Posted on 08/05/2004 12:01:14 PM PDT by freeeee
Because she has epilepsy. It can cause unseen brain damage. It helps the school be better prepared.
Parents can also refuse different parts of the testing. For example a blind kid who is talking great would probably not undergo a speech evaluation.
She is asking for special services. Any accomodation is a special service. Having the dog in the classroom is a special service.
The parents can opt out of the testing, and still have an IEP.
By the way, it would be very valuable for an epileptic to have a psychological eval because epileptic seizures are either a result of brain damage or can cause brain damage that cannot be seen by an MRI.
Thanks. She's quite a gal - a natural teacher... At age nine she taught our youngest daughter to read at the third grade level before she entered kindergarten ...
You are wrong. IEPs also handle physical accomodations. Kids in wheelchair do require an IEP.
They don't. I wish I had my IEP forms, but parents can opt out of the testing and still have an IEP.
When they would have a siezure, it would last a few minutes, and then they would be brought to the nurse's office.
Nobody made fun of them, the other kids were sympathetic and didn't treat them any differently than anyone else, except perhaps showing them more kindness.
I guess you grew up in a different kind of neighborhood than I did.
That's where I think the IEP would also be helpful. It protects everyone.
My daughter has an IEP so I see that side of things.
However, my daughter is also very scared of dogs, and all 3 of my kids are probably allergic because I am allergic to dogs.
I wouldn't want my kids to be in the same classroom.
I am suspicious that the ONLY reason this administrator wanted to give this child an IEP is to qualify for more federal funding.
What you apparently do not understand is that the family did not request any special services. They paid eight thousand dollars for a dog which will protect this child at the onset of a seizure. They want nothing more than to allow this child to go to school like everyone else. This dog will sit next to the child and is trained to ignore distractions like other children.
I see no difference between the dog and the millions of dollars of prescription medication pumped into young children with behavioral "disorders" just so they can sit in class like everyone else.
the girl doesn't belong in a public school.
Amen! There is a disconnect among the government school establishment that thinks that school is for everything but learning.
Look, I have no problems with people who have epilepsy. Several of my relatives have it. Hell, I had a dog who was epileptic.
But, you cannot be serious if you believe that this girl's epilepsy (and I am speaking only of her, not people with epilepsy in general) does not require her to be treated differently--she wants to have a dog in the class with her, at all times! That is different!
My only point was that if she expects to use something that will require significant accomodation on the part of the school, she should go through the process of having an IEP done--just like everyone else in that position does.
I honestly intended no insult to people with epileptics--I was just trying ot make the simple point that in her case, the school says she should have an IEP because of the adjustments they will have to make.
This is from the epilepsy foundation:
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/efforums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=2&threadid=23813&enterthread=y
Just having the dog is an accomodation. She doesn't have to have psychological testing. She may need a 504 plan instead of an IEP, and I don't quite know the difference there. My daughter with brain damage needs an IEP. She qualifies under Other Health Impaired and that is what epilepsy is under.
It's a Weimeraner..... Not a pit bull.... or did you think it said Rottweiler?
I think there is something much more valuable to be learned with her being ~in~ the classroom than outside it. You're being hysterical, not only about her, but about the dog. YOU would have benefitted greatly from being exposed to both dogs and epilepsy somewhere in your development.
I read this as a kneejerk reaction on the part of the school, and I would like to know why it was handled this way.
I am serious when I do say that this girl's epilepsy does not require her to be treated differently. She knows she has it and if she has seizures three times a week, she is probably used to it. The children in her class will get used to it too, but there needs to be some explanation and education going on. The liberal public school system likes to include everything in a "normal" classroom these days - mentally challenged, behaviorally challenged, homosexuals, and children with emotional issues, which require a teaching aid or other adults in the classroom. If these children are allowed to be included in the classroom, why shouldn't a little girl with epilepsy be allowed to be in the same classroom?
Once again, I am suspicious at the need to have an IEP for this child.
"and who will have at her side a weapon that kills many people in this country every year"
Chances are this fact will tend to limit the teasing, don't you think?
I don't understand why the parent didn't want to have an IEP.
One of my daughters has an IEP just to get speech therapy. She does not have brain damage (like her sister). She's top in her class. However, in order to get speech she needs an IEP. She doesn't have to have any testing except for speech testing. She's never had a psychological test.
The psychological test is mostly to find out if a kid is gifted or has a learning disability. My son did it because his teacher (at a private school) thought he had ADD. We had the public school evaluate him, and they found out that he actually had a very high attention span, and that he was gifted.
The psychologist is the one who performs any IQ testing, and that is what is meant when a parent says that they will allow psychological testing.
I agree. There's been a lot of ignorance displayed on this thread. IEP's are not a bad thing. They help the child and have the input of the parent. It allows everyone to know what is going on. I think IEPs allow special needs children go into a regular schoolroom and have everyone involved knowing how to address the needs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.