NJ Teacher’s Aide ‘Punished’ 8 Autistic Students With Hot Sauce, Advocates Say

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A teacher’s aide is in hot water after being accused of using hot sauce to punish at least eight autistic students in her Paterson classroom, according to education advocates.

The allegations stem from a Dec. 22 Facebook post from Dale Avenue School substitute teacher Kenya Hilton. Hilton said the teacher of ten autistic students was “putting hot sauce in the students’ mouths as discipline for their behavior.”

Salaam Ismial of the National United Youth Council, an advocacy group committed to improving education, said that at least eight children were forced-fed hot sauce by the educator as a way of "calming the children's behavior."

Quasheema Frye, the mother of one of these children, was told about the incident by school officials weeks after it took place, even after inquiring during the winter break, according to Ismial. Her son, Lamond, is a non-verbal autistic six-year-old.

"The child has autism... He doesn't speak. He couldn't even explain if he was in pain," Ismial told Patch. "The mother was outraged."

The National United Youth Council is working with the Frye family to demand answers from Paterson school officials. The group met with Superintendent Laurie W. Newell and school leaders on Wednesday, who told them an investigation is underway.

"Our group is looking into this bizarre incident with this vulnerable child," Ismial said in a statement. "The state child protection is now investigating this, and we're demanding full transparency from the school district. In addition, we'll be presenting our complaints at the February 4 Paterson Board of Education meeting."

The investigation is being conducted by both the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office and the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, according to Ismial.

Patch has reached out to Paterson School District officials and the Paterson Board of Education, inquiring about the incident, and has not received a response. A News12 report said that the aide was no longer employed by the district.