It's been a strange start to the week. Monday wasn't too bad as far as Monday's go. Tuesday was Election Day for Mid-Terms. I even voted for Tazmanian Devil to get City Court Clerk. Instead some idiot I have no clue about got the spot. I think Taz would have done a fine job myself. And last night was also the monthly appointment for Bryce, my Special Needs child.
It's becoming increasingly apparent that the medications that he is on for the ADHD are helping. But not to the extent that we would care to see. He is on the maximum dose of Vyvanse. And we are upping his Intuniv to three mgs. to see if that may help a bit more.
But also, the teachers MUST be willing to work more with him. And with us. In a COMPLETE team effort. They have yet to realize that NOT EVERYTHING he does is within HIS control. A lot of it has to do with the ADHD and its severity taking control and causing him to wander, be completely distracted, blurting out, cutting in to conversations or instruction. He even said one of the teachers mainly lectures for the entire time, every single day. An ADHD kid CANNOT handle more than five to ten minute increments of "lecturing".
These people are expecting him to pull off the impossible. To stay on task, focus completely and listen 100% of the time, during the entire day. While us "normal" people CAN do that, a child with severe ADHD cannot. They do not have the control over their brains to obtain such feats.
Even the doctor had agreed with me when I stated that basically my child is in a constant daydream. His brain NEVER slows down enough to tackle one specific thing at a time. His mind is a jumbled mess twenty-four hours a day, unless people are willing to re-direct him, work with him and help ensure that he is keeping on track with the task at hand.
For the last several years, myself and Bryce's Case Manager have hit one stumbling block after another. Even though Bryce is listed BY THE STATE, as well as by FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (seeing as he DOES collect SSDI) as being "disabled", my child has been turned down time and time again for in-school services. This means he cannot get an IEP, a 504 Plan, most accommodations. Why? Because he is SO damn smart and "making the grade", that his disability isn't "showing" enough through his grades to "mandate needs" for Specialized Services through the school system.
Excuse me??? So in a nut shell, they are stating that being my child does not have a severe intellectual impediment, he isn't deaf or blind, can walk and talk just like any other "normal" person, that he does NOT qualify for a damn thing, seeing as he DOES have behavioral issues that severely impact social skills and daily living skills. Just getting him to do a five minute task can take easily twenty minutes or more.
At school, about three weeks ago, he was SUPPOSED TO go to the bathroom that sits kitty-corner from the classroom. But about ten minutes later, he was found to be down the hall at the Second Grade area, just standing there, watching in to one of the classrooms. And he honestly cannot say why, or how he "got there".
He is ALWAYS "forgetting" his FINISHED homework. No matter how much I have tried, the boy is incessantly disorganized with his binder.
All he does is get in to trouble in school for wandering the room, not staying on task, speaking out of turn, bugging the other students in class, not following (multiple) directions (which is EXTREMELY hard for Bryce to accomplish), wandering the halls and being a "behavioral nuisance".
Now, someone PLEASE DO tell me, how are these "problems" that the teachers are always complaining of NOT being addressed in their correct manner? As in, with Specialized Services being readily available and in use with and for my child? How bad does it honestly have to get with his behavior and "daydreaming" for them to FINALLY take a hard look and actually GIVE HIM the services Bryce is RIGHTFULLY due?
Honestly, sometimes Public Education amazes me. And *not* in a good way, mind you. So, if I seem angry in this post, and in general, you can bet your ass I am! I'm tired of the run-arounds, the blind-eyes and the refusal to HELP my child live up to his full potential and get the best educational opportunity available.
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What is written in this blog, is of the author's own originality. It contains the sole views, thoughts, and stories of this blog's author.
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6 comments:
TEchnically I don't think they can deny him .. I would contact an attorney period.. that usually makes them go oh crap we need to help him.. Grades or no grades he is apparently having issues
Even both the doctor AND his CM are saying that grades SHOULD NOT/DO NOT matter. The mere fact that he IS labeled disabled not only by Virginia, but by the Feds alone should have opened the way to AUTOMATICALLY get services. Even just accommodations.
Scott and I are starting to think it's time to bring in the big guns. Especially if what the CM is going to do next in regards to the school TAKING RESPONSIBILITY doesn't work.
My Monkey has the same problems, and his father, whom he is living with right now, doesn't even give him his meds on a regular basis. He is getting F's on his report card now, when he used to get A's and B's with me. And I feel helpless.
Fight the school. YOU know what is best for your child!
Jen, that is considered NEGLECT, sweetie. And you CAN fight him on court on that and regain custody more than likely.
If you have access, get copies of court records and call CPS and let them know of what's going on, as to have the documentation BEFORE going to court.
You have a good chance.
As I told you, I agree with Angel.
It's been my experience that the school districts don't want to deal with these kinds of problems because they require extra effort. They can't be lazy with a kid like Bryce. They would rather sit there and watch these kids fail and keep passing them around than to actually DO something. Even if you don't actually hire a lawyer, it might be an effective scare tactic and make them sit back and say "Okay, we're going to have to do something here to keep our names outta the mud." There is help out there for Bryce. It took me going to an alternative school my senior year to finally get the help I needed, after my school allowing me to fail class after class the previous 3 1/2 years. DUH. And once I got in that environment, I was SO much happier and I never made a grade lower than a B. Imagine that!
Dez, his CM and I have actually VERY recently started to talk about other alternatives. Including placement in a specialized school environment.
But that is at this point a "last ditch option", seeing as Bryce does not do well AT ALL with change. Especially of that magnitude.
Our main thing is that we want THIS school to stand up and take responsibility per the FEDERAL laws.
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