RE: wheel chair issue

August 8, 2006

My hat goes off to you. I don't know how I would have handled that

teacher....it would not have been nice! I am so glad to hear that

point of view. I hope that this school year is much better for Hannah

and she has a better teacher. (((HUGS))) Carla

-

-- In , Beth Yohnk <yohnkmom@...> wrote:

>

> I would like to share a recent story that happened to Hannah. The

last week of school Hannah's class was taking a walking field trip to

a local park for a picnic and they were then going to walk to a

custard place for a treat and then walk back to school. Now at the

time, not only was Hannah's asthma flaring, but she was in a full leg

cast.

>

> Her teacher sent me a note asking I wanted to do with Hannah for

this field trip. I told her that I would be more than willing to

rent Hannah a wheelchair for the day and she could push Hannah, find

a teacher's aid to push Hannah, or that I would come along with

Hannah. Well she wrote me a somewhat nasty note back stating this

was not an option she would consider. Would I come along and drive

Hannah to the park/custard stand/and back to school.

>

> The only thing she accomplished by doing this was making Hannah

feel very alienated from the rest of her class. She was self-

conscience about everything she was going through at the time already

and believe me this did not help. Hannah wanted not to even go as

she did not like this option at all!!!

>

> So that being said, if Hannah ever gets to the point of needing a

chair to help her get around I would not hesitate! This would help

feel more part of the group than having to have other special

arrangements always being made for her.

>

> Just wanted to share Hannah's point of view. It will not matter

one litlte bit how I feel about this, it will be all about Hannah and

helping her have a positive attitude.

>

> Beth Yohnk

> Happy Thoughts..Be Well

>

August 8, 2006

Beth,

You could have went to the Principal. Told him or her about it.

Remember this. If ANY Teacher does something you don't think is right.

Talk with the Teacher if still a Problem go to the Principal. If you have a IEP

or a 504 Plan. Go to the person listed as the Counselor.

Every child has a RIGHT to participate in ALL activities in School.

Unless the Dr puts it in writing that the child can't do it. I know the Teacher

can get a helper to push your child. Actually when was in School. They

had to have 2 kids push . Just in case one was absent. The kids were

told to get to the top of the steps in case of a Emergency. There

would be 2 Adults there to carry out of the school. Be sure if your

child

is using a Wheelchair or Scooter. There's a escape plan. Make sure your

child also knows where to go.

Robbin

August 8, 2006

I don't think a teacher can legally make that determination. Infact I would

think that it would be in direct violation of the ADA, but I could be wrong. If

your daughter has an IEP then maybe you can have it stated in it that this is an

option. I would probably address this issue with the teacher and her direct

supervisor and if that didn't work I'd take it all the way to the school board.

Its hard enough for these kids with JRA to function sometimes and still try to

remain " normal " and your advice for renting the wheelchair and even going on the

walking field trip is a reasonable accomadation. Obviously the teacher needs

some education.

Good luck and I hope you dont have to deal with this in the future.

Beth Yohnk <yohnkmom@...> wrote:

I would like to share a recent story that happened to Hannah. The last

week of school Hannah's class was taking a walking field trip to a local park

for a picnic and they were then going to walk to a custard place for a treat and

then walk back to school. Now at the time, not only was Hannah's asthma flaring,

but she was in a full leg cast.

Her teacher sent me a note asking I wanted to do with Hannah for this field

trip. I told her that I would be more than willing to rent Hannah a wheelchair

for the day and she could push Hannah, find a teacher's aid to push Hannah, or

that I would come along with Hannah. Well she wrote me a somewhat nasty note

back stating this was not an option she would consider. Would I come along and

drive Hannah to the park/custard stand/and back to school.

The only thing she accomplished by doing this was making Hannah feel very

alienated from the rest of her class. She was self-conscience about everything

she was going through at the time already and believe me this did not help.

Hannah wanted not to even go as she did not like this option at all!!!

So that being said, if Hannah ever gets to the point of needing a chair to help

her get around I would not hesitate! This would help feel more part of the group

than having to have other special arrangements always being made for her.

Just wanted to share Hannah's point of view. It will not matter one litlte bit

how I feel about this, it will be all about Hannah and helping her have a

positive attitude.

Beth Yohnk

Happy Thoughts..Be Well

August 9, 2006

How awful! We had a similar situation once when broke his ankle.

The teacher asked me to accompany him on the trip as it was to a forest

preserve with various activities, but rode the bus with his class.

I and another mom followed in my car. I was there if he needed me, or

needed to rest so the teachers would not have to worry about him, but he

was allowed to do whatever the rest of the class did. It was wrong and

unnecessary for the teacher to single Hannah out like that and make her

feel different. Michele ( 19, spondy)

________________________________

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of Beth Yohnk

Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 3:50 PM

Subject: wheel chair issue

I would like to share a recent story that happened to Hannah. The last

week of school Hannah's class was taking a walking field trip to a local

park for a picnic and they were then going to walk to a custard place

for a treat and then walk back to school. Now at the time, not only was

Hannah's asthma flaring, but she was in a full leg cast.

Her teacher sent me a note asking I wanted to do with Hannah for this

field trip. I told her that I would be more than willing to rent Hannah

a wheelchair for the day and she could push Hannah, find a teacher's aid

to push Hannah, or that I would come along with Hannah. Well she wrote

me a somewhat nasty note back stating this was not an option she would

consider. Would I come along and drive Hannah to the park/custard

stand/and back to school.

The only thing she accomplished by doing this was making Hannah feel

very alienated from the rest of her class. She was self-conscience about

everything she was going through at the time already and believe me this

did not help. Hannah wanted not to even go as she did not like this

option at all!!!

So that being said, if Hannah ever gets to the point of needing a chair

to help her get around I would not hesitate! This would help feel more

part of the group than having to have other special arrangements always

being made for her.

Just wanted to share Hannah's point of view. It will not matter one

litlte bit how I feel about this, it will be all about Hannah and

helping her have a positive attitude.

Beth Yohnk

Happy Thoughts..Be Well

August 9, 2006

I could not agree more. The only reason I did not make a big deal out of it, is

that it was the last week of school and Hannah asked me not to. Believe me both

Mike & I wanted to read her the riot act!! She was not very

supportive/sympathetic to Hannah and that really ticked me off. But again the

school year was almost over and I knew this teacher was being tranferred to

another school. The principal already knew she was being unkind to Hannah

because I complained (very loudly) a few times:)

Anyway, I'm much wiser about all of this now and will be having a meeting

either before school starts or shortly thereafter. There will be not doubt this

year what I expect and what treatment we will allow for Hannah. I think they

also know me well enough to know what will happen if another teacher treats

Hannah in that manner. Hopefully, she will get the teacher I asked for (Jay had

her in 4th grade). She was very accomodating with Jay. He has hearing problems

and she made sure he was always by the speaker (she uses a microphone as she is

very soft spoken). She will do awesome with Hannah.

" Tepper, Michele " <MTepper@...> wrote:

How awful! We had a similar situation once when broke his ankle.

The teacher asked me to accompany him on the trip as it was to a forest

preserve with various activities, but rode the bus with his class.

I and another mom followed in my car. I was there if he needed me, or

needed to rest so the teachers would not have to worry about him, but he

was allowed to do whatever the rest of the class did. It was wrong and

unnecessary for the teacher to single Hannah out like that and make her

feel different. Michele ( 19, spondy)

________________________________

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of Beth Yohnk

Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 3:50 PM

Subject: wheel chair issue

I would like to share a recent story that happened to Hannah. The last

week of school Hannah's class was taking a walking field trip to a local

park for a picnic and they were then going to walk to a custard place

for a treat and then walk back to school. Now at the time, not only was

Hannah's asthma flaring, but she was in a full leg cast.

Her teacher sent me a note asking I wanted to do with Hannah for this

field trip. I told her that I would be more than willing to rent Hannah

a wheelchair for the day and she could push Hannah, find a teacher's aid

to push Hannah, or that I would come along with Hannah. Well she wrote

me a somewhat nasty note back stating this was not an option she would

consider. Would I come along and drive Hannah to the park/custard

stand/and back to school.

The only thing she accomplished by doing this was making Hannah feel

very alienated from the rest of her class. She was self-conscience about

everything she was going through at the time already and believe me this

did not help. Hannah wanted not to even go as she did not like this

option at all!!!

So that being said, if Hannah ever gets to the point of needing a chair

to help her get around I would not hesitate! This would help feel more

part of the group than having to have other special arrangements always

being made for her.

Just wanted to share Hannah's point of view. It will not matter one

litlte bit how I feel about this, it will be all about Hannah and

helping her have a positive attitude.

Beth Yohnk

Happy Thoughts..Be Well

August 9, 2006

Isn't it amazing how much attitude of others makes a difference?

Tha teacher obviously was caught up in her own misconceptions that brought

on more problems for Hannah. I still say, it really is the social attitudes

of others that help people with disabilities feel upset and doomed with

disabilities.

I was doing field research in a preschool last year working with 4-5 year

olds. I asked the director of the program if they had children with

disabilities before and how was the interaction between them, the staff and

kids. I was doing research on peer acceptance or rejection in pre school

children towards special needs. Anyway, she related to me a story of a girl

they had with spina bifida. She was able to walk but had braces and walked

with weakness however once the kids understood, they were just fine. She

said, when the class had a field trip, the parents had been treated so

negatively in the pass in other preschools that they called and asked if

they should keep their daughter home that day instead of having her go on

the trip b/c she wouldnt be able to walk that far. The preschool director

told them.. No, we will help. She called several parents of the other kids

to come along to help with the kids and in the process, they would carry the

little girl down to the beach and during other activities when she was too

tired. They treated it completely normal and acceptable. The child got to

have fun with her friends and she never got 'stigmatized' for being

different. Of course, she was 4 or 5 so carrying a child at that age ussualy

doesnt bring about nasty stares, etc.

Still, it was heart warming for me to see how others could make such a big

difference for the child with special needs by being accepting and not

producing obstacles that come from theeir own insecurities and prejudice.

That teacher needed to be reported but just the same.. what a shame that

things like this happen.... will continue to happen.... and that people who

are so educated spend so much time in ignorance...

I

On 8/9/06, Tepper, Michele <MTepper@...> wrote:

>

> How awful! We had a similar situation once when broke his ankle.

> The teacher asked me to accompany him on the trip as it was to a forest

> preserve with various activities, but rode the bus with his class.

> I and another mom followed in my car. I was there if he needed me, or

> needed to rest so the teachers would not have to worry about him, but he

> was allowed to do whatever the rest of the class did. It was wrong and

> unnecessary for the teacher to single Hannah out like that and make her

> feel different. Michele ( 19, spondy)

>

> ________________________________

>

> From: < %40> [mailto:

> < %40>] On

> Behalf Of Beth Yohnk

> Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 3:50 PM

> < %40>

> Subject: wheel chair issue

>

> I would like to share a recent story that happened to Hannah. The last

> week of school Hannah's class was taking a walking field trip to a local

> park for a picnic and they were then going to walk to a custard place

> for a treat and then walk back to school. Now at the time, not only was

> Hannah's asthma flaring, but she was in a full leg cast.

>

> Her teacher sent me a note asking I wanted to do with Hannah for this

> field trip. I told her that I would be more than willing to rent Hannah

> a wheelchair for the day and she could push Hannah, find a teacher's aid

> to push Hannah, or that I would come along with Hannah. Well she wrote

> me a somewhat nasty note back stating this was not an option she would

> consider. Would I come along and drive Hannah to the park/custard

> stand/and back to school.

>

> The only thing she accomplished by doing this was making Hannah feel

> very alienated from the rest of her class. She was self-conscience about

> everything she was going through at the time already and believe me this

> did not help. Hannah wanted not to even go as she did not like this

> option at all!!!

>

> So that being said, if Hannah ever gets to the point of needing a chair

> to help her get around I would not hesitate! This would help feel more

> part of the group than having to have other special arrangements always

> being made for her.

>

> Just wanted to share Hannah's point of view. It will not matter one

> litlte bit how I feel about this, it will be all about Hannah and

> helping her have a positive attitude.

>

> Beth Yohnk

> Happy Thoughts..Be Well

>

August 9, 2006

What a great story!! This teacher is in for a rude awaking. As I said she has

been transferred to a different elementary school. The school Hannah goes to

has about 300 kids. There are a few kids at her school with mild disabilities.

There was only one child, a 5th grader, who was in a scooter. The rest of the

kids with disabilites do not have problems getting around. Most have some

degree of autism or have severe ADD or ADHD along with behavioral issues.

The school they transferred her to has close to 1000 kids. This school

(because of size and number of staff) also has the more " severe " of the

disabled kids, many of who use walkers, wheelchairs etc. Every one of them is

in a regular classroom for part of the day. Believe me she will NEVER get away

with something like that in a school of that size. Again, I did not complain

about her to anyone but the principal, because Hannah asked me not to and I did

not want her to have any more problems than she already was having with this

teacher.

Issadora <FlyfreeIzzie@...> wrote: