A beloved Iowa teacher, Amanda Delzell, was fired after she raised concerns about a colleague allegedly mistreating a nonverbal autistic student. Delzell, a first-grade teacher at Webster Elementary School, reported an incident where the student harmed himself while the teacher allegedly failed to intervene. Despite several months on paid leave and efforts to address the situation internally, Delzell’s contract was terminated by the Urbandale School Board. She had previously shared her concerns with school authorities but felt compelled to inform the student’s parents directly when she perceived inaction. Delzell’s termination has led to outrage from both her and the student’s parents, who have filed a civil rights complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.
