January 29, 2008 9:15 AM
Daniel needs your prayers
I'd like to ask my readers for prayer for my son Daniel.
Daniel is 11 years old and is currently being bused out of our district to a "self-contained" classroom for kids with special needs in another school. This is Daniel's fourth year there. Next year he will transition to middle school.
When they set up this program, it sounded good as it promised to offer more services. In practice, it has deteriorated so that kids in this classroom have had fewer and fewer true inclusion opportunities. I've chronicled the problems we began having last year when a new teacher took over. Thank God, Jesse went on to middle school this year and has an excellent situation there. In fact, it was Jesse moving on to middle school and Justin moving to full inclusion at our local school which really made me notice that Daniel was not receiving an education. When I compared what came home in their backpacks, I realized that Daniel was bring home preschool work. This was a bright young child who, though he has Down syndrome, could read 200 words at the age of 8.
I visited his classroom several times and saw that there was not even a place for the kids to hang their coats - they piled them on the floor. I saw Daniel's teacher give him a 12-piece puzzle to keep him busy, though he is doing 300-piece puzzles at home and she knows that. Daniel was taken on all kinds of CBI (community-based instruction) trips which included a few good things, but tied up days with stuff that was age-inappropriate (sitting on Santa's lap at the mall) and unrelated to his education (going to McDonalds, the park, the mall).
Rather than hearing my concerns, the teacher dug in her heels and created a power struggle, backed by the vice-principal - you know, the one who revealed his true colors at the last IEP meeting.
The principal chose not to respond to my requests for intervention.
I still find it strange that everyone at the school has assumed that I was in the wrong, just causing trouble. No one seemed interested in checking out whether the teacher was in fact doing an adequate job. From what I understand, children are plugged into the video much of the time - watching things like Winnie the Pooh. One poor child is on constant time-out, but the mother doesn't have a clue and trusts the teacher's schmoozing - which I understand because when you have special needs kids, there is a heavier burden to bear at home and she may be just too worn out to turn her attention to what is going on at school.
I don't know. When Tripp and I owned a company and someone complained about an employee, we were grateful they took the time and trouble - and we promptly used it as a learning opportunity to help the employee grow.
But that's the difference between those who work for the government and private industry. Sometimes they might as well wear a sign that says, "I make my living from your tax dollars. I don't have to care."
So anyway. In December I wrote the Powers-That-Be that Daniel's education was in a state of emergency. I demanded a new teacher and case manager.
We did not have a meeting to work on this until January 15, even as the days slipped away with Daniel not receiving an education. It was decided that Daniel's case manager/teacher would become his former teacher who teaches special ed kids K-2. How she was supposed to teach her own class and get Daniel into full inclusion - plus perform all the testing he needed so we could figure out where he truly was - I cannot begin to imagine.
The good thing was that she knew him and he loves her. She probably was able to see how little progress he had made since leaving her class - in fact, he may have regressed.
But now she is in the hospital. They have been patching together Daniel's days with subs. So here we have a child with special needs, whose education has been neglected and whose case has been mismanaged, a child with some autistic behaviors that make transition and change difficult for him with his school days completely unpredictable.
In addition, from what I hear, some school personnel are rooting for him to fail just to prove me wrong. This is a sick response. Have these adults forgotten that this is about a child and his education, not about whether they want to strike back at his mother?
I have sent a letter asking for a consulting teacher to come in to be a consistent presence for Daniel for the rest of the year.
I'm asking for your prayers that this would happen soon, that the teacher assigned would be a caring and compassionate person who will see only Daniel and not the political intrigue/gossip at the school. And pray that God will use all this in Daniel's life to help him and others.
Posted in Inclusion, Loudoun County, Public schools, Spiritual education | Permalink
Comments
Oh Heavenly Father! You are our El Shaddai, our All Powerful Almighty God! Nothing is impossible for You. I come before You and lift up my sister Barbara and her son Daniel and their needs expressed above. May You bring the appropriate teacher consultant who will be kind, considerate, and totally committed to Daniel's education and NOTHING ELSE!!! Lord, You know that Daniel needs this soon so that he may not further regress education wise. Give Barbara Your peace that passes all understanding and guard little Daniel's heart and mind and may he love You more and more with each passing day!! We love You, Lord and thank You so much that we can come boldly to Your throne of grace that we may obtain help. You are a very present help in times of trouble. You, Lord, are the Waymaker. May this situation bring You glory!
In Jesus' name, amen.
Love you, Barbara!
Posted by: Libby | January 29, 2008 10:36 AM
I will add Daniel to my prayer list. What you've described is all to common in our school system. Special needs children, who already have so much to overcome, are given a lower quality education, held to lower standards, and treated with a tremendous lack of personal respect--all contributing to greater obstacles for these poor children to overcome. We have seen these same things every school year in our son's experience with IEPs, etc., since he began school. Keep us posted on the progress.
Posted by: Richard D | January 29, 2008 10:55 AM
Barbara,
I totally understand what you are going through. I have been there with my 12 year old son (we adopted a newborn who was a crack baby, FAS, Bi-polar disorder and sensory issues) and he was at one time bused to a day school a few miles away. The first year he started to improve, until the school changed their policies. The second year it resembled the psych ward in a bad movie and not a place of learning. We had him then placed in a different school. I have had to call and e-mail the head of special education to get results. He is currently in a "regular" middle school with a one-on-one, this was hard fought. The vice-principal wanted to find a "new placement" two weeks into the school year with the first incident, with no change in accommodations in his IEP. I e-mailed the head of Special Ed and our son now has a one-on-one behavior specialist.
If you have not gone to www.wrightslaw.com this is the best web site I have found on knowing and using your rights under the law in education. I went to a seminar they put on in Vienna, Va., not long ago, they are attorneys who give you the info you need to "build a case that you don't want to have to bring." They also have some wonderful books and loads of info free online. This information has allowed me to get the school to sit up and take notice. I hardly have to fight now--it's more like "give her what she wants."
I will be in prayer for Daniel and also for you.
Posted by: Kim G | January 29, 2008 12:30 PM
School personnel are rooting for him to fail so they can mock you????
Unbelievable!!!
What a bunch of twisted people! To prey like that over a little child who needs everyone to rally around him and cheer him up. Shame on them!
I'll keep Daniel in my prayers for sure; I will also pray for those who are blinded to see how special he is and how much he needs them to see him for who he really is, and not just the label attached to him by Down Syndrome.
My heart goes out to you as you deal with this; I pray for peace in your heart as you continue to fight for his rights.
Love,
Nilda
Posted by: LadyLovas | January 29, 2008 2:25 PM
Thank you Barbara for opening our eyes to the real life of special needs families. I got this link from a friend today http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=4d3829158be495ac31a6f5&skin_id=1703&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url. She is a mother with a child with albanism. I think you would find it interesting. It is called Perception is not reality. It really made me think. Behold, children are a gift of the Lord.
Posted by: Becky S | January 29, 2008 2:56 PM
Hello
I will be praying for you and your kiddos. How sad that adults have to acts this way, but I have come to realize over the last year that adults can be worse then kids, in a variety of situations. We are kinda of "starting" over ourselves right now with a whole new school district, teacher, school everything for our Andrew. SIGH....... We are waiting to see for a week or so to see how it goes. Praying for you
Amy
Posted by: AmyEllen | January 29, 2008 4:00 PM
Praying for Daniel and his mommy during this struggle. My wonderful girl (with T21) is 4. Having been a special ed teacher prior to becoming a mommy, I find that her future in the educational world is a huge fear for me. I know that it all comes down to the teacher, regardless of the philosophy of the district, funding, etc.
The wonderful thing about kids like Daniel...they often learn in spite of their teachers.;)
Posted by: Sadie | January 29, 2008 4:26 PM
I just completed my certification for Special Education, and I am sad to say that there are many educators who believe that children with special needs should not be seen, heard, or educated. I loved my kids, and many times would use standard teaching practices with them. Guess what? When I expected more they gave me more. The system needs an overhaul!
Posted by: Katy | January 29, 2008 4:41 PM
