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.