Wow, Tammy. I'm sorry that you and Jeffery have been going through this. I hope it all works out soon...and I know that you won't let them get away with anything!
I talked to their granddad and he told me to:
1. Call my congressman (oh fun..........not!!!)
2. Get a lawyer, screw the other steps (would love to do that!!!)
3. Send them a letter stating all communication in the future must be in writing only.
4. Get a big notebook, put it under lock and key and document everything.
5. Contact the Health, Education and Welfare Department.
This is alot of phone calls and alot of stuff to do. Also he did say on the bruise to call the local precinct and have a cop come out to document it. I already took the pic, just have to get it developed.
Tammy
OMG..TAMMY, POOR JEFFERY, so sorry you are goin through this crap with school, I definitly would call the local state rep. It sounds like your rights were violated, and thats not fair for jeffery..I hope this is a better week for you.Well Cyndie the first place I have to go to in the morning is Office Max. Hehehe, need printing cartridges and printing paper. Jeffrey used up the printing paper for his paper stimming thing he does. I sure do hope it goes better. Don't need another week like the past one. Oh btw we miss you in chat
Tammy Hey Granddad sounds like a smart guy!! Certainly a yes on the notebook, I have one myself, and EVERY BIT of communication I record (came in very handy when I needed it to read verbatim what our idiot for a spec ed admin said to me on the phone). If you haven't done that already...definitely start, and DATE EVERYTHING. If you have trouble remembering details, pull up all your posts and it's for sure that something will be there that you may have forgotten. DOE was helpful for me, but the more I read, the more I understand it's not the status quo everywhere, but hopefully they CAN do something. As for lawyers, I'd love one too, but most of them want money
BIG YES on everything in writing....another thing I took up this year. Any thing I say to her I say on paper, and they have 10 days to respond...in writing. Works great so far...not that it helped getting Riley ESY...denied of course...but we did get another IEP scheduled. The biggest point of it all is to create that paper trail, of all the times they didn't do what was in his best interest EVEN THOUGH you told them already how many times?!?! (write down all those conversations too Good luck Tammy...really~best of luck...It is a lot of work ahead of you, but so worth it. And I'm serious, kids that come after Jeffrey will have you to thank. Not to mention what Jeffrey will have you to thank for. Keep us posted! I had another question. I know they get federal funding per a child that is in special ed. Since they kicked him out of summer school, will they still get it? And how can you know if they got it? Because if they don't want him there, they shouldn't get it. Tammy Wow. Sorry you and Jeffrey had to go through this ordeal. And w/ cops even! Sheesh! I do not think they handled everything very well at all by what you wrote. And I think it's terrible they are not letting him go back to summer school. Best wishes to you both. Amber Today while we were riding on the bus, Jeffrey lifted up his shirt and I noticed a bruise on the lower left side down by the ribs on the back side. I asked him how he got it. He said he didn't want to talk about that anymore. I asked talk about what? He said the incident at the school. And he still won't tell me who or how he got the bruise. Now he did try to say he hit himself and I told him to show me. Sorry Jeffrey but there is no way he gave himself that bruise. I need to find my camera and take a pic of it. And I did tell him that if he doesn't tell me how he got it soon, I will take him into the e.r. so they can document it. Tammy OMG Tammy!!!! Take pics!! When he does tell you I would file a police report or something or like you said take him to ER and they will have that done there. OMG that makes me SOOO MAD!!! Hope he is doing ok. Karrie hey Tammy, I'd probably do both, take pictures of it and bring him to the dr/er, just to document the injury. that's probably the biggest stumbling block we all face, our kids either can't or won't tell us tramatic things that happen to them. I'd also call PACER back and let them know that he has bruises, have them contact the school to see if he was restrained in anyway. I'm sorry that he was injured, it must of took agreat deal of strength to compose yourself. i'd talk t the advocate and see what they think, perhaps a new placement would be in his best interest. does this summerschool have anything to do with the school he'll attend next year? Oh you mean besides the teachers for this summer school are at his school year school (its so hard not to name the school's name, would make it easier, lol)? And the same special ed students that were in the summer school are also at the other school during the school year? You can tell he doesn't like talking about it at all. And of course with Jeffrey you can ask up to three times a day about it then he will start saying to you what he thinks you want to hear. Sometimes after I ask him he will act out what happened and you have to pay real close attention to what he is saying. And I think it is safe to assume by this point that the school is not being truthful on everything. He won't start this school year without a new IEP. He did say he wanted his social stories back. Tammy Oh I am gonna try my best to get him to come to the IEP meeting. I know he did tell the new school to continue the social stories and I called him this past school year and he told me they have never bothered getting in touch with him. Even tho his teacher from this past school year told me on the phone that she would get in touch with him. Stupid school district. Tammy Geez..this just keeps getting worse...My heart absolutely breaks for you and for Jeffrey right now. Before I start ranting, I must say I'm so thrilled he has you for his mother, who obviously will not let this cr*p continue and hopefully will be very successful in making them wish they never started it. You know, I've read enough of your posts (and so many others' posts) that something absolutely has to be done about this...and not just for the future, but good god, shouldn't they be held accountable for what they've BEEN doing?? Someone once told me that I should contact every local paper and news station about how my son has been treated, and Tammy, believe me, my son & I have not been treated nearly as horrible as your son has and you have been. Is it an option for you to do this? I know it's kind of extreme, but damn, these people who obviously have no place taking care of children with special needs need to be held accountable for their actions. You find one do-gooder reporter how makes calls and they will seriously watch their step in the future. Not only will you son see first hand that he is not to be treated with such disrepect, but wow, what about all the kids who come behind him, whose parents are maybe not as diligent as you are? Obviously you have to do first things first, like get him checked out, try to find out what actually happened, how I wish you had a "friend" at the school who would be honest with you....I would hope in light of everything that happened, at the very least you can move him to a diff't school at their expense?? (I know not the greatest of ideas for our kids, but maybe in Jeffrey's case????) Please please keep us informed about what happens. You sure do have a lot of support here, please add me to that list of supporters. Well thank you Lesley and everyone that has posted to this thread. Never knew it would get to three pages already. Now as far as the newspapers go, lol, the star tribune is so lazy they wouldn't know the sun was up unless you told them. (See Ernest I didn't use any pg words there, lol) The Pioneer Press covers basically St. Paul. Now there is the abc affiliate KSTP. You know they are ones earlier in the year that had the video tape of the boys being bullied on the playground and you could here the assistant superintendent I think it was in the background saying "oh thats just boys being boys". It was shown on ABC's Good Morning America. There are probably other people to contact too. And since the new superintendent here has too far of a abrasive attitude to work in Minnesota, this would not go too well towards her getting an extension of her contract. You know it is almost like a pattern they have going on here. Jeffrey's first school (Anderson Open Elementary School, got that google?) screwed up bigtime with him. Jeffrey's second school and his teacher was the best ever. Now I am having issues with the third school. So will the fourth one be great for him? Considering we see that every other school he goes to he does great in. You would think these people would learn their lessons the first time around but I guess not. Hey I could always call the Attorney General's office again. I should really put that number on speed dial
Tammy Tammy Tammy Sorry i haven't posted to this yet.... just been crazy.... anyways... i'm sorry you and jeffery are having to go through this bull. Hope it all works out soon and that a solution is found soon I did ask Jeffrey about his bus aides. The one he had during the school year helped him at school. The one he had this summer didn't. So something is up. Maybe they are hoping I will let this slide too? They can hope all they want. But the vikings have a better chance of winning the superbowl than me letting this slide this time. Tammy Tammy, Wow! I don't know what to say. I think they messed with the wrong kid and Mom! Please let us know what you find out Monday. Everytime I see what happens to our children in the older grades I shudder. I hope you can kick butt on this. I agree it's terrible they get the IEP's and funding and then do nothing. My son Jared who is 10 and ODD not autistic is in behavioral classes with an IEP and they just suspend him instead of trying to give him supports that they promised. I have just taken their bulls&%^ in the past but I think I will follow your example and standup for Jared better.
Nelle PS. Sorry I didn't post sooner but I have to litterly fight for computer time with Takoda he is so bad without his school retoune. That one I don't know...I know here during the school year, they get a certain amt. of $ per day of attendance...maybe it's the same for summer school? DOE probably knows for sure. I don't agree with the whole budget process anyway, here they say it's about -k per year for spec. ed./related services, and I KNOW they don't actually spend that....it's sickening really. Thats okay Nelle, I know how that is. Sometimes Gabe wants to stay on the computer 24/7. I actually need another one but need to finish upgrading this one first and either have it as a kids computer or put them together a system very cheap. It can be done, if you just look long and hard enough. Yes Nelle, I agree, we can only take their bs so long then we have to fight back. Good luck. Tammy Okay update here.......................... Lets see, who all did I call this morning? Called transportation. The school had not cancelled his transportation yet. So I did that. Called some state representatives but of course everyone is on vacation. Figures. Left another message at PACER. No call back as yet. Called his social worker. Too laid back in my opinion. Called his previous school. The good teacher he had won't be back until August. Called his summer school and asked for all incident reports from this summer be in written form and mailed to me. Got a phone call from his summer school teacher. And this is odd and sorta breaks protocal but won't complain about it. He will get ESY in home service twice a week, two hours a day, for eight days. The letter I got said ESY for four weeks at school but since he isn't in school, at least they are making up for it. Anyway got to talking to the teacher and some things are just stupid here. Have to have it in his IEP that when he gets out of control like that again to take him to Fairview, that is not in the written IEP. I asked about social stories and she said they could agree to do that again. But I want that in writing. Apparently this meltdown occurred the last ten minutes of school. The teacher had been telling Jeffrey all morning that he couldn't go on the field trip because there were not enough adults. But then he just couldn't hold it together anymore. And the meltdown did occur on the bus. And the bus aid wasn't there that day. So I can only assume transportation once again violated his IEP. I wish I could get that woman that is in charge of transportation fired. She is incompetent at best. Also this whole meltdown happened on the bus. I talked about the one student in special ed he has issues with and she said she knew that kid teases alot and she will tell his special ed teacher during the school year about the issues. I did state that maybe it is a personality conflict and maybe they can't be in the same class together. You know make suggestions at this point, see where it gets you first. Another interesting thing I found out is the special ed director wanted to have summer school at his school he goes to during the year. But the district said no. His special ed summer teacher didn't agree with this decision. She said in general it is too hard on special ed students, especially ones with autism, to switch to a different setting for four weeks. It was a cost saving measure. So once again it looks like the district is the one to go after. Oh and another thing to make you really mad as all get go at them is this. They put it together at the last minute. The teacher said they didn't find out what school the summer session would be at until they had already applied to teach summer school. Now not for sure on this next point at what time it occurred. But apparently the school district didn't decide on the sites until a month before summer school started. So I would assume that is in May, middle of May. Considering summer school started in June. Excuse me while I want to hit something but a month is no way to give the students time to tour the summer school setting and get used to going there. Did they forget about summer altogether? Minnesota has two seasons, winter and road construction. Surely they must have remembered this. So do they need to be audited to make sure they are spending the federal funds in special education appropriately or what? I know I am gonna have to get someone from the district office at the IEP and have them explain to me in writing why they made this decision and didn't even bother looking at the individual IEP's. Oh yeah, the special ed teacher did tell me that I have one of the best neuros in the twin cities as Jeffrey's doctor. She said she tried to get a student in to see her two years ago and at the time she wasn't accepting new patients. So my long fight I have ahead will continue. Tammy Actually ESY would be worth it if they bothered reading the IEP beforehand and putting him in a appropriate summer school where he can see his landmarks, an obsession his bus aide from that first incompetent school (Anderson Open Elementary School) started!!! You know it sounds more and more like this teacher just is not trained in autism, or not trained enough. And no I haven't heard anything back today but on Monday I will call and ask for all incident reports from this summer.
Now I did ask him what he was learning in summer school. He has this new phrase he says with everything now. Its suppose to be "I don't know" but it is muffled and really rushed together so it sounds more like "I ont owe", or something like that. New slang term at school? Don't Know, lol. He said they were studying amazing mysteries, which is fine, but it doesn't cover anything he is behind in. He is at 2nd grade level in math and 3rd to 4th grade level reading. Mind you he will be in the 7th grade in the fall. Oh yeah remember he did repeat kindergarten because his specialist said he needed the repetition. Also on top of all this the school he goes to during the school year called and said he needed his booster shots or he might not be able to go to school in the fall. Sorry for the incomplete english that follows but.............I aint giving this kid shots on top of everything else. The school can go to where the sun don't shine on that one. Now on a good note, I did hook up the vcr today and yep it still works. So he got to see Bambi, another one of his minor obsessions, so he was all happy. But it took him 30 minutes to settle down after it and redirect him. Usually when he gets overly excited it takes anywhere from five to 15 minutes. Tammy I did ask him about the bus window. The school said he broke the window. He said he cracked it. Big difference there. He also said "they lied to me. They tricked me." I asked him to explain it to me. He said they told him this summer school was as big as the school he goes to during the school year. He then says "but this school has no lower level like________ has" . And he is a literal thinker so of course to his way of thinking they did lie to him and did trick him. I also asked him to show me on the map how he went to school. Which he did. He is real great at doing this
Tammy Now does that ever sound familar! " And then I have to deal with the behaviour that the school has caused. " What is wrong with these people I think they take advantage that our kids have a problem with communication and expressing their wants / needs and so they just figure they dont have to follow an IEP because we will never know what happened. Same with their words about breaking a wondow or cracking it. Have you heard back on anything about all of this? Is it possible to have him always go to the same summer program so there is some sort of consistency? Tyler has NEVER received ESY... When he was little I didnt even know it was an option (I wish I had!) Then I had always been told he didnt qualify. I never knew to fight them until recently and I am still Learning HOW TO DO IT. BUT although the advocate, his therapist, and the autism specialist all agree he SHOULD HAVE ESY, the school DISAGREES so I still have to fight and get passed that. HOWEVER Im wondering,..... is ESY worth it if there isnt consistency in buildings and teachers and so forth that it causes a problem with transition? I know in a perfect world ESY would HELP our kids,... instead right now it appears ESY is bitterly provided because its the LAW and its nothing more than being a PT sitter for our kids. SOME GREAT PROGRAM! (NOT) My son's ESY is done has been done both years in the same classroom but not always with the same teacher (but this year its the same teacher different SLP) Since the school documents regression in his abilities each year over the holiday break (and even simply over the winter months) he gets ESY. This is a good thing because he LOVES school and I couldn't imagine going 10 weeks trying to tell him how much longer he has to wait for school to start again (its bad enough having to deal with why can't I go everyday now and the next 4 weeks is going to get on my nerves) I'm sorry you're dealing with this at all....you're right, the school should have A) been understanding of what his real issues are and B) handled it so much differently than they did. (I mentioned on a post that my big MISTAKE was to trust that schools know what they're doing....couldn't be more wrong). I'm very glad you were able to get an advocate involved right away, I truly hope they can work this out soon. You've had such horrible experiences from what I've read, and it really is digusting that they have yet to work out how to properly deal with these kids. I went to a seminar last week that Easter Seals was offering on Autism and Sensory Integration...it was intended for day care centers, as autism care centers are so backed up that they can't accept all the kids that need them... They are working on getting training out to public providers so that full-inclusion can be provided for young children, and so they know and understand their needs....which I think is great...but a long way away. My point is that one of her biggest points was that you can't just 'ignore' or 'take away' these 'stims' that certain kids have. That they need them for one reason or another, sometimes it's hard to tell why, and just taking it away is one of the biggest causes for behavioral outbursts. She stressed over and over, don't do it unless you have a 'replacement' that will take care of what the original one was accomplishing. My heart is with you today, it's been a rough one I'm sure. Best of luck in dealing with the school....I hope you give them a huge kick in the a**. Hey Tammy, What a flippin nightmare! Ok, here's my thoughts.... 1. they can't kick him out of summer school, based on his dx, he obviously will be pre- dispositioned to behavioral issues, they are stepping out of his IEP and must either provide you with another means of ed ( maybe a tutor for the rest of the session) or perhaps, you could push for a functional behavioral analysis, where they have to find what is triggering these meltdowns ( although WE know what 99 % of the causes are) On a PERSONAL note, sorry ernest, you said he didn't have this fascination with landmarks when he was younger, i was wondering if perhaps they developed maybe after 9/11, i truelly think he depends on them, as if to say, they're still there and everything is right in the world. perhaps his anxiety is relieved by seeing them, knowing that everything is where it should be.... just a thought... Actually it was a stupid ignorant bus aide that turned him on to the landmarks in the first place. When I moved after the fire Gabe started
Also when he came home via the cops, he was sweating alot. Now if he got overheated, could he had had a seizure and they wouldn't know what it was even if it slapped them in the face and said "hi I am a seizure"? As you can tell I am not too happy with the school right now. Tammy OMG...I can't get over the "school let him watch 9/11 on TV" UNBELIEVABLE. I don't even know what to say there...holy
That's probably one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard...was Homer Simpson running the school then??? That made Jeffrey what, 9 at the time??? OMG - I was an emotional wreck watching that...can't imagine my kids having to see it, especially not a kid like Riley...what a sorry excuse for a school. I'm real sorry (for Jeffrey) that he had to go through all that, sounds like that's an old school though? I really really hope this advocate helps to put what happened today into perspective for the new school. Why they don't listen to parents is beyond me...like we barely know our kids?????, frankly if we say there's a need for something, damn straight there's likely a reason we say it. And for them to turn around and punish your son for something he probably couldn't control because THEY weren't prepared for it??? UNbelievable. I just wonder if they made him wait out in the sun until the cops got there? Because he was sweating when he got home. And it is in his IEP that he has seizures. And getting overheated can bring on a seizure no matter what meds you are on. If they did that, wouldn't that be child abuse? Tammy Tammy, Sorry this happend. Can they keep him out of school like that? Even if it is a summer program? Isn't that like suspension? Thought that with these kids if it is in their IEP that it would protect them from this? Just curious because I really don't know. Karrie No I don't think they can, especially if they have the ESY checked in their IEP. OR they have to make up the time somehow. Now a little interesting side note is he used to have social stories on community outings, going to school, behaviour on the bus etc. But they didn't do that this school year. I will definitely insist on them doing that. It does seem to help him. Also PACER did ask what I wanted and I told them that the school has to make up the time he missed from summer school somehow. So this will be interesting. They should had prepared him for this school ahead of time anyway, instead of thinking he would just adapt. Especially with the obsession with the landmarks. Sometimes I do wonder how some of these people keep their jobs. Tammy Okay where do I begin with this? As everyone knows Jeffrey has this obsession with landmarks. School A during the school year he can see them. There is a science room he can go into where he can see a great view of downtown. I have seen it. It is a great view. So this summer, his summer school is at a different school. He can't see his landmarks. Plus his summer school teachers just might not had been prepared for him. I know transportation sure in the heck wasn't , no matter how specific his IEP was. (Who posted on this message board to trust the schools, that they know what they are doing?
While I was on the phone with his social worker the school called twice. The first call said they decided he could not come back the last week of summer school. The second call was not real clear but it was the police and they said they had him and to call them. I did. The precinct didn't know where he was so referred me to another number. Call that one, they don't know where he is so they refer me to 911. I call them and they said according to the records they still have him and to call the school. So I call the school. They said the cops left about five to ten minutes before I called. I then asked them very specifically if he was so out of control why didn't they take him to a hospital for evaluation. They claimed as soon as Jeffrey saw the police he calmed down. If that is true that will be the first time ever he has done this. So I called PACER and they said they generally take calls as they come in but since this was dealing with summer school, I got a advocate right away. I did tell them I was sent the letter on ESY and so now I have to get a written report on the incident from the school. I also have to call the advocate back later and she will give me a few more details on things to do. Oh yeah Jeffrey of course wanted to ride light rail today but with it being at level orange security and if he even had a minor fit, could you just imagine what they would do? Tammy I did talk to his neuro about this incident and she said just to keep him home that last week but it is the point really. If he is guaranteed four weeks then he gets four weeks. Tammy Talked to Jeffrey's social worker this morning and was told to go ahead and write a letter to the district. Go through everything point by point, have scientific data in there along with what has worked in the past and what hasn't. And to tell them he will not be going back to school until the IEP meeting is held with the district there. Basically put them on notice so to speak. Now to find time to write that letter.............. Tammy
Yeah, it is a lot of work...but these scoundrels need to be put in their place. I agree, what business they have in a school system is beyond me!
(BTW, copy the principal, local superintendent, regional and state superintendents too...)
~Lesley (oops...I rambled again...sorry!)
I don't know, I warned you, I told you I would start ranting...and I'm sorry...I can only imagine how you must feel right now. But I'm really shocked about this...and so very very sorry that you and your son have this to deal with at all.
thinking of you ~ Lesley
going through, as my son was suspended twice when he was in the 4th
grade. Like Lesley, I stated in a recent post NEVER to trust that a
school knows what they are doing and has your child's best interest at
heart.
That being said, I believe that expulsion is tantamount to an admission of
their non-compliance in providing your son with a free and appropriate
education. If this school is incapable of providing for your son, then the
district must either place him in an appropriate school, or provide non
public funding for a private school. You should talk to your advocate
about your non public options in light of these events. Good luck.
It made perfect sense to me...and as I was telling you before, I think the whole "landmark" thing is a type of regulation, that it somehow manages to refocus our kids (at least in my case, and quite possibly in yours if that's the reason Jeffrey 'lost it'). Now what irks me, is that the 'professionals' that are 'helping' our kids don't have an intimate understanding of these needs and how to properly refocus, or deal with them.
~Lesley
I wish you the best...I really do...again, I'm so so sorry that you both had to go through this today.
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