classroom reserved for students with higher learning needs.

She said she loves her students and doesn’t blame them for hurting her. Many of them have their own triggers, and Kreusel says she’s doing her best to learn them. But she can’t always avoid an outburst.

“The student may be aggressive, but that doesn’t mean they’re targeting you because they hate you,” Kreusel said. “That’s usually not the case. It’s usually something that happened, and it can be nonverbal. They can’t express it and they just explode.”

When that happens, the teachers’ complaint goes, there isn’t enough staff to tackle it.

Kreusel documented her injuries in photos. "I've had three concussions," she told NPR. She said her last concussion caused permanent nerve damage to her forehead. Kreusel has also documented bite marks and scars after being bitten by students. — Kreusel documented her injuries in photos. “I’ve had three concussions,” she told NPR. She said her last concussion caused permanent nerve damage to her forehead. Kreusel has also documented bite marks and scars after being bitten by students.

Boston University researcher Elizabeth Bettini studies special education. She says when it comes to students prone to aggressive behavior, “You really need three people to be involved. You need two people to keep the students safe, and then you need a third to collect data,” or document what is happening.

But Kreusel said the district’s staffing shortage means teachers are sometimes alone in the classroom. The province acknowledges that this is happening.

Low wages make it difficult to hire and retain staff

Northside Independent School District officials said they cannot comment on the complaint while it is pending. However, Tracy Wernli, who oversees special education services for the district, agreed to answer more general questions.

She said Fred Jimenez was a “much beloved teaching assistant in our district,” and described his death as a “much beloved teaching assistant in our district.” ‘horrible, terrible event’ and ‘absolutely devastating’.

She also acknowledged that the district is struggling to hire the special education staff it needs, and a big reason for that is money. Wernli said the special education funding they receive from the state and federal government is not enough to cover their costs.

“That’s an important part,” Wernli explained. “We spend a lot more than what we get.”

Northside’s starting salary is less than $16 per hour for instructional assistants. Wernli said they can’t afford to pay more. But for many people, that’s not enough compensation for a job that can be physically and emotionally demanding.

Margo Jimenez's home is full of memories and memorials to her husband Fred. He was known as "Mr. Fred" to students and colleagues at the school where he worked. — Margo Jimenez’s home is full of memories and memorials to her husband Fred. He was known as “Mr. Fred” by students and colleagues at the school where he worked.

“There are people who do that and do it with passion and love it, and there are people who just don’t do it for them,” Wernli said.

Kreusel, the teacher who worked with Fred, said she knows limited funding and staff shortages are a challenge for many districts. But it doesn’t change her reality.

“I’m afraid what happened to Fred. People hear about it, and they don’t want to do this job. I mean, they can get paid more working at Chick-fil-A than as an instructional assistant,” Kreusel said. .

She thinks she and her colleagues will continue to get hurt until the district hires more teaching assistants and pays them well enough that they are willing to stay.

Audio story produced by: Janet Woojeong Lee

Audio and digital stories edited by: Nicole Cohen