There must be something in the stars. Oliver is home now for hte 3rd day because he refuses to dress and get ready and is unmanagable to attend school. Like big fits and the school feels they do not need to attend his needs. I'm fried... I just got off the phone trying to figure this out.

The lady at the state education agency said

I got to tell you, the Aide almost makes a bigger difference than the actual classroom teacher. Get an Advocate!, Lawyer, whatever! Crazy what the school is doing. We went thru that in JK. So far 1st grade so good. I hope to never have to go thru that again, so I know what you are going thru. hugs!

I'm shocked to read this. Thank goodness you're documenting all the activities of the school. Your son has rights and it sounds like those rights are being ignored. In addition to contacting a lawyer, also find your local state legislator and ask them to intervene. Trust me the words "public school" and "lawsuit" won't make them too pleased and inspire them to act. Our son's experience wasn't as extreme but we had serious issues as well. In general, I find the entire process set up for conflict and it's extremely painful. Also, I wonder if there is an advocacy program through the MIND institute?

I tried putting my kid in a regular kindergarten and the teacher called me 2 days later and said i had to get him out of there, she couldn't handle him! lol

He is now back in county schools :p

i agree with grant, call state gov, all of them. i did when my mom had her stroke cause they wanted to take her ss away from my dad, long story, but anyways, when the state rep got involved, he kept mothers ss to help keep the house. the state has to help you enforce this, oh, i would never agree to letting him go to a school that far away, the law says they MUST meet your sons needs, make them do it. one more thing, call local autism society, then can help!

Hi everyone,
I'm not sure where to begin. IEP on Wed a.m.so first up we get a call at 9 a.m. from the program specialist telling us that she will not be attending but her boss Asst Director of Special Ed will be there. Hmmmmm interesting ( hope she got her butt kicked)
Anyway principle didn't bother to show even although she was the one responsable for the 2 suspensions.Hmmmm interesting.
Asst Dir opened the meeting by saying he felt "we" had been given a disservice by the department ....REALLY!!!!!! who would have guessed!
He talked the talk but had already decided that Max was inappropriately placed.........lord the man was a flippin genius........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
We asked about a !;! aide and were told straight out no. It would not help. The class was inappropriate. He said he was shocked at the 4 day suspension duratiion but that Max had to take responsability for his actions.......didn't know whether to laugh or cry at that one.
He has given us one choice.....Private school 45 miles away....where he assures us Max will be "happy". When we asked about getting him there given Max's bus issues it was brushed off. Soooooooo basically they are offloadinig the "problem"
We must at least be seen to go visit this school. BUT guess what! the director is not available until Monday!!! Asst Dir said that although he could not force us to keep Max home until everything is resolved he STRONGLY recommended it.
So I have him home at the moment, honestly wouldn't want to send him back into that mess anyway.
Get this though.........email yesterday regarding arranging visit from the behaviorist.......NOT the pgm specialist!!!
Hmmmmm interesting.
Did some research and found out the Behaviorist started the job in August of this year and her background is in the FOOD INDUSTRY!!!!!! she does have some qualification in counseling families that she attained 3 years ago and now tells us she has " a lot of experience with Autism"......................it's a farce.
Hubby and ! at loggerheads over this. I just want blood.............but he is right ( darn it) we have to fight that battle later. Right now our priority is finding Max a suitable school.
Oh also ...we DID NOT sign the IEP on Wednesday, we refused to agree to their recommendations until we have seen this private school. That went down like a ton of bricks!! They were NOT happy......
To date this has cost Max 9 days of his education and who knows what next week will bring. It has cost us emotional distress beyond belief as well as 9 days of my earnings which is also having a huge impact on our family.
Please Please keep your thoughts coming.....i need all the help i can get here ......hugs Fionaxxxxxxxxxxxx

That's right sister.. DO NOT SIGN and take them to DUE PROCESS and then sue them for it all!!!
Enjoy your weekend and keep track of all the lost wages and FYI I plan on taking soooo much of the persons time in the next ARD they will cave or they will die and be buried under their own BS! Either way I WILL NOT SIGN UNLESS it is what I need for Oliver! NO MORE COMPROMISES!!!

go human rights. They should do it for you pro bono

Maxiesmom,
Your kid has the right to be placed into a situation near his home, including all one on one and everything else that is required to provide LRE. Is there a private school in your town?
You need to get them to not cause the behavior problems. Can you identifythe triggers? Ask him why and then gt ho the root by demanding they eliminate the cause and to offer him a place to meltdown like Kris's swing room.

Ok guys time for an update!
Max STILL off school, that's a total of 11 days today.
Went to look at the private school yesterday and it was fantastic. and get this, Max walked in, checked out the whole classroom and then went and sat at a desk waiting for work!!!!! All ASD in the class 5 kids 3 aides and a teacher. Kids all around the same level as Max. Lots of smiling and happy faces.
The behaviorist came with us to visit. I asked her where the Program Specialist was and she replied she was "busy"?????
Love to know your thoughts as to the PS going AWOL ...got to laugh at this point.
One of the kids in the class did have a kicking episode while we were there, got the teacher a few good whacks, the teacher very calmly asked the kid if she needed time out, kid said yes and off they went. I said to the Director of the school " so you don't suspend kids for having meltdowns here"? She looked at me as though i had just landed from Mars and said " the only time we send kids home is if they are sick. Why would we send a child home for being Autistic? Thats the reason they are here, to support and assist them"
WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO
someones got a friggin clue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't care how far away the school is,if we have to move then so be it I am sick to my stomach with having to deal with people who are ignorant to the detriment of my little boy.
Now waiting on the idiots this end to organise transport for him. Said they would sort it out yesterday and guess what ???? NO CALL BACK......well what do you expect from the poor uneducated souls.........will give them today and if nothing will get onto it tomorrow.
I slept last night for a full 7 hours!!!! and hubby didn't have to say he would worry for me :-)
Feels like a black cloud has shifted. That said I have almost completed letter of complaint highlighting every single detail and referring to IDEA2004 throughout.
Can't change the past but hope to rattle a few cages and prevent this happening to another family.
love you guys!!!
Fiona

Thank God!
I am so happy for your son to be able to go where he can learn. That other school? should be shut down.
and Big Time Bravos for you Mom. Your tired as hell I bet but u did it!!
((HUG)))))
I am so sorry you had to go thru that.

wow, i am soooo impressed! if i were closer i would buy you a bottle wine, you deserve it!

How old is Max???

If they canNOT provide an aide with autism training then they should provide a special education teacher to your child as his aide and teacher.

My son actually has a special ed teacher that accompanies him to each class. It's been awesome.

Hugs,

gaylek11

Thursday today. Day 12 of Max not being in school. It would appear that the behaviorist has taken over the Program Specialists job and in her inept manner e-mailed us to say the round trip to the new school is going to be 4HOURS!!! The whole issues started with Max not handling a 1hr bus journey. At my wits end AGAIN. They are suggesting we transport him. Which would be fine if we didn't both work and have two other kids in school who need dropped off and picked up. Also received voicemails from the school he was suspended from on days 11 and 12 saying Max had been marked absent!!! We were told not to bring him back! They are breaking the 10 day rule IDEA 2004 as I told them in an email last night...copied up to Director of Special Ed. we'll see what today brings.
hugs
Fiona
P.S. Max is 12

Ho hum!!! I hear your frustration. For my son, he was moved to a different middle school with a behavior unit. Not sure that was the best move for him but so far it seems to be working. It's not without it's problems but it's working for now.

Best of luck to you, sweetie!!!

hugs,

gaylek11