Get Schooled

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 8:28 AM | Link to this

My general comment here is that perhaps we are doing TOO MUCH for “special education”.

In that, particularly I mean this: I agree with what Bill Engvall says about 99% of “ADD”:

“I was at a teacher parent conference one time. The teacher asked me and my wife if there was a history of ADD in our family. At this point, I’m staring around, looking out the window… ‘BILL!’ My wife said, ‘She wants to know if there is a history of ADD in our family.’ Of course! We can add, subtract, multiply… ‘M-O-R-O-N! She means Attention Deficit Disorder.’ Oh, yeah, I had that one time when I was a kid for about 30 seconds. ‘WHAT????’ My dad was talking, I wasn’t paying attention, SMACK!!! I got my attention back.”

In other words, I am a STRONG believer that we have labeled FAR TOO MANY kids as “Special Ed” because the parents are LAZY and/ or not doing their jobs. (In the case of most “learning disorders”, it is generally the student lazy/ not doing their jobs.)

I have a question though: Is it sad that, particularly on certain bits, I can quote Engvall nearly word for word? Note that I did the above from MEMORY - I didn’t look it up or listen to it recently (within the past month or so) at ALL. And what’s worse is that I can also do it with Ron White! :(

By Fulton County Mom

August 8, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this

Jeff, I have to disagree with some of what you said. I concur that many children labled ADD or Sp Ed are probably neither of those things.

The teacher my eldest had last year was offended when I told her that my child was ‘acting up’ (cleaning her desk during the lesson) because she was BORED. Yet, the child had already understood the assignment so in her mind she ‘checked out’ and went on to other more ‘important’ tasks that needed to be done.

My youngest child has twice been recommended for ADD (and twice found not to be). However, while she will ‘do her own thing’ its only if the adult in charge will let her get by with it. The school calls me incessantly to tell me they need me to ‘talk to her at home’. By the time I get home and deal with it she pretty much doesn’t care….She cares she is in trouble, but to her she ‘got away with it’ because the teacher didn’t do anything.

IF the school/teachers would actually control their classroom and discipline accordingly, then we might have kids behaving.

Additionally, if we separated people by their ability (best readers in class ‘x’ and worst in class ‘z’ etc) then school could actually TEACH these kids so they would not get bored. The absolute worst thing we have ever done in the American Education system was try to ‘level the playing field’ so all kids get the same….However what do we expect since Teddy Roosevelt we have been on a slow decline to Socialism (and school supplies is another area where this shows) and of course infiltrating the schools and brainwashing them while they are young should give us pleanty of the farm animals for the pigs to rule. (For those who don’t get try it Animal Farm).

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this

FCM:

TRUST me, if I was allowed to use MY discipline techniques in the school, you wouldn’t see much of what you see there.

But remember, most of my techniques revolve around pain of some form - typically physical, though if the physical isn’t working I have other (more insidious) methods - and children are not allowed to experience pain in any form, at any location, at any time these days…

By Public Baby Sitters

August 8, 2007 9:59 AM | Link to this

At no time shall you make individuals responsible for thier own actions or short comings. Its a disease, not a choice. Make them feel good about themselves at all times.

Public schools these days are turning the kids into mindless consuming sheeple whos most difficult choice is paper or plastic.

By FCM

August 8, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

Jeff, if you mean pain to mean corporal punishment, I admit I think that should only be done by parent. However laps around a gym due to tardiness to gym class, sitting on bench doing your classwork at recess because you choose not to do it at class time, or silent lunch for repetive disruption of class would not harm a student and would instill discipline.

The school has told me repeatedly that they want the kid to sit down, not cause a problem, and to shut up-including not asking questions or providing information on the topic being discussed. They have told me that the do not want to deal with it that they see it all as the parent….that is where I disagree…it is the parent and school TOGETHER developing a plan of action that makes sense (like the ideas I gave above)….I had to write 300 word essays on specific topics for failure to bring my gym clothes to class, instrument to band, or a host of other offenses…I did these during my lunch period…and I have to say it did not harm my psyche, my esteem, or my social apptitude. It did probably teach me several things, and instill discipline in me.

I am also told detention does not work in young people but suspension does….can someone tell me how this helps the ‘problem’ child?

The current system is stupid…the methods don’t work…and laying it ALL back on the parent is not the solution….However the parent is the primary resource to be consulted to get it fixed—with valid suggestions that don’t get met with ‘state won’t let us do that’ (all of the aforementioned discipline methods apparently are not allowed by the state).

By lisa

August 8, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this

My daughter had to go through numerous evaluations to determine that she had a learning disability. NOT ADD. All the students in Special Education are not ADD. Most have a real learning disorder. Short Term Memory problems, Dyslexia, Auditory issues are real problems that need to be addressed. These kids are not dumb and don’t need to be slapped around because they have a more difficult time learning. All of you who don’t have a child with a learning disability should shut your mouths. Until you go through it, you have NO idea.

By Randy

August 8, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this

Jeff, if you ever have a child that goes to school and works so hard to understand and learn like the rest of the students but can’t seem to quite keep up. A child that gets frustrated in 1st grade because they can’t understand why the words in their head don’t seem to come out right or when they get to 3rd grade they can’t seem to write their thoughts in order no matter how hard they try. Would you feel that some extra one on one attention through special education was TOO MUCH. I don’t think so.

Shame on you for saying something like that. Eveyone deserves a chance to learn even if it may take a little more effort.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this

lisa:

You’d better learn real quick just who you’re talking to. I don’t have a child with a learning disability.

I have one.

It is called Asperger’s Syndrome, and it is a form of Autism.

TRUST me, I know ALL TOO WELL what I speak of. I deal with it on a DAILY basis, and on a level FAR more intimate than even that of parent/ child.

FCM:

The pain I speak of is multi-faceted. Back hand slaps and duct tape are favored methods for shutting kids up. Wall squats (back against the wall in a seated position, with nothing supporting you but your own leg muscles) are a favored method for kids that keep getting out of their seats. Sensory Deprivation/ Isolation chambers are great for a variety of offenses.

But I do have even milder forms: an inch square of tape on the board, just high enough up the wall that the kid has to stand on tip toes to keep their nose in it - and that is exactly what they must do: keep their nose in it. (Actually used that one one time back in TOSS. Let him out of it when his class came back from lunch though.)

Oh, and that is another method that we should be allowed to use: total withholding of lunch break.

And, more importantly: The RIGHT of the teacher to put a kid in the hospital if he assaults the teacher.

By Kat

August 8, 2007 10:26 AM | Link to this

Having worked in special ed in our public schools, I think that we definitely need changes in the policies. We had students who were so medically fragile that they came to school by private ambulance, which the school had to pay for. I’m tallking about profoundly brain-damaged children with no possiblilty of any improvement. I am all for identifying and helping kids who can be helped, but we need a non-progress clause: if a child has made no measurable progress in two years, care of that child should pass to another state agency, not the school system. Kids like that are a huge drain on our educational resources. I believe the dignity and value of every person, and that all children should have a fair chance, but resources that could be used to help kids who can really learn are being diverted to provide what is basically just life support, not education.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this

Randy:

Yes, I would feel that one extra second of special ed attention on that kid was TOO MUCH.

He needs to work harder. He should KNOW that because of his disadvantage, he has to work 10 times as hard and 10 times as long as the “normal” kids and he should actively do so himself, without any help or encouragement.

Why can I take such a position? Because I have lived it, am living it, and will live it for the rest of my life.

Granted, the AS made academic knowledge FAR easier for me than that of even a “normal”, much less someone with a TRUE learning disability. (Even those are “diagnosed” FAR more often than they actually occur.)

But if you change your understanding of your wording to reflect emotional issues rather than academic ones, you will better understand what I have lived with for over 24 years and will continue to live with for the rest of my life.

There is a REASON I have to be shielded somewhat from the general public. There is a REASON that I CONSTANTLY have to have someone in my life who truly understands me - and I have been blessed in that area with my parents, my former mentor, and my fiancee.

Because, as I said above: if you change your understanding of your 10:12 post from an academic perspective to an emotional one, you begin to get an idea of what I live with every day.

And guess what? Academic issues last 13-20 years, depending on your exact goals. Asperger’s/ Autism lasts a LIFETIME.

By Jeff's a Twit

August 8, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this

Jeff, All I can say is “Thank GOD” that you were forced out of the classroom when you were.

No wonder your students acted out if you had/have this attitude. Students can sense when a teacher has their best interests at heart just as they can sense when a teacher doesn’t have the slightest idea on how to interact with students.

By Momto7

August 8, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this

I can assure you that if a child’s learning problems could be solved as easily as just slapping them every now and then, most of us would do it. It takes a lot of work to figure out what the problem is, how to solve it so they can learn, to work with the school system to implement it, and lastly, to follow through at home. Most parents are not so stupid and lazy that they can’t figure out how to slap their kids. Those who don’t (just smack them around) work very hard at discipling themselves into restraint and finding solutions to complicated and real problems. There is a difference between just poorly parented children and children with learning and other disabilities. But, it takes a little attention and work to figure that out.

By Lisa

August 8, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this

Jeff,

Assperger’s Syndrome?? That explains it. I think a few small group classes would have helped you to develop a personality. Most special education kids are not lazy and neither are their parents. Maybe your parents were and that’s why they chose to just beat the tar out of you. I’m not lazy and neither is my child.

You’d better learn who you’re talking to!!!!

By Sue

August 8, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

To Jeff: You are a M-O-R-O-N. My daughter has had a learning disability all her life, and I had to fight tooth and nail with the school to do what I considered just plain old-fashioned good teaching. For example, present the information in various modalities, visually as well as orally. If you think only bad parents have children with learning disorders, then you need to excuse yourself from the table and go immediately to the library and do some catching on the latest science. Unfortunately, it’s people like yourself, totally ignorant, that propagate the sterotypical learning disabled child as lazy. I pray that one day God brings you complete understanding of this horrible situation by allowing you to walk one day in the shoes of a parent or grandparent with a learning disabled child.

By Rhonda

August 8, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this

My oldest son is autistic and he does have individualized education. He attends a DOD school on a Army post and I am so thankful he does because he is doing so well, special education and good therapy made that possible.I know people have different views about this but the bottom line is some kids need special education and not all of them are ADD. I value education and I value really good teachers and that can only be a help to my son.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this

lisa:

I did develop a personality, and one that I am quite happy with, thank you.

AS - like any mental disability, though particularly true of ASDs and like issues- is something that can ONLY be over come one way:

By the person afflicted fighting it with everything they have. No other person - and particularly no “normal” - is ever going to do anything other than coddle you. And we all need coddling, at times. I’m not denying that. But my message is that you can NOT give in, and that is EXACTLY what “normals” WANT you to do. They don’t want to “help” you. They want to make you a second class citizen by making excuses for you. “Oh, he has dsylexia, he can’t read.” “Oh, he has Asperger’s, he can’t teach”, etc.

BULL SH*T!!!!!!! (And I cannot say that enough!!!!!!)

I KNOW I will die still fighting AS.

But when I die you WILL still see me FIGHTING it!

And my views for any Spec Ed type person are that they should do the same.

By jim d

August 8, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

Lighten up folks.

Jeff is neither a twit nor a moron. However, he may have failed to take his meds.

By special ed mom

August 8, 2007 11:11 AM | Link to this

Interesting topic, I feel that not enough is done in the special ed department. Currently I have an Autistic 8yr old son, in the public system. He is in general ed with alot of extra support. Many years I have been told by school experts, that I should place him in a self-contain class with other Autistic children, I refuse to do this because, I believe that if you really work hard with your child, they can achieve everything, “they” desire to be in life. What does bother me is that alot of times the system is trying to fix my child. What does this mean, to take the innocence from him, to make him talk back, to make him aggressive, to try to fit him into the mold of society? Most Autistic children, have no ideas about how alot of “A-typical” kids are. I prefer to keep it that way. If Georgia is supporting alot of kids in the special ed department with ADD, we are doing a disservice to the Special Ed Dept. I really don’t know how to address this problem, but the topic in the blog is about advocates like myself, to keep on pushing for improvement in the public sector for the more life long disabilites of these children.

By jim d

August 8, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this

Jeff,

I’m afraid you maybe confusing compassion with coddling. Compassion, my friend, is caring—coddling is not.

By jim d

August 8, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this

Dear SE Mom,

I don’t have a dog in this race, nor do I hold any strong opinons re: this topic, but let me just throw this out for the sake of discussion.

I gather from your post that you are a strong advocate for inclusion, so the question begs to be asked. Do you advocate inclusion even at the expense of other childrens education?

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 11:27 AM | Link to this

spec ed mom:

Other than accepting “a lot of extra support”, I completely agree.

Though I do understand that depending on your son’s exact flavor of Autism, he may truly need the extra support. Both myself and my younger bro - who has AS more severely than I, yet still not full blown autism - got away with not TRULY needing it, so we never accepted it.

I do, however, know a full autism guy - and he was once a co-worker. Am unsure exactly what he/ his parents went through in school, but I do know that both his advantages and disadvantages (brain power/ social & emotional difficulty) were FAR more profound than my own, to the point that he probbaly truly needed as much extra support as he could get.

I still hold, however, that the vast majority of “normals” out there only want to hold us down by making excuses for us.

This is one of my core beliefs, and it applies to ANY form of discrimination:

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY means just that. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. NO ONE should have any advantages/ disadvantages as far as things that can be given to them. In other words, a black person should not get into Harvard simply because he is black (affirmative action), a wheelchair bound person should not get preferential parking just because they are in a wheelchair, and an autistic person should not recieve “extra support” just because they are autistic.

By Janine

August 8, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

This is an interesting topic today. Here is a link article in Psychology Today called “A Nation of Wimps” that many pediatricians are asking the parents of their patients to read. It seems that pediatricians are confronting young patients who are having difficulty *figuring things out” all by themselves, handling failure and disappointments, and dealing with a world that is not always kind and compassionate….etc. It is not totally on this topic, but it does speak to some of Jeff’s ideas as well as being pretty much common sense

http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-3584.html

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

jim:

While it may be less true of more severe (full blown austism vs AS) cases, 9 times out of 10 an AS person will function decently well in an inclusion setting, though the “normal” kids may find the AS kid quite “weird”. (Personal experience there, as well as watching my younger bro.)

With continued fighting/ progress though, the AS person can progress to a level that most people will not even realize he/she has it. (It took me until somewhere in my college years, though even now I still have the occassional episode where it becomes blatantly apparent.)

Am unsure about full blown autism though, would be interested in seeing what SE mom says…

By JustMe

August 8, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this

Two separate issues here….

I have had children in my classroom that honestly didn’t know that cheating was morally wrong because the parents never taught them that. The children thought that cheating was just another valid way to succeed. And, these are high school kids!

By catlady

August 8, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this

The old rules were bad. The new rules are a travesty not only for special ed kids but also for the rest of the kids. Whereever the fault lies, state or national, we should be demanding better than this!!!!!

By Terry

August 8, 2007 12:23 PM | Link to this

I have a lot to say about all of this. It seems that people that place judgements in this manner are a bunch of selfish, narrow-minded fools.

I have been working hard for educational rights for ALL students- general ed and special ed students and the RIGHTS OF TEACHERS. Under FEDERAL statutes we are all entitled to an education in this country.

Let me put the idiots on notice. My group informs both parents and teachers of their rights. I am not an attorney but activist and interested in education very much in Georgia.

We have school districts that perpetually LIE to the public about many things. We have school districts that harass and intimidate TEACHERS AND PARENTS continuously. THIS IS WHY WE ARE 48.

For any parent— you must file Civil Rights Complaints, Office of Inspector General complaints on waste and fraud and get the US justice department involved on anyone that harasses, intimidates or physically harms a child in public school. Period.

This nonsense is going to end in Georgia, trust me on that. We are working diligiently with our legislators, I will copy and print these posts — JEFF and send these posts to our legislators, our Governor, Your school district, and the US Dept of Education—

We are sending this stuff to all the legislators— WE HAVE DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT OUR ARGUMENT VERSSUS YOUR STUPIDITY.

For any educator that harasses, intimidates or otherwise abuses their power on any student or parent— FILE AN ETHICS COMPLAINT TODAY.
www.gapsc.com

Terry Baradine Forsyth Parent/Teacher Coalition

By jim d

August 8, 2007 12:26 PM | Link to this

Just me,

We’ve nearly agreed twice in as many days. Must be a record. :-)

Poor parenting indeed can be a huge contribting factor to many of the difficulties teachers face. I’m not too sure that is the only place though.

Here’s a copy of the “Mission Statement” from the largest school system in Georgia.

Mission: The mission of Gwinnett County Public Schools is to pursue excellence in academic knowledge, skills, and behavior for each student, resulting in measured improvement against local, national, and world-class standards.

For a student to make it all the way to high school and not understand cheating is wrong, do you think there maybe a remote possibil;ity that the system has failed at their mission or that teachers in ES or MS may have just looked the other way so as to move the student along?

By hsteacher

August 8, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this

I had a student this past school year with AS. He had an aide that traveled with him to his inclusion classes. Were it not for the aide I would never have been able to teacher the other 25 kids in the class. He was constantly out of his seat, roaming the class, arguing with other students, and trying to leave every chance he could. This was while he was completely medicated. Did he need that extra attention? You bet. I’m glad that he came into my class. He taught me a lot about AS and student difficulties as well. I’m thankful that this young man had an aide that worked with him and managed to help me keep him on a somewhat even keel and to help me and his classmates accept him for the young man he was. Difficult? Absolutely. But I’m thankful for the spec. ed. that was available to him. It helped us all.

By jim d

August 8, 2007 12:39 PM | Link to this

Terry,

Would you care to explain how parents that do all of the above are treated by their school systems? Specifically any that may actually obtain a CRC hearing?

By Kat

August 8, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this

Folks, Jeff has already told you he as Asperger’s. The symptoms inclide poor social skills, inability to empathize with others, inability to interpret emotional cues from others, etc. etc. His comments are irrational and inappropriate, but that’s no surprise. Ignore him.

By Terry

August 8, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this

If you educate the child properly, the behavior problem diminishes AND yes it is federally mandated that these kids are provided for—

hsteacher— THANK YOU for having an open mind— and I am sure the parent got the aid because the parent knew this was necessary for you, the class and the student— I don’t know how helpful the district really was.

Parents must inform themselves that YES they can get an aid and Yes the school has to pay for it. — so teachers are not overburdened.

The tables are turning ever so slowly for at risk youth. The community is ever so tired of school districts that refuse to do their job— educating all students and breaking the cycle of failure for high risk youth.

We are also tired of GOOD olE’ BOY POLITICS BEING played at the state dept of education and in local school districts. Terry Baradine

By Terry

August 8, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

SB10 — Thank Goodness for that.

NEXT STOP— UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE in georgia— its time to take the money out of the hands of the educrats— because all they do is waste, and spend and violate childrens and teachers rights.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 12:53 PM | Link to this

Kat:

I’m the only one on this forum so far LIVING with a Spec-Ed related “disability” MYSELF.

The closest anyone else has come as either a parent with a child with one or as a teacher of one.

Somehow, I think MY perspective should carry more weight than that… none of the rest of you know INTIMATELY what it is like, only what your kids/ students TELL you.

Am I irrational? Not on this. I’m telling you how I have SUCCESSFULLY fought AS to the point that NO ONE that I meet now realizes that I have it unless I tell them. (And btw: the people that I’ve met within the past year include quite a few teachers, doctors, and counselors, in addition to the normal “every day” type folks.)

Terry:

It is NOT the GOVERNMENT’s responsibility to educate your child. It is YOURS.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

Terry == just another lobbyist with a special interest. Go peddle your pondscum somewhere else and let us REAL people that REALLY deal with these issues work for the betterment of ALL concerned.

By Todd

August 8, 2007 1:02 PM | Link to this

Special Ed is used and abused by too many parents who don’t know how to raise their kids. Behavior Disorder is usually because the kid doesn’t even know who his or her dad is and the mom isn’t even in the picture half the time. The kid lives with grandma or grandpa and needs a beating.

Then you have the kids who know the system and expect to be passed without meeting the goals. I am sorry, but we should not have a “half-degree.” If the kid cannot pass the standards, then the kid deserves no promotion or graduation. We do not give out Special Ed Bachelor of Arts degrees do we? I sure don’t want an Special Ed MD treating me. If the kid meets the standards then fine, but otherwise they need to be routed onto an alternative track. Stop waisting my approximately $8000/year public high school tuition when they are learning nothing but how to play the system.

When they graduate, McDonald’s is not going to give them a Special Ed manager or parapro manager to oversee their flipping burgers. Wake up to reality.

By jim d

August 8, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this

Jeff,

“It is NOT the GOVERNMENT’s responsibility to educate your child. It is YOURS.”

I’ll believe that when mandatory attendance laws are repealed.

By Elaine

August 8, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

The bigger picture is this: Special Education needs to be more clearly defined, which I what I think these changes are trying to do, but I’m not sure if they do them well.

Should we offer special services to children who need them? Of course, we should. Have things become warped and we’re wasting money in the name of Sp. Ed? Absolutely.

I have 8 years experience in secondary as a regular ed classroom teacher, several of which were in team-taught “inclusion” environments. About 75% of the kids receiving services this way were wonderfully served. In my opinion, about 25% of them were stuck in a political/emotional battle of the wits between school and parents and not in the right place. Some needed to be in regular ed, and some should have been self contained. (The elimination of the General Diploma really hurt this group of kids terribly…but that’s another blog topic.)

The biggest crying shame of the whole thing is how special ed teachers have been jerked around. Many seasoned veterans have degrees/training that don’t correllate to what they’re being asked to do now, because the model has changed so many times. They just want to help kids, but the current beaurocratic red tape of Sp.Ed. wastes a good 1/3 to 1/2 of their time in paperwork. When I read that Special Ed teachers are a critical need in most districts, my heart breaks, because I know that most of these caring individuals’ time is going to be wasted filling out forms in triplicate and going to meetings.

By Jeff's a Twit

August 8, 2007 1:21 PM | Link to this

Jeff,

Actually, there are others on this blog who are living with physical/social/educational limitiations besides you, but some of us tend to be a little more private about it.

I am a disabled Gulf War veteran. I lost part of my left leg while fighting for your rights. I do admit to using handicapped parking spaces occasionally, especially in the beginning when I was going through rehabilitation.

Thankfully, you do NOT speak for all of us.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this

jim:

Mandatory attendance laws have nothing to do with it. Home school and private school are both options and both adhere to mandatory attendance laws….

By Terry

August 8, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this

The FEDERAL STATUTEs say its the government’s responsibilty currently.

I personally would like to repeal Mandatory Compulsory Attendance Rules so that I may exercise my rights. BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT KEEPS SCREWING THINGS UP.

Not all of us can homeschool you know. What MOrons!

The FEDERAL government keepts making it mandatory for parents to send kids to school — even when they are abused, humiliated and harassed.

Some of us have EVIDENCE OF PHYSICAL ABUSE EVEN COVERED UP BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS— Contact the Georgai DOE— they know all about it and sit on their laurels collecting tax payer dollars.

By Terry

August 8, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this

WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS WHO CAN’T AFFORD PRIVATE SCHOOL MORON? OR THE PARENTS WHO HAVE TO WORK 2 JOBS TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.

SHUT THESE MORONS UP PEOPLE

By Terry

August 8, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this

For the parents stuck between a rock and a hard place

Enroll in Georgia Virtual School—- My Goodness— you see how the idiots are here. This is considered public school too— do it for a year then run with the SB10 money.

In the meantime— all the Parent Teacher Coalitions around the state are meeting and working with legislators on UNIVERSAL School Choice for all

By Jo

August 8, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this

I’m in my early 50’s. When I was a child & a teen you never heard of these learning-disabled labels. If you didn’t get with the program, you were disciplined harshly. Period. No questions asked, no margin for negotiations. I & everyone around me always knew that even though I was (tested as) brilliant, there was something wrong with me but at the time, no one knew what Asperger’s was. I was raised with no love & support & was taught from an early age that I had to fight my own battles & accomplish whatever I needed to, alone. I.E, “sink or swim” Guess what? I actually became determined to make a life for myself & from an early age, & was more self-sufficient than most. The more ridicule, hatred & opposition I was faced with & believe me, I received that in abundance & that’s ALL I got, the tougher & more tenacious I became. SELF-ESTEEM? CODDLING? ENTITLEMENT? LOVE? AFFECTION? DRUGS/MEDICATION? THERAPY? Oh PLEASE! I now have a great job & am in a healthy, loving relationship. Sometimes old-school is the BEST school.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this

Twit:

I fight for myself and others who have disabilities.

I fight based on how I learned to overcome mine, and it is the same principle you learned in rehab (ankle injury. not like completely losing a leg, but you do lose its functionality for a time… and that was bad enough!):

If you back down, you might as well stay down. The only way to improve is to continually push yourself to the very brink of insanity (or, in the case of a physical disability such as yours, to the very brink of the afflicted area(s) complete structural failure). By doing so, you are continually adding more capability back into your system (or, in the case of my own “disability”, into your system in the first place).

It is HARD, and it is PAINFUL. But it is something you MUST do.

And the people that sit there and try to make excuses for you or offer you another crutch are only making you weaker. They are NOT helping you. They are making you a second class citizen.

Just as steel is strengthened when put to the fire, so are we. Those of us who overcome our “disabilities” can truly overcome ANYTHING and ANYONE.

But you’ve got to be tough when consumed by desire ‘Cause it’s not enough just to stand outside the fire They’re so hell-bent on giving ,walking a wire Convinced it’s not living if you stand outside the fire

Those of you on the outside will never truly understand those of us who LIVE inside it.

By thomas

August 8, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this

Ok, I understand now. Torturing “misbehaving” students is a good thing. OK- Now I understand why this man is not in a classroom any more.

I don’t like to believe the horror stories I hear about teachers, but every once in a while they are true. A small minority of nuts, but they’re out there.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 1:47 PM | Link to this

Jo:

Congraulations! It is 1:45p and I am JUST NOW handing out my first big AMEN of the day, to you! :P

By SET

August 8, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

Love the dialog here..

In CA we closed the state hospitals and they only remain for the most psychotic patients. As a result we have “homeless” mentally ill wandering the streets talking to themselves, getting physically sick and dying, having sex & children, getting locked up in prisons for crimes they commit (including sex crimes), defecating in public and generally running down the quality of life for all.

The previous policy of forced/parental consent sterilization, long term state hospital residency, dedicated schools and other state managed services worked better and were far more humane. We should never have stopped it.

Instead we kill them slowly with kindness and condemn later generations to live the same miserable lives by all this 1960’s freedom nonsense. And trash our cities at the same time. We call it, freedom to be crazy and it’s a right in CA.

The school debate about the disabled is good reading. I appreciate the Helen Keller approach - do your lessons or no fruit cup for you. (Or was that a Mel Brooks movie?)

My concern is what is happening to these “disabled children” when they turn 18 and get thrown out into the cold hard world. Them need to go to schools that do whatever can be done if anything to prepare them to make a living and stay out of prison. If that can’t be learned the subjects need to be “placed” and not have the civil rights of an adult. That’s intended to keep them from being run over by a car or victimized (raped, etc) on a daily basis in the street or prisons.

Yes, pain is a great teacher and controlled pain in school may save a lot of the real thing later in the streets. Let the locals run the schools and let reasonable people in charge do it their way until & unless you fire them. If the Nuns did it in the ’60s it’s good enough for the kids today. They managed to take rough kids and turn them into taxpayers. Even the girls…

And kids that can’t take direction or sit in class don’t belong in a normal classrom, Period. They belong in Schools for the Special Ed Students.

By Jo

August 8, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this

Thank you, Jeff! Your story sounds a lot like mine. They say ignorance is bliss & I can see it; I was actually better off not knowing what I had & being zombie-ized with Prozac, Zoloft etc. These enabled kids will never, ever be able to function in the world. You & I can & are. We turned out to be the lucky ones..

By thomas

August 8, 2007 2:01 PM | Link to this

This is a shame. No one has really talked about what the SPED changes are all about. Does anyone even know?

I do. I read them. And I agree. Over the past 10-15 years we have allowed SPED to get out of control. People who are lazy and/or lack self discipline are allowed to get a free pass under the LD category. LD makes up the largest category of SPED, next to OHI and BD.

You see, LD and OHI (usually the ADHD game), is the money ticket. They aren’t “hard” disabilities- things that can be proved like blindness or lost of legs, or hearing. “Soft” disabilities like LD and ADHD can be faked.

The door is being on the deadbeats. YEEEEEEEEE-HAWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

The truth of the matter is that we will return to the day that only REAL ailments will be recognized. I look forward to that day. Then people’s time won’t be wasted on BS. Money won’t be wasted on lazy, game playing bums. You don’t want to sit down in your seat and listen to the teacher, so you claim you have ADHD. ADHD DOES NOT EXIST.

Someday, our public schools may see a renaissance after all.

By iron maiden

August 8, 2007 2:01 PM | Link to this

For Jeff - All of us have health/emotional/employment problems; many of them are lifelong. Cut with the histrionics and go back to work. As a former HS special educator, and the parent of two diagnosed children, I have confronted numerous cases of too much assistance. Probably the major reason why I left teaching was because, in general, the students are not allowed to experience the consequences of their choices. This is absolutely vital for HS special ed, unless mom and dad plan to shadow them throughout life. Many kids aren’t lazy in the early years. But when parents constantly blame teachers for the lack of progress, having no materials, homework or interest is simply NOT the “student’s” problem. Parents cannot OWN all the challenges for their special ed child, and too many are unable to trust the professionals. Sometimes parents really are too close to the situation.

By holdingAJCaccountable

August 8, 2007 2:02 PM | Link to this

For those struggling with parent issues I have two words: John Rosemond.

Don’t walk, RUN to the nearest bookstore. He’ll cut through 50 years of psychobabble and give you some PRACTICAL methods…

You just have to commit. It’ll probably get worse before it gets better as the child rebels, but THEN you’ll get that peace of mind you are craving.

By Terry

August 8, 2007 2:16 PM | Link to this

To Jeff:

What are you doing to REally deal with the REAL issues— spouting off at the mouth? I personally would like to know.

By Wade

August 8, 2007 2:19 PM | Link to this

“The biggest crying shame of the whole thing is how special ed teachers have been jerked around. Many seasoned veterans have degrees/training that don’t correllate to what they’re being asked to do now, because the model has changed so many times. They just want to help kids, but the current beaurocratic red tape of Sp.Ed. wastes a good 1/3 to 1/2 of their time in paperwork.”

Elaine, I agree totally. What many advocates and attorneys don’t want to recognize is that we (special ed providers) entered the field to help kids, not spend our lives filling out paperwork, sitting in meetings being attacked by attorneys, advocates and parents who want to take their grief and anger out on us (and blame us for the child’s disability). It’s just not worth the harrassment, and special ed teachers and therapists are leaving area school systems in droves.

Unfortunately, advocates and parents love to take out their frustrations about “the system” on teachers, who are the lowest on the totem pole and have no control over policies.

I also am annoyed by parents who demand endless services and then drive away with a “Bush/Cheney” sticker on their SUV. Don’t they realize that the federal gov’t refuses to fully fund IDEA, thus denying states the money for all of these precious services??? Face it, if you want the services, you need to pony up and pay for them via taxes….

By julie

August 8, 2007 2:22 PM | Link to this

I just have one thing to say, “Jeff, you’re an idiot!”

By Terry

August 8, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this

If you are a teacher— Join MACE today.

Run, run run to mace

www.theteachersadvocate.com

Join a parent teacher coalition in your district—- run to them— they will bring it up at local board meetings

I am working on 2 incidents of teachers wrongly accused and retaliated on— Examine your contract AND DON;T SIGN YOUR RIGHTS AWAY.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this

Terry:

I work with those with disabilities - particularly AS - and help them to do exactly as I have done: fight it at all costs.

I have done this at a variety of levels, up to and including working in a Wilderness Camp. (Though I generally work one on one with people that happen to be in my life, such as the guy with autism I noted earlier and my younger bro.)

BTW: Jo, I completely agree. My parents didn’t know about AS until it was too late for me. Once they found out about it with younger bro, they began coddling him. (Well, truthfully he had been coddled because he is the baby of the family for years. When they found out about his AS it only intensified. They have done better about backing off recently, however.)

By Parent of AS Child

August 8, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this

I am shocked speechless by these posts. ADD is bad parenting? My youngest daughter (now 20 years old) has both Asperger’s and ADHD, and my older daughter is a pediatric intensive care nurse (who I raised as a single mother on welfare, by the way). Explain that!

Miss or Mr. “Duct Tape”, all I have to say is you and I are both glad you never attempted that on my child! My God! I have NEVER seen such ignorant postings!

There, but for the grace of God, go I. I’m happy none of you were “blessed” with special kids. Lord only knows how they would turn out with the attitudes of these posters.

By Terry

August 8, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this

2 Things come to mind in all this back and forth

Ethics and Money

File an ethics complaint on any teacher that abuses a child in any way. That backs them off very quickly. There is no excuse from this from an educator.

View this for more info: www.gapsc.com

Do OPEN RECORDS ON SCHOOL SYSTEMS.. Through Georgia Open Records requests, you will see all the money wasted. For the Educrats to misinform the public that NCLB and IDEA is underfunded is completely FALSE and misleading.

Georgia Sent back MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF dollars UNUSED to the Federal Reserve that was supposed to go to Special Education and even General Education. Utter nonsense.

File OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL Complaints with the U.S. Dept of Education on waste, fraud and mismanagement in your local school district. Check out www.ed.gov and type in inspector general in the search bar

Write letters to your local school board to FORCE ACCOUNTABILITY (OOOOH WHAT A DIRTY WORD)

And for the teachers — know your rights too. If you need help with documentation, etc. Go to your local school board and say so.

the citizens are tired of the excuses, get involved with your school board and help to put forth VIABLE candidates that give a damn. Stay informed and stay involved— don’t let idiots that don’t know better throw you. There are idiots born every minute.

Understand this Accountability is NOT CODDLING. I never would condone that EVER. and NO I am not part of a ‘special interest left wing’ interest group—

GCASE, GAE, PAGE — All have lobbyists that pressure your legislators to prevent good solid education in Georgia. WE ARE IN A CRISIS HERE BEcause of THEM. Learn their position statements on the issues— you’ll see where the problem is.

In the meantime-keep filing complaints, raise the issues as a group, with media to your local school boards— You will get a good education— oh yes— and always know your options

Georgia Virtual School Comes to mind if you don’t know what to do . And Charter Schools are making headway in Georgia Now.. finally.

By Jo

August 8, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

Jeff, I guess your parents learned from their mistakes, too little, too late though. My parents blamed me for my inability to socialize. Quote unquote “It’s your own fault you have social problems, for being such a %^#$% freak!” (Aside to ‘Parent of AS Child: Honey, if you can’t feed em, don’t breed em! Mooching off welfare is just plain WRONG! How would you like it if you had to drag yourself to work every day, so that the likes of me can sit around on the couch breeding incessantly on your dollar? That’ll never happen though. I have self-respect & have worked too hard to get where I am now!)

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 3:10 PM | Link to this

Parent:

Maybe I didn’t make myself clear earlier, but virtually every method I listed are things that I pretty much go to as a last resort only.

Believe me, I had quite a few parents tell the SCHOOL BOARD - as well as my Principal and Superintendent - that I was the best teacher their kid had ever had.

By Jeff's a Twit

August 8, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this

Jeff…

Oh…so you work with your brother and some guy you work with in order to help people. And, oh yes, you spout off at the mouth on this blog? And you worked at a wilderness camp once?

So what exactly have you done that is constructive to help others with disabilities? ‘Cause that really doesn’t sound like much to me.

I work with disabled youngsters every single day. And they are a joy. I treat them with compassion and respect and they put forth 110% most of the time. And, amazingly enough, I never feel the need to want to physically assault them the way you advocate doing so.

It’s time to up the meds, Jeff. You seem to be going off the deep end.

By Terry

August 8, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this

To jim d— can you be more specific with the question? I wasn’t clear on your comment.. send me an email if you need direction: baradine@bellsouth.net

By Terry

August 8, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this

Jeff

I will make it my personal mission to find out exactly what school district you happened to work in..

Are you still an educator and hold an educator certificate by chance???

Anybody else here see the problem.

I am just wondering if you are still having contact with kids— Your views are disgusting, repulsive and a wee bit disconcerting I might add.

I would suggest you keep your wild views of smacking around kids to yourself— somebody might tattle on you to a higher authority!

By A georgia Parent

August 8, 2007 3:27 PM | Link to this

Let’s ask for an “equal” place at the decision making table for “all” parents and children in Georgia Public Education. We don’t need to fight, just help people “understand” - we all want the same thing.

By Keep on Topic

August 8, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this

Ms. Carmen Allen has brought an issue to the table that is very valid.

The Georgia DOE has been making UNILATERAL decisions for years. Its no wonder we are in the situation we are in.

When are they really going to allow public input on these rules?? Its time the Georgia Dept of Education does that. No more unilateral decisions by educrats— they simply don’t work.

AND it looks to me that the Georgia Dept of Education claims they want parental input, but yet don’t allow it. They can no longer have it both ways.

Sorry Kathy Cox—and Mr. Bennett - the Asst Deputy superintendent, y’all are on notice

By AS Parent

August 8, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this

Excuse me, “breeding and mooching?” “Breeding incessantly”? I had one child when I was 16 years old! Then six months later I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and spent most of the four years she was on welfare in the hospital. Eventually I went back to school, got my GED (with the highest score in the state thank you) and then moved to get a job, as there were none available in my city/state at the time, or else I would have worked. Then I went to college and graduated valedectorian. Please don’t judge me; you know nothing about me. Self-respect, yep, got plenty of that! Again, there, but for the grace of God, go you. Ask my daughter how she feels about it; I do believe she would want her mother to do the best she could to raise someone any parent would be proud of, especially during such difficult times.

By jim d

August 8, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this

Terry,

The question wasn’t for me dear.

You have advocated parents file civil rights complaints so I simply asked you to explain to readers, how the schools will react if a parent files a complaint and gets a hearing.

I believe you owe it to those you are telling to do something what the consequences may be. I need no direction on this one, I’ve seen it up close and personal! and it ain’t a pretty picture.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 3:48 PM | Link to this

Terry:

Get in my face and I have no problems putting YOU in your place either.

The problem is that kids think they can get away with anything these days. I can honestly say that the only time I’ve ACTUALLY hit someone in the past 5 years is when they physically assaulted me first. I simply want the legal authority as a teacher to put a kid in the hospital if they assault me. With an adult, TRUST me, I WON’T hesitate to put you in the hospital. Kids seem to think they’re already adults, so why not let me treat them the same??

Also, I’ve been quite clear as to where I worked: Randolph-Clay Middle School in Randolph County. Bobby Jenkins is a KNOWN enemy who uses his power for his own political gain, regardless of the harm it causes the students under his charge. (75% FAIL rate on the math CRCT this year btw.)

Georgia Parent:

You are exactly correct. EQUAL playing field for ALL. ZERO special advantages. Time to do away with Spec Ed completely!

By jim d

August 8, 2007 3:49 PM | Link to this

Let’s see.

Idiot, Moron, Twit and all the poor ol me’s.

Damn hard to believe this is an education blog today.

By Jeff's a Twit

August 8, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this

Jeff writes: I simply want the legal authority as a teacher to put a kid in the hospital if they assault me.

That is simly amazing. Jeff, in any of the education classes that you took in college, did you ever happen to come across any literature about how children’s brains are wired differently than adult brains? That’s why children are treated differently under the law than adults. They simply have not yet physically developed the cognitive abilities to reason the differences between right and wrong.

Notice the word yet, Jeff. Apparently, you don’t seem to have that ability to know the differences between right and wrong at the moment, either.

You do NOT “put children in the hospital” simply because you are physically assalted. It’s morally and ethically wrong. There is a huge difference between a child lashing out in anger or frustration than an adult attacking you.

Get it?

Probably not.

By Parent of AS Child

August 8, 2007 4:02 PM | Link to this

NO!! Not “poor me”. Life is what happens when you’re trying to plan other things. I never asked for pity. Never got it. Just did the very best I could under my certain circumstances. And did a damn good job too!

Everyone quick! Contact Randolph-Clay Middle School. Maybe someone who experienced (suffered) that teacher’s “teachings” can put him in the hospital!

By Old School

August 8, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this

Ponder on this a bit, folks: As CTAE instructors, we are hired out of industry to teach job skills (sheet metals, welding, drafting, auto services, etc.) to high school students. Most of us do not have the classic educator training that traditional teachers have (4 year degrees). We are hired because we are experts (or at least highly skilled) in our craft.

Not one of us at my school has ever been trained in how to best serve special needs students, yet in our labs we average 3 or more per class. We have no say in the placement but are expected to give them job-entry level skills. Some of these students are actually carefully matched to the class/teacher and are quite successful. Others are just simply put there- posing safety risks to others and demanding far too much time and attention from the instructor. Those IEPs come with a few adaptations we are to implement but unless one is fluent in “educational-ese,” it might as well be Phoenician. Are future employers going to provide these modifications on the job? Will a medical transcriptionist be allowed to make spelling errors?

We WANT to serve these students and provide them with a quality training program, but if they are not matched well and if we are not supported in our efforts, it’s a lost cause.

Should we really expect a student who cannot read or do simple math to produce a full set of accurate working drawings or a house plan that can be built? Help us help them! Otherwise both student and instructor are dogpaddling in circles in the middle of an unforgiving ocean.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 4:15 PM | Link to this

Twit:

We’re not talking Pre-K here. We’re talking kids that were - in a few cases - larger than ME (and I’m not exactly that small).

The lowest grade I taught was 6th grade, and by that point unless you have a genuine diagnosis as “severe” or “profound” mental retardation, you should know that hitting people is WRONG. Oh wait, I forgot… bad parenting in the first place.

If a kid is going to assault ME - even though they KNOW I am far larger and INFINTELY more dangerous than they - what is to prevent them from assaulting a fellow student, whom they could quite easily KILL? I LITERALLY have scars on my arm from various students assaulting me. I had one JUMP ON MY NECK.

NOTHING was done to these kids.

And they KNEW that would be the result.

THAT is the single biggest problem in education today.

Though I will note that the black culture is the primary cause. I had a FEW white students THREATEN me, but not ONE ever laid a hand on me. There were at LEAST a couple dozen black kids that assaulted me to varying degrees at varying points.

By Terry

August 8, 2007 4:18 PM | Link to this

To Jim D

It all depends on how you do it.. I know people who have one cases of civil rights personally and received no retaliation.

If there is retaliation, there are solutions for that too.. Parents/taxpayers must know their options — get involved with your district and the political players in your town. Always pays to have friends in the press too!

By SET

August 8, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this

Sorry Jeff, we can’t do away with special ed completely. Some students are medically fragile. Our normal schools have no RN’s in attendance. Special Ed schools often do here.

My co-worker sends her son to a Special Ed school on it’s own campus that has 4 teachers per 10 students. This is a special county-run school that is the last step before a locked facility. Her son is the only child not already living in a group home. He’s now 11. Last Xmas he was forcibly removed (Sheriff took him from home on Drs orders) from his parents by his Dr. and involuntarily comitted for awhile to a psych hospital. The kids looks normal, he’s not. He can become homicidal or suicidal among other problems. His family has been dealing with the child’s psych issues since he was 3 or 4. They had holes in the sheet rock since then and periodically toss his room for concealed knives he takes and hides. They went through several ordinary public schools and the boy was finally transferred here. He has improved with the structured setting the new school gives him. The kids at the other schools were afraid of him anyway. Smart kids.

My Aunt taught Special Ed in Richmond CA for over 20 years. I’ve heard things I won’t even write on a family blog. I know that the staff at these schools take “education” to a whole new level. None of the posts here about violence and discipline problems approach what they have to deal with. Frankly, teachers are safer in juvenile hall than some Special Ed school classes.

Special Ed is serious business here. The Staff directly interface with the Children’s Drs as well as the parents, they chart behavior and help the families with referrals, programs and even insurance coverage. They work as hard as any primary and HS teacher in CA can. I respect what they do for a living.

Brave New World.

By parent

August 8, 2007 4:25 PM | Link to this

To old school

Many of us want to be able to help you too that are working in the system.

As Ms. Allen has demonstrated, even the state educrats don’t want us to rectify or improve conditions for you, the teacher or me, the parent.

I think it would behoove folks to write Mr. Bennett of the Georgia Dept of Education— Send him an email to open up forums for parents to have input on any rules change at the state dept..

Here is his email: stbennet@doe.k12.ga.us

Please support the repealing of rules which will negatively impact close to 200,000 Georgia Students and their families, as well as the remaining 1.4 million children enrolled in Georgia Public Schools.

By catlady

August 8, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this

Here are my problems with special ed: in our system, we can have a child who is obviously MI/MO but, because we have “too many” special ed kids, we cannot get them into sp ed.

Second, there ARE kids getting services who do not need the kind of services they are getting (from the past)

Third, we are abandoning the regular ed kids by expecting their education to be subservient to the sp ed included kids.

Fourth, the new “tier” system means that teachers have to keep dumbing it down and dumbing it down (modifying) beyond recognition so that the student can be declared successful. Then, of course, they don’t need to be tested for special ed. Even if they are 5 years below grade level.

Teachers have to continue to try these accomodations while they have BD, ESOL, OHI, gifted, and regular kids all vying for (and deserving) their attention.

By parent

August 8, 2007 4:56 PM | Link to this

dear catlady

That’s where you come in. You talk to the parent, tell them their rights under the law.. get them or give them a name of an advocate who will help them with an IEP—

An IEP is the roadmap to help the student and the teacher. Even get an aid in the IEP meeting— so you, catlady, don’t have to be stretched so thin.

PS— its the law anyway

JMHO

By catlady

August 8, 2007 4:56 PM | Link to this

I left one off: lack of being allowed to discipline sp ed kids effectively, consistently, and firmly.

By Jeff

August 8, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this

Cat:

Agreed on that last!

One of the kids who made me bleed was a SpecEd kid who’d already spent the max amount of time in both ISS and OSS, couldn’t be expelled, and couldn’t be paddled.

By EKL

August 8, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this

I am so disappointed in our State Department of Education, and their actions, as it appears, while they claim to to have appropriate public input, and appear to seek it. Could this be, that is just what they want the public to believe? I am wondering how often the public, students, parents, advocates, and people with disabtilies are really given the opportunity to be heard? I wonder how many individuals are on all of these committes to represent the “stakeholders” who are not employees of the state in some manner? I wonder if the Department of Education is stacking “stakeholders” committees and state advisory panels? I wonder how disproportionate those committes are?

In my opinion, Georgia’s educational stats say it all..Actually, it appears that this is more bullying, intimidation, denying access and input in public meetings. What a disappointment. I guess the amount of Public Input, as the Department of Ed claims to offer, is just a distortion as well.

Has anyone seen the new rules? I think parents of children with special needs should. As now, according to the GA DOE if a child has special needs they have to produce more documents, have to meet additional criteria, and basically have to do “extra” just to have access to the same opportunities as non-disabled children. Hold on, these rules seems to restrict children with disabilities instead of “eliminate barriers”. How is this working? I thought we were in America? Are we going backwards? I find the rules to be nothing but a “perversion of the law”, and am so disappointed as it seems like nothing but more smoke and mirrors…….just one BIG horse and pony show … What a shame, at the expense of our children.

They already stated they were going to deny Allen’s request? What are they so afraid to hear from concerned parents, advocates, individuals with disabilites, and concerned citizens for? Afraid it may have credence and truth? Please….it appears this “Partnership” is nothing but a fallacy. GA trying to …Lead the nation regarding education, maybe that whole thing is a fallacy too…Who is in charge of this?

EKL

By J's mom

August 8, 2007 5:27 PM | Link to this

Many of you here think that ADHD is some made up disease and that, somehow, very young children have learned to pull a fast one over on the parents, teachers, pediatricians, etc. My 7yr. old son has ADHD. I fought against the label for a long time. When he began attending pre-k, however, he had so many issues. He couldn’t sit still for more than an hour at a time, would blurt out answers, talk during reading period or quiet time, etc. AND, it didn’t matter how much I disciplined him at home (in a number of ways!) or that he knew he was disappointing me and his teachers -he just could not help himself. He said that his legs wouldn’t let him be still (I thought it was funny at the time.)!

His pre-k teachers finally talked me into having him diagnosed by the Gwinnett County school system. After lengthy testing, the school psychologist determined he was ADHD, but I still didn’t want him labelled as such. The problems went on for another year. I was getting calls and had to leave work to get him because he was distracting the other students or not getting along well with others or something all the time. Finally, I took him to his pediatrician. He also diagnosed him as ADHD! I was told that I was working twice as hard as most parents in trying to raise T. I was told that putting him on medication - combined with some behavioral therapy - would help him control himself better and make learning for him easier (this would also make it easier for everyone else as well, I admit). I had to face facts, tests results, medical diagnoses, teacher observations, etc. MY SON IS ADHD!

Ever since he has been on the meds, he is more manageable, true, but he is also able to sit still and learn better than ever. Until recently, he was not labeled as a spec. ed. student until the school he attends began to threaten to hold him back, mostly because of his poor social skills. I had to fight that because I felt that he was there to learn not win popularity contests. In all fairness, I understood that she was 1 teacher with 18 other students. However, I also know that had I let my son be held back, it would have hurt him in the end. I was forced to request that he be given an IEP which, once he was found eligible, allowed him to go on to the next grade and receive extra assistance and, yes, more tolerance. Now he attends regular classes as well as a couple of sp.ed. classes in those subjects he has the most difficulty with sitting still in.

My son is smart and CAN learn and I feel I am doing everything I can to help him succeed. Hopefully, he will eventually outgrow the ADHD or at least better manage it. In the meantime, I believe he deserves the best chance he can to learn since my tax dollars are used to support this school system the same as everyone elses.

By aint it time??

August 8, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this

To EKL

that’s right it is a fallacy..

They are effectively keeping parents out of the picture— for what reason?

Who are these people in the State Advisory Panel— Better start doing open records requests on the State DOE as well— IMHO.

LEt’s not forget Shrenko— probably still her cronies in there.

By SET

August 8, 2007 5:37 PM | Link to this

To clear up the above post: The child is the only student in his classroom not living in a group home. He has older sisters living at home with him.

He has several dx’s but it’s hard to dx children that young (4 to 11) with adult dx’s. The one we all worry about is Command Hallucinations. That’s the one that goes with the knife hoarding.

When he was in regular school(s) the phone calls would come in… he could have hurt someone - they couldn’t deal with him in a mainstream setting. The Special Ed School has physically strong staff that are trained to take down students to the floor (hard?) if it’s time to do so. There are no more phone calls during the day. He’s learning reading, writing, math and behavior modification. He complains less about this school than the previous several.

I really understand the need for Special Ed - on it’s own campus. They even have their own Special Ed School Bus.

By State Dept needs to answer

August 8, 2007 5:38 PM | Link to this

I am just curious how it is possible that Mr. Bennett, Ms Kathy Cox and others can continue to cut people out.

They don’t respond to emails either.

Oh - and don’t let me get started on Marlene Bryars office. Currently there are issues where school districts are now using Truancy as an abuse of power—WITHOUT Merit. THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR GENERAL ED AND SP. ED STUDENTS.

I hope people understand the Betsy loiacano case and take measures to stop this nonsense and prevent this from happening to you. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS www.betsyloiacono.com

How many others are facing truancy charges unnecessarily when they actually have a Medical Excuse— People need to examine the rules and the rule changes that the state dept of ed is proposing. DON’T LET THEM USE truancy as a means to shut you up either.

Contact www.educateamericanetwork.org for further information

By catlady

August 8, 2007 5:44 PM | Link to this

Dear parent,

I do advocate privately. However, the parents in our community are frequently poor and uneducated. Some are horribly cowed by the system into accepting any crumb from the table. I sit at SSTs and advocate publicly too, but IF a child is tested (and it takes a miracle now) it is a foregone conclusion that he will “just miss the cutoff” and we will continue the modification merry-go-round. Middle class and upper class parents will fight the system productively. Our parents will not.

I have risked reprisal for some of my activities in advocacy for special ed kids. Sad to say, but true.

I also am an advocate for the regular kids who are getting increasingly shafted, IMHO.

By Will somebody do their job

August 8, 2007 5:48 PM | Link to this

You know why we have civil rights issues in public schools—— BECAUSE some of the ‘investigators’ in the atlanta civil rights office don’t know what they are doing either!!!

By poor and empowered

August 8, 2007 5:53 PM | Link to this

catlady

please write the legislators about the problems you know firsthand….thanks for what you do!

please empower those people getting the ‘crumb from the table’ to learn how to do battle with goliath.

i am what you might consider poor I guess and a minority - yes, mixed race. thank you very much and I know my rights. If it weren’t for people like carmen allen and many others— that speak out— nobody would know what to do.

Thank Ms. Carmen Allen for bringing this issue to light.

Catlady— help these people break the chain and empower them— that’s what you could do.

By question for jeff

August 8, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this

To Jeff

And then why are you not dealing with this person— and instead you spew such vitriole

By leigh

August 8, 2007 6:45 PM | Link to this

I agree w/Kat. I have several friends who are involved in “special needs” children in the public school systems. Some of these children have absolutely no hope of learning anything even their own names yet the public schools must bus them and have someone at the school “babysit” them. There should be somewhere these children can go besides draining the public school resources. This is ridiculous. While I understand the need for the parents to have a break it should not be at the expense of public school resources.

By Carmen

August 8, 2007 6:54 PM | Link to this

I’ve just checked the Georgia DOE website and the petition has been denied. The rationale is unfounded and even more interesting, they never gave me an opportunity to explain how it would work. School attorneys are making money defending the schools - what about the children? Why won’t Georgia give Children Equal Representation.

The Attorney for the State Department is wrong, I am repealing the rules as they violate the Federal Rules by exceeding the regs in requirments. The Federal Government does not punish a State for doing MORE for the Children.

I have now heard it all Georgia DOE Officials. I’d like to know who refused to give children “equal” representation. Who on the rule committee denied children “equal” representation?

http://www.gsbaeboard.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/doeAgenda.woa/wo/16.0.7.1.3.0.0.7.3.1.9

Please watch or attend the Georgia Education Board Meeting Tomorrow, as your representatives vote without knowing your position on the issue. Please write in and make your voices heard.

Carmen Allen Advocate - Georgia bcitsright@yahoo.com

By thomas

August 8, 2007 7:07 PM | Link to this

A good way to improve the blog:

When a bunch of erratic, inflammatory posts are made, by one person— who, for some strange reason, appears to sit at a computer all day reading this blog— PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THOSE ENTRIES. ESPECIALLY DO NOT CALL THAT “PERSON” OUT BY NAME.

It is obvious that the person just wants attention. Do not give it to them and hopefully they will go away(or at least limit their postings, since no one is providing them with the personalized attention they seek).

By Jeff

August 9, 2007 8:13 AM | Link to this

thomas:

When said person is the ONLY one here LIVING with a mental “disability”, he should be taken far more seriously than he is.

Just because his views happen to go against the conventional “wisdom” does not make him wrong. After all, the conventional “wisdom” was once that the world was flat….

By Carmen

August 9, 2007 9:07 AM | Link to this

Webcast Georgia Board of Education Meeting Live right now:

http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_communications.aspx?PageReq=PEACommWebcast

I hope you will join us in our pursuit for “equal” access, parent and public participation and definately “equal” representation. Contact me at : bcitsright@yahoo.com Carmen Allen Advocate - Georgia

By Carmen

August 9, 2007 9:14 AM | Link to this

Georgia Board of Education Meeting on Web NOW - If you care to hear and watch what’s going on: http://www.doe. k12.ga.us/ pea_communicatio ns.aspx?PageReq= PEACommWebcast

They are in Executive Session at the moment. Pass it on to others who are interested.

Txs,

Carmen Allen Advocate - Georgia

By WFC

August 9, 2007 9:16 AM | Link to this

JustMe hit the nail on the head many posts ago: too many students are labeled special ed who aren’t really, thus depriving real special students of needed resources.

How many of you have attended fifty or more IEP meetings? I have (as a regular ed teacher who was well known as an advocate for special ed.) I’d say that it was about 50-50% as to how many of these students needed serious intervention. The other 50% could have been served with relatively minor interventions.

I team taught for four years with a marvelous special ed teacher named Megan Brady. I was a demanding academic teacher of history (retired now) and Megan made my class work for the special ed kids. She was the “queen of tough love,” refusing to allow kids to use the SPED label as an excuse.

Everyone needs to know that while “inclusion” has benefits for the special ed students, its main purpose is to save money… pure and simple.

One final note and this will sound “mean.” Dedicated parents of regular ed students WILL NOT ALLOW the needs of special ed students to degrade the educational experience of their students. Not going to happen! It’s a tough balancing act. Some toughness is needed. I was afflicted with polio in my dominant arm in 1954. My “tough as nails” parents simply would not allow me to be a little crippled boy. I became (among other things) a basketball and baseball player, learning to play with my “off” (left) arm. Was I an all-star? No. I was something much more important… a competitor. They didn’t change the rules of sports for me… I had to adapt. I went on to coach high school sports for 20 years. God bless you Mom and Dad!

By Carmen

August 9, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

I’m sorry people. It seems the Georgia DOE and BOE are having technical difficulties and once again the “people” dont have “equal” access or representation.

The Webcast is down again, but I’m still recording it.

I’m standing up for the rights of others, because I too could not believe what I was hearing about the government not being an open process.

I guess I was naive and just trusted that everything was on the up and up. You start to question, when our representatives won’t answer our questions as to how they voted and why?

The close to 300 parents and citizens from Fulton County that signed the petition should be very upset with the Georgia DOE and BOE - They didn’t even hold a public hearing in Fulton, in which 50% of Georgia’s Population is.

I wonder why? Perhaps too many people would complain? People need to get involved - that’s all.

Carmen Allen Advocate - Georgia

By Carmen

August 9, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

WFC,

I agree. I have attended hundreds of IEPs throughout Georgia. The entire objective of Special Education IS to be able to transition OUT of special ed. No, I don’t think ANYONE should take advantage of using resources they don’t need. There is a big difference between Remediating, Accomodating and Compensating for disabilities.

For example we don’t want to give people crutches, it’s not a hand out - it’s a hand UP. There is a difference IMHO. It’s not us against them the special ed kis and the “regular” kids. Why do we continue to be divided amongst ourselves?

Carmen Allen Advocate - Georgia

By Kimberly Morrell

August 9, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

I’m so tired of people missing the issue and complaining about the medical field’s mis-diagnosis of ADD & ADHD. I am also tired of parents relying on the public school system 100% for educating their children.
You had your children - you need to help educate them. The public school does most the work - how hard is it to further that education at home.

With that said - I’m also tired of people voicing their ignorance. Please shut up and give the disability communities the respect it deserves…EQUAL RIGHTS.

You see - the foundation of special education in this country is there…yet there is total disregard for what was fought for and given to the disability community. This country doesn’t follow the original rights given to those with disabilities. The disability community is the last to see ANY improvements since its original legislation passed and people are b*** that there is TOO MUCH GIVEN TO SPECIAL EDUCATION?!?!?!?! Are you high? Special Education is still functioning in the dark ages if you compare advancement against ..let’s say… voter’s rights and competitive pay in the work force.

Before you shout your ignorance, please know what the hell you’re talking about. SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCATES - PLEASE don’t give up!!! You have parents that need you and support you all the way! Thank you for helping our children get their FAPE!!!

By Time To Stand Up

August 9, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

You know who really runs schools- school systems attorneys. Take for example Harben and Hartley and the recent courtcase in Federal Court.

School system attorneys defend schools, run the Georgia School Board Association and even collect insurance money to prevent’liability’.

we all pay for that!! And all they do is monopolize and profiteer off our children— general ed too.

This is not just a special ed issue. It is a general ed issue too. We are retaliated upon by bully governmental schools and then shut out of important meetings?

Write your legislators about the entire mess— MAKE THEM CARE, because they don’t right now.

Kathy Cox, Mr. Stuart Bennett— Please do your job at the state dept of education and for pete’s sake when are Georgia Superintendents going to wake up.

Only when the people do— The Bear is coming out of the cave and yes, he will roar.

Many of us are DONE with Georgia PUblic schools and going to private school if we can afford it, homeschool if we can and now Georgia Virtual School is finally an option for many!!!! No thanks to the educrats— but thanks to people like Carmen Allen who get the word out.

Check out Georgia Virtual School Website for more information

And go to the capitol and write your legislators today for universal school choice in Georgia — before the EDUCRATS screw things up even more

By jim d

August 9, 2007 3:05 PM | Link to this

T2su,

I’m afraid you may be in error. It is not the attorneys that are running the schools. It is our local Chambers of Commerece, and unfortunately they see no intrinsic value or return in providing for special students. Bitc#en at you local or even state government will not change this view. If you want to get their attention you must take your business away from these folks.

By ELK

August 9, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this

I agree with the ealier poster about checkin out the GCASE and GAEL websites. Just click on legislative priorities….and read it.

I am disappointed that after sending out letters to homeschoolers offering access to resources within the school, I then read on the GCASE website that the special education directors strongly oppose allowing children in homestudy or virtual school any access to school activities. Isn’t there a word for this? Doubletalking….yes, that is it.

All I can say is this. People take a look around. Notice how the special educators or system employees who have admitted to being the very ones charged with caring for our children all day are speaking. Slapping, and bullying these kids around, and blaming things on the kids and parents….The teachers and administrators who have posted negtively on here have only highlighted the very issue that Advocates will fix….

Nobody, and I mean Nobody in any school system has the right to hurt children with and without disabtilies. Nobody in school systems has any right to force their will onto children and families, and give them no choices or say in the matter. Out children do not belong to the Gov’t, school boards, psychologists, or behaviorists….I know for one, I am the only one that can make decisions for my child. I am the only person who has been given this responsibility. The school system has taken our tax dollars, and “We are the Customers” I do not know when this go so turned around. Their salaries (all of them in the schools and gov’t) come from our fed, state, and local tax dollars. The work for us, and the public. Since when is it acceptable for anyone to tell a parent what the will do with their child. Hello? How about the schools tell parents what is offered, and the resources the provide as our tax dollars are used for…and let the parents decide what is right for their kids? I just seems to make no sense to me. How do we get parents to work with us? We force them into doing it our way, don’t educate their kids (as the know all to well how to “forget to test” a whole group), and then bully them into doing it our way or pay (via many routes of retaliation). This perversion of law only creates a vicious cycle, and one that will continue until some of us stand up and say…No way, Jose…that is my child, and I have say so over how he is cared for.

I think public schools should just stick to their job of providing all types of creative teaching methods, and focus on creating options for parents. You know, do their job, and provide the customer service and courtesy the should…after all, we pay taxes for just that. Maybe if they concentrate on how to teach kids and I mean ALL kids…they would not have enough time to be overstepping their authority and making all kids of decisions the should’nt be…and creating more and more barriers to success.

Seems to me like Now Is the Time…for the people to Unite, and take a stand. It seems like Educate America! stands ready and willing to advocate so that all voices are heard….(even if their SAP is stacked up with state employees). For any members of the public who have concerns….go to educateamericanetwork.org and leave an email. Let these strong advocates help your voice be heard, and they do sound prepared to take a stand on issues of importance to the public.

EKL

By Carmen - Advocate

August 9, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this

In response to post By Wade

August 8, 2007 2:19 PM

I agree teachers have been jerked around and it is NOT fair. We have MANY GREAT teachers in Georgia. I talk to them and they tell me how the system does stifle them, as they too fear retaliation.

I’m sorry if advocates have come across that way, but we don’t intend to. Most of us who volunteer our time do it for the same reason you good teacher’s do - the children.

I’ve often said - It’s not the teacher’s or the parent’s fault many times. It’s these people who make the rules - we all have to follow and then they put the parents and the teachers in a room and pit them one against the other.

Why are we battling with one another? We - students, parents, educators and advocates would be a MAJORITY if we UNITED. Don’t let them divide you and pit you one against the other.

It’s amazing how good they are at getting us to argue with one another, while the future and lives of Children in Georgia are left behind on a daily basis. Please join us at www.educateamericanetwork.org

Georgia Children are depending on your support.

“The biggest crying shame of the whole thing is how special ed teachers have been jerked around. Many seasoned veterans have degrees/training that don’t correllate to what they’re being asked to do now, because the model has changed so many times. They just want to help kids, but the current beaurocratic red tape of Sp.E

By EKL

August 9, 2007 4:08 PM | Link to this

If teachers are being jerked around, they, too need somewhere they can go (as they are probably afraid to speak out, too) to voice their concerns and be heard. I do know of many teachers who do care…as we all know teachers do not go into the field for $$$.

There is good and bad in all professions. We are talking about children’s lives here…and they are our future after all. Children with disabilies have capabilities and potential, so why not help them reach their potential and dreams, so the too can be independent tax paying citizens. Seems like we will either pay now or pay later? Seems like produving more capable working tax payers helps economy in the long run any way you slice it.

i think the only way for our valuable teachers to be where we need them to be is to listen to them as well. I am sure they have concerns about the way the this whole thing is governed. They need a safe place to be heard, too.

www.educateamericanetwork.org

By Time To Stand Up

August 9, 2007 5:29 PM | Link to this

A safe place for teacher—-

Join a parent/teacher coalition. For further information contact baradine@bellsouth.net

Join MACE today—- www.theteachersadvocate.com

Let’s stop the Enron-like environment of education and focus on the classroom- set aside differences and learn what is available now and in the future for teachers, parents and students.

Teachers— join MACE today www.theteachersadvocate.com Understand the position Statements of PAGE, GAE, CGASE and all other organizations. And even the PTA— who cares only about getting perks between administrators and its members — The PTA is not helping this crisis in Georgia

And yes — involve the Chamber of Commerce AND YOUR County Commissioners- they want to know what is going on too. After all, each child’s failure will lead to jail time and further burden the taxpayers.

The Chambers of Commerce care about the almighty dollar— encourage them to understand, what is given, can be taken away from them, if they refuse to be involved in the legislative process and learn the facts.

Georgia is failing kids — despite NCLB and IDEA. Because of Corruption and Mismanagement at multiple levels. Including the State Dept of Education and Upper levels of management in Local School Districts. They Tax and Spend yet do so without accountability.

The time is now to stop this and focus on educating EACH CHILD as an individual SO THEY do not become a statistic of failure.

Learn about the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Pipeline and what is happening in many of our psycho-ed centers around the state.

Abuse and mismanagement and ABUSE of power by many. GEt involved and collaborate —-

WE must have accountability by Local Districts to stop their wining and dining each other, bar tabs put on their expense account and we all pay. Enough already. They all do it.

INvestigate your own local district and expose it. Its the only way.

By SingleMomof2SpNeedsBoys

August 10, 2007 8:46 AM | Link to this

One child is NLD (a step down from AS) and the other is BP. I am likely myself NLD. Never been on welfare, single 13 years (baby was 8 mo old).
Ex-husband likely bipolar (didn’t know that when he tried to take me out), has drug problems, and is currently in prison. I don’t want special treatment, but I do want my boys to have the best chance they can get. I have to rely on public schools. I work - homeschool is not an option. Jeff’s experience saddens me, and someone has already mentioned the symptoms of his disability. Let’s get off that horse. I personally believe the educators in my district as just unaware (lack of training) of how to deal with my children’s disabilities. Is that the educator’s fault? Am I wrong to want the district personnel to learn and do the best they can? What will it take? How do we get there from here? I don’t believe I am a bad parent, but I don’t have all the answers, either. Try being rational with a school district for both educators and parents to get answers. Serious, heartbreaking void right there. WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SUCH A FIGHT?

By Carmen - Advocate

August 10, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

Absolutely SingleMom,

It should not be a battle. We need to stop fighting and come to resolutions. Most of our teachers are awesome and some really don’t understand, so let’s get them some training. Hello.

IMHO, until the playing field is “leveled” for ALL parties involved in this issue, I don’t think the issue will be resolved.

I’ve requested “Equal” representation for the children, not the parents, but the children. While schools officials and parents may disagree, they lose focus of the CHILD. Why are we leaving this kids without “equal” representation, when schools have an attorney on retainer and they have insurance to cover the legal litigations. How many parents can take on a system that pays BILLIONS in insurance premiums to cover these issues.

Why can’t parents also get insurance for these issues. Why is our money being used against our own children?

People need to contact the BOE members representing them and let them know they want “equal” legal representation for their own children.

BTW - not just special ed children. I am not a special ed advocate. I don’t discriminate; I advocate for ALL children.

By Cheryl P

August 10, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this

The Georgia state department of education arrogance in recommending the board rejects the input and concerns of local advocates and parents is criminal. Obviously, the state is more interested in pushing their own agenda instead of honoring the rights of parents and children. Parents are lucky to have an advocacy agency who will fight the, BIG BAD WOLF and should banned together to make sure their voices are heard and respected. Keep up the good fight Ms. Allen!

CPoe

By Cheryl P

August 10, 2007 1:21 PM | Link to this

The Georgia state department of education arrogance in recommending the board rejects the input and concerns of local advocates and parents is criminal. Obviously, the state is more interested in pushing their own agenda instead of honoring the rights of parents and children. Parents are lucky to have an advocacy agency who will fight the, “BIG BAD WOLF” and should banned together to make sure their voices are heard and respected. Keep up the good fight Ms. Allen!

CPoe

By DB

August 10, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell the difference between a kid who simply learns differently and one who is truly “disabled” in their processing of information. While teachers develop experience over time and can often spot potential problems, they are NOT diagnosticians. Case in point: My son, in the first grade, was ‘diagnosed’ by a teacher with ADD because he had trouble sitting still in class. This led us on a six-month merry-go-round of evaluations and half-assed opinion that left me alternately distressed and enraged. Psychologist we were referred to read over comments and said, “Yep, ADD” Pediatrician was pretty laid-back — “OK, let’s try him on Ritalin and see what happens.” (HUH? You want to give my child mind-altering drugs “to see what happens”?!) I refused, mostly for two reasons: One, I didn’t believe it (no kid who spends 4 hours on a Lego set can be ADD!) and two, everyone was just too damn casual about giving a 7 year old powerful drugs.

By coincidence, while being evaluated for slightly delayed motor skills, his OT asked, “Have you ever been told he was ADD?” Exasperated, I acknowledged that yes, he had, but we weren’t finished with the evaluations. She said, “I don’t think so. I think he’s got a classic case of sensory defensiveness.” (look it up, if you’re interested — it presents very similarly to ADD to the casual observer, but involves motor skills and development).

Turns out she was right on the money. The psychologist and the MD had never heard of it — because it’s an occupational therapy issue, not a medical issue. Now the psychologist works with this OT to help evaluate possible ADD cases. As the OT commented: “If he DOES have ADD, o.t. isn’t going to help. If he’s sensory defensive, you’ll see a night-and-day change in six months.” And we did. Same kid just graduated as a 4.0 student and is an almost-full-ride at a top college this fall.

Second case: It was suggested that younger daughter had ADD in first grade, because her attention wandered during reading. (Well, duh, she was reading “Nancy Drew” while they were reading “Dick and Jane”), and she didnt seem to listen to the teacher. Coincidence again, but a physical the next week showed that she had a 80% hearing loss in one ear, and 50% loss in the other ear, due to an occult ear infecton. Cleared up the ear infection, and surprise! Daughter suddenly was able to hear the teacher.

The whole process left me somewhat leery of suggestions from schools regarding learning issues, because it just seems like they LEAP to easy& conclusions, not necessarily the correct ones. If I hadn’t been an advocate for my children, they would have both been diagnosed ADD and been subjected to Ritalin for years. It makes me crazy to think of the number of kids that this is probably happening to. I don’t think it’s lazy parenting, per se, but I think a lot of it can be attributed to *insecure parenting — and the thought that just because it’s the school, they know best …

By jim d

August 10, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this

Wanna get a bit of attention from your local chamber of commerce members?

Make a sign that reads “This business supports child abuse” and walk the street just outside their business establishments.

That aughtta git er done

By jim d

August 10, 2007 3:48 PM | Link to this

If you live in Gwinnett and don’t don’t like that idea, just stop trading with any business that is on this list.

http://www.memberservicecenter.org/irmweb/wc.dll/galawcoc?id=galawcoc&doc=rol/rol1/alphabetical

By Carmen - Advocate

August 10, 2007 4:49 PM | Link to this

For all the reasons just listed by those of you above- We petitioned the Georgia DOE and BOE for “equal” legal representation for the Children in Georgia Public Schools. No raising taxes or anything. Simply split the legal fees Georgia currently spends on school system attorneys that fight against giving the children what they need. Not just special ed children - ALL children.

Georgia spends billions on insurance premiums to insure themselves and cover litigation fees people. Why can’t we give the kids “equal” representation too? 50% to the school atty / 50% to atty for child.

We want a part of the insurance policy too.

Watch them start educating these kids - Once you level the playing field.

LOL Jim D.

We still have not heard from them who voted against “equal” representation for the children in Georgia? Whose interest did the Georgia BOE represent when they voted No!

I want to know - dont you?

By Victoria

August 23, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this

I’m a Special Ed teacher in Nashville, TN. My 12 yr. old grandson has Down Syndrome and attends school in Paulding County, GA. His parents called me because they are having difficult issues with his teachers and are unable to resolve them. Please advise us on any advocacy grps. we can go to for help. Thanks, Victoria

By kidsinsync

August 28, 2007 8:59 PM | Link to this

As a private OT, I see huge long-term issues for kids with sensory processing, autistic spectrum and other “unseen” diagnoses, as they are losing medically necessary early intervention services>which will help make them functional tax paying members of society one day. Without these services and the fact that many kids don’t qualify for school services cos they’re not involved enough> if parents can’t afford to go to private therapy>these kids fall thru’ the cracks in the system. I believe we’re doing a huge disservice to our kids>we’re supposed to be their advocates/to speak for them and fight for them because they can’t fight for themselves. And we run scared, bullied by the bureaucrats who have no idea the effects their laws have on the kids.and usually only to save some dollars>don’t they realise>they might save a dollar here…but these kids grow up and often become wards of the state>costs so much more in the long-term.