‘I wanted to turn over the table’

Gary parents speak out after their autistic son was dubbed ‘most annoying’ at school

(HSPA)—FOR Rick and Estella Castejon, their bubbly, funny son unexpectedly became the center of national attention after he was awarded a “most annoying” school award last month.

Weeks after it happened, Gary announced it would seek to fire three Bailly Preparatory Academy teachers

Gary Community School Corp. Emergency Manager Pete Morikis announced at the Tuesday school board meeting that Principal Carlita Royal would also be fired.

All were entitled to due process, he said.

“The union's attorney is working on their case and making sure they get due process,” Gary Teachers Union President Gleneva Dunham said later via text.

State licensing records show all three taught for years — their son’s special education teacher Alexis Anderson-harper, 11 years; plus fifth grade teachers: Bianca Jones, 18 years; Crystal Beeks, 8 years.

For the Castejon family, the award was especially cruel because Akalis, 11, is nonverbal. He was diagnosed on the autism spectrum at 3, his parents said.

“My grandson was ecstatic,” said grandmother Angelina Castejon of the award. “He saw a bright, shiny star and assumed that he got an award that was worthy of him.

“I just wonder who in their right mind thinks that awarding a child a trophy like that is acceptable?”

School board members apologized to the family. They had received emails from autism advocacy groups from across the country, she said.

“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident,” Larona Carter, school board vice president, said. “We are moving forward and trying to do better.”

Rick Castejon attended the meeting. "I do is work on bikes,” he said at the meeting. “I’m trying to give my son the best life I possibly can. We just want these kids to have a better life.”

“Gary’s coming up, I see it,” Castejon said. “I’ve been living here for 10 years. It’s changing. This is the time for you to make that change.”

On May 23, Castejon attended an end-of-school luncheon at a local buffet restaurant. After a few rounds of food, a paraprofessional said Akalis was about to get an award.

His son and another boy were called up to receive a “most annoying” trophy in a poll from classmates, he said.

“I just stood there and looked, ‘Am I overreacting?’ I was mad, because I wanted to turn over the table,’” he said. “Let me calm down.

“My son was (smiling) because he thought it was something cool,” he said, as other kids were laughing at both.

As the ceremony ended, Rick Castejon said he left

the award on the table, trying to play it off. Andersonharper, his son’s teacher, grabbed the trophy caught up with him several feet away and told him to take it home.

Castejon said he let his son ride the bus back to school, then took him home. The trophy was zipped up in the backpack. His wife was angry when she saw it.

“I just keep thinking about it,” said Estella Castejon, a homemaker. “I just wonder if he understood or even had any idea of the meaning of that trophy.”

“I think that’s hurtful for any child, if you have a condition or not,” she said. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to be up on that stage and have everyone laughing at you.”

Royal, the school’s principal, told them to make an appointment with the secretary to speak with her, family members said.

In the days that followed, they met with Morikis and Carter. Morikis told her they will stop trophies awarding at all schools.

“He was really apologetic,” Estella Castejon said. “I was surprised how touched he was by it.”

Akalis started at Bethune in preschool before attending Glen Park Academy, Estella Castejon said. He was transferred to Bailly last year where officials said there were more special needs services.

Both parents said they were called frequently by Anderson-harper saying their son was having behavioral problems — that the family said was consistent with his diagnosis.

At times, it included moving around or jumping up and down “like popcorn.”

“It’s just hurtful,” Estella Castejon said. “I’m sending my son there to be in good hands.”

Instead of a family name, Akalis Castejon — pronounced “Achilles” — is named after the Greek mythological warrior played by Brad Pitt in the 2004 movie “Troy,” the parents said.

It was a “strong” name, Rick Castejon said.

In their home, Akalis ran into his room, started giggling, then ran out. It was filled with toys and Angry Birds and Toy Story posters. Akalis put more than a dozen school certificates including perfect attendance on his wall, his mother said.

Her son was 5 or 6 the first time he wrote, “I love you,” she said. “I wanted to get it tattooed on me, because I thought it was so special.”