/CK

[Guest guest]

<For more, just do a " google " search for Functional Behavior Assessment.

This was a big deal with IDEA--the only way to keep discipline from being

used to get rid of kids with autism and other disabilities (and often when

" getting rid of them " they basically turned them into criminals by calling

the police for every physical infraction....Joan>

Hi, Everyone...........You really have me thinking now!!! They don't

want to provide with an aide because 'it will make him feel different.'

Just how many other kids are tied into a Rifton chair in his classroom?

Their stories aren't making sense. As for the police, Gareth's old district

did this to get him suspended from school. He kicked his aide and supposedly

left a bruise.....although none was every seen. They had the police come and

file charges to justify suspending him him for 2 weeks. This was a 3rd

grader!!! Whatever you end up doing, (I can't stress this enough, either) DO

NOT assume the teacher will back you up once you start pressing for reforms.

Continue to keep all documentation's and an open, upward, friendly

communication line opened with the teacher. When push comes to shove down

the road, the teacher will side with the administration.....she has to or

seriously risk loosing her job. In G's situation, he was dumped into a

classroom with no Behav. Mod. plan and nothing to communicate with/by/to/for.

He was nonverbal at the time and acting out was his way of trying to get

his point across to individuals who didn't care one way or another whether he

was there or not. He was a " square peg trying to be forced into a circle. "

All in all, though, it was the teachers (in his situation) who truly tried to

make it work. I was up against administration in his situation.

<They highlighted a case about a student with who was treated

inappropriately--but not as badly as . >

.....this child was Gareth and it was his lawyer from Philly who

presented the case.

Ck....thanks for the update on Ian. My heart still pulls every time I read

your updates. It's got to be sooooooooo hard for you. Gareth will tell us

" You go " whenever we have a sitter come for a dinner out. I can just imagine

how hard it is to know he wants you to leave and you won't see him for weeks

on end. Take care, Everyone.

Margaret

[Guest guest]

At 09:28 AM 2/4/2002 EST, you wrote:

>

> .....this child was Gareth and it was his lawyer from Philly who

>presented the case.

>

Phew! I *thought* it was Gareth, but I always get confused and was afraid

to use his name!

: one thing after sleeping on my posts: Don't you dare think That I

don't believe you have something to take them to task over. My whole intent

is to give you ways to channel that anger into a productive method of

showing that they have not exhausted their options for suplementary aids

and services, that training needs to happen with the staff (THEY NEED

TRAINING!), and that deserves much much better. Document!

Ask questions in notes to school that are related to his IEP. When they

answer them with " I can't... " you have documentation that they aren't

implementing his IEP. Ask the same questions in an official meeting adn

then when the answer is different, pull out that note, read th edate, and

ask what is different now from them. Works like a charm.

j

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/4/02 10:19:27 AM Eastern Standard Time,

joan@... writes:

> that training needs to happen with the staff (THEY NEED

> TRAINING!), and that deserves much much better. Document!

>

>

Good advice Joan. That's what I keep hearing. Document. Another thing to ask

for in IEP meeting. TRAINING.

Diane

[Guest guest]

>I can just imagine

> how hard it is to know he wants you to leave and you won't see him for

>weeks on end

Yes, I think this is right there among the most difficult aspects of the

whole situation. And sometimes I know he doesn't want to say goodbye

because it's just too hard for him, and that breaks my heart.

CK,

Mom to Ian (2/89),

(9/90),

and Rose (6/94)