Yesterday morning, a special needs Bronx teenager was left in critical condition after he was attacked outside his school and stabbed in the neck with scissors. The Daily News and NY Times interviewed some of 16-year-old Negro Rivera's classmates, who labeled him a "troublemaker," and a "bully." But a former teacher at PS 12 Lewis and Clark School took umbrage to the media's handling of the story, and wrote us to add more context to the incident:
What you should know is that P12 is school designated for students with "Emotional Disturbances" and all kids attending 12 are evaluated and given this label in order to attend the school. To target this kid as bully is completely unfair, he has a real Mental Health issue and quite frankly the City is not providing these kids with the proper environment or services they need, and inevitably this is why incidents of this nature happen. Most disheartening is that the media is using quotes and anecdotes from other EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED STUDENTS, most of whom have committed similar violent or aggressive acts to even end up at 12 in the first place. Negro was a kind student who needed more support from the City who labeled him "emotionally disturbed" I witnessed him being verbally assaulted or bullied to almost the same extent other students were. This is what happens when the City creates a "dumping ground" for students with real Mental Health issues and turns a blind eye. I would hate to see this student continue to be targeted as a villain when he and his family are trying to recover and cope.
According to his mother, Cassandra Rivera, Negro suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and bipolar disorder; he's been a frequent runaway, and it seems too much for her to handle. The day before the stabbing, she went to court and turned Negro over to the city Administration for Children's Services, who placed him into foster care. Less than a day later, she received a call that her son had been stabbed and was in critical condition. Police haven't made any arrests in the attack yet.
