Posted on 05/19/2020 1:28:29 PM PDT by CheshireTheCat
I’m the father of an eight-year-old non-verbal autistic son. My wife and I recently spent a significant amount of time working with the school district to find an appropriate school for him. Given his difficulties, this was no small task. His prior school situation could not handle him anymore. Finally, we found what we hoped would be a good fit, with strong teachers and therapists that could handle him.
Not long after my son started the new school, the governor closed schools because of this pandemic. My wife and I were upset and disappointed, but we understood. While there were no cases in our son’s school or our local district, this disease was rampant in our area of New York. They asked for two weeks to “flatten the curve”. We understood and were willing to give them that.
Then it was a month… Then it was another month…. Then it became indefinite. Now, there is even uncertainty about September and next year.
The curve has been flattened, but my son is still not allowed to be educated.
My son can’t understand why he isn’t in school. His anxiety is apparent. The tantrums have gotten worse. The behaviors have increased. Skills we’ve spent years working on have regressed...
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I’m glad such families are beginning to speak up. No one else is speaking for them. Their child needs his routine back and the family could no doubt use some respite.
Unfortunately those in charge just don’t care.
The man’s son has an IEP (Individualized Education Program) which gives him and his parents first claim on the school district’s resources. That’s why he gets to find a school that’s a good fit for son, and you don’t. At the school where I sub, an autistic girl (who isn’t apparently hard to handle) has been assigned a full-time aide, as well as special ed teacher, and she sits in the regular classroom as well. If she causes a disturbance, the aide will take her away, but of course education for the other kids is disrupted.
If the IEP requires it, the district must provide 12 month service to the child until the age of 21. In this man’s case, I’m surprised the district hasn’t supplied a home-bound instructor/aide.
I don’t begrudge the expenses involved in cases of obvious handicap like autism or cerebral palsy. But you should know that IEPs are issued for all kinds of things including ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder) which means a kid sometimes violently objects to being told what to do. Once he has been officially diagnosed, he can only be lightly disciplined, if at all for misbehavior.
The world of special ed. can seem surreal at times.
Don’t misunderstand, I hope the dad gets the help his son needs.
To be designated Special Ed is to become part of an Aristocracy of Need, and all else is sublimated before these children, many of whom are a black hole down which money pours.
Thank you for posting this. I just spent the last 2 months home-schooling my 13 year old Down Syndrome daughter. For us, it has gone very well as she is high functioning and is generally fun to be around. However, I don’t think that her classmates are having that great of a time. Our school is already talking about not starting in August for what they call, ‘jump start.’ This makes me mad! When our kids can go back to school, then, parents can go back to work. I’m all for home schooling though. My wife did the bulk of it for our older 3. A lot of parents are unable to teach what they need and they need that extra hand. — Open up the schools!
Your daughter likely has an IEP. Call the special ed director as ask about home visits while school is not in session. If they flat turn you down you might want to get a lawyer involved. This, of course, doesn’t help her classmates, but it may help you and your wife.
I am not a Lawyer but perhaps you can sue the
governor and prior school under the Americans with Disabilities Act? If no one can advise you on this board, call a free consultation lawyer. Many like to file suit and wait till docket number comes up. They usually settle because they don’t like to go to trial. JMO.
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