When staff are the bully

Ironic, isn’t it.  Those in charge of ensuring children aren’t subjected to bullying, often times are the actual bully, or working in concert with the aggressor.  Sadly it’s becoming common place in the special education world, and far too often it goes unchecked until something really horrific happens.  Partly because staff with the intention of malice exploit the very nature of the student’s disabilities, relying on their cognitive functioning level to complicate, or negate believability. Partly because administrative staff have a tendency to turn a blind eye because they are more concerned with staffing and human resource issues that could arise from addressing instances in which bullying has been suggested, or concerns relayed to them.

Parents often lack credibility in the eyes of staff, and are accused of being overly emotional, irrational, or not properly educated in the ways of disability.  Where there are certainly instances in which the above is true, it does not negate all claims made on behalf of their children. 

This is a system that is stacked against you, in which you rarely are the victor, and are often left picking up the pieces of damage that happens to your child, or in some cases, the continued harassment your child is subjected to simply because you suggested bullying may have occurred. 

When you bring up concerns about staff interaction with regard to safety, and professionalism, and suddenly instances of involuntary seclusion, denial of basic civil rights such as access to the bathroom on request, and students being encouraged or allowed to physically assault your child routinely, what do you call that?  Over active imagination?  Coincidence?  Happenstance?  A simple misunderstanding times multiple incidents?  Or is it exactly what it sounds like?

What is it when you work in the same profession, have more education, and know exactly how situations are supposed to be handled, yet your words are worthless?

Why do your tax dollars support a system that can often do more harm than good to the child and there is so little recourse to right injustice?

Where is the intrinsic motivation of the professional to do there job well, properly, and with pride that they are working in the best interest of the child?

How have we come so far since 1975, yet in so many ways, little has changed?

Who is going to ever right this system so that it actually does what it is intended to do on behalf of these children?

My voice is often lost in a myriad of meetings, emails, and grievances, with little to no real resolution..........how then will my child’s voice ever be heard, or for the children who have no voice?

One step forward, ten steps back.

After an exceptionally challenging school year I've come to the conclusion that it's time for change.  Between personal life aspects of the boy and his education, the economy, and my general energy level, it's time to go back to the drawing board.  I had planned on going down this road in the future; just not this near future.  Such as life.

I really do believe that being a Special Advocate is my perfect niche.  I have a fierce justice complex, and the tenacity to back it up when those less fortunate are being screwed over in the mix.  Too many years of games and flaming hoops with regard to my son have created a take no prisoners attitude in me when it comes to the law.

My bigger issue is if I have it in me right now to go back to school.  My time is extremely limited between my own classroom, the boy, the neurotypical daughter I'm putting through college, and that each day only allots 24 hours to get it all done in.  I'm in great hope that I just feel like I've been put through the wringer because this last year was the most physically and emotionally demanding that I've encountered in eleven years; only time will tell with that one.

Normally, I wouldn't even consider taking this leap with all that is my life.  As usual though, change is necessitated through some less than desirable happenings within the public system in my neck of the woods, and that shit aint gonna fly with me.  These are changes that will not benefit the greater good, and they are very swift moving with this new agenda.  While it will always be my responsibility to advocate for my son, and my students, I feel compelled to serve more, as this will affect most children in this district negatively.  And we all know that once one entity starts to make major change, the rest follow suit.

Details will remain in my own head for now; call it paranoia, but since information I receive is confidential in nature, and was not intended for my eyes, I'll just keep it all to myself.  It's sufficiently compelling to cause me to further overwhelm myself, as well as invest a chunk of money that I could certainly use elsewhere just to rail against this new proposal (which should speak for itself).

So, one step forward for me..............because I cannot allow them to go ten steps back.

When the system fails...........

Just a quick "quip" about my personal experience, and a recent article I just happened upon.

My son's school district is having massive financial issues, and really, this isn't new news if your a resident of this county.  It also isn't surprising, given our current economic climate (or how I like to view it, the toilet).  Tough choices have to be made, no one is going to be happy, and we all have to give up a little; I accept this (though I've been doing that for years, long before the current economic mess).

Were this to be a truly solid educational model, that operated efficiently, and served the students within it well, I would have little to say on the subject; nobody likes change, that's a given.  But since my experience has been one of constant struggles to attain/maintain even basic services, and compliance with IDEA/FAPE (to the extent that my son has made little to no progress in the last five years academically), I find it a very bitter pill to swallow that I should stand for more to be taken away from him.

And then, you top it off with a carefully placed quote saying that risking litigation is acceptable, to reduce services in the special education model further?  A program in which this district is more than often not fully providing in the first place, and the only reason to date there hasn't been more litigation is because of the burden of cost on parents to proceed legally?

Worry not, I'll be standing by "pro pers" should this district proceed to further impact my son's education.  Cost shall not intimidate me from seeking what he is legally entitled to.

Keep up that smug attitude; I guarantee it will come back to bite you in the ass!

Look before you leap; the politics of Special Education

For some time now (most aggressively this last school year), there has occurred some major shake ups with respect to special education here in this county.  In theory, it's supposed to equate to nearly a complete overhaul of the system.  As with any issue where tax payer dollars are involved, there will certainly be political agendas behind it.  While change is often for the greater good, the message conveyed behind why the change is necessary, often gets lost, muddied, or was simply an "excuse" to satisfy the people, and hide the real intention behind it.

Based on a report of analysis of the current educational model here, many suggestions were made, that are in fact very legitimate, and in desperate need of change.  They highlighted the disproportionate amount of special ed. students being segregated to special day classes, separate sites, etc., as well as some huge inaccuracies in particular ethnic groups being labeled as disabled, when in fact those issues stem from social maladjustment. 

These are important key points to look at.  Students need opportunity to be placed in the least restrictive environment and to be educated with their non disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.  The other students have the right to be educated with their non disabled peers, and not be subjected to profiling based on their color, where they end up inappropriately labeled as something they are not.

It all sounds fantastic and beneficial in theory.  It's as if someone waved a magic wand, and suddenly the district woke up.  Were it not to coincide with a massive budget gap, and a failing economy, it would seem pure in intention.  Some may say that's just killing two birds with one stone, and you're being to cynical to see the forest through the trees.

Let's examine some of the underlying issues that are prevalent already with the old model, and how they will one, continue to affect the new model, and two, due to the budget, create a massive failure of the new model.

Adequate training.  This is a huge issue in general.  Those classified as special education staff, often lack even rudimentary knowledge in behavioral theory.  They may be sent to a workshop on a particular topic sporadically, but it's often a band-aid at best.  They are not given the opportunity to thoroughly learn the nuances of behavioral theory, and put them into practice.  This isn't just at the parapro level, this is true of the teachers as well.  So, there is a behavior department, which is much more thoroughly trained, has access to creating visuals, and comes out as support to these individuals, to teach them what they weren't given the opportunity to learn.  Once again, sounds great.  Except that within this district there is a growing sense of disdain towards the special ed. population, and the current crop of staff that believe that these students don't have the right to have behavior, or that they as staff, shouldn't have to put up with the level of intensity that some children display.  So the behavior department tries their best to train them, and show them the error of their ways, and give them the tools that will make these students successful, though they are often met with hostility, and refusal by the part of the staff.  They refuse to implement these tools, and ultimately the students suffer.

These are people who are supposed to be best suited to work with the special ed. population, who actively made the choice to work with these students.  They lack the necessary skills, and desire to learn how to help these children.

Now, those issues go mostly unchecked.  The district decides it's going to adopt a new model, and begin mass integrating most of these students back into regular education.  To exposing them to staff that have zero experience or training with this population.  The simplest answer would be to begin training the regular ed. staff prior to the shift, so that these students don't fall by the wayside (or even training them at all).  This is all set up under the guise of providing these students with the least restrictive environment, and trying to be in line with what federal regulations mandate.

But, no such training is taking place.  Add to that, once some students are placed, the request for support can take several months to arrive, meanwhile, once again, the student suffers.  This does not smell of genuine concern to mainstream a child, but rather a means to an end to ease budget woes.  Educating students in special day class, separate facility or even non public settings is extremely costly.  Some non public settings can range between $166 to $235 dollars a day.

Were the district to be actively training and transition planning for this influx of students, this cause would seem genuine.  I find it hard to swallow that this is their actual intention; to provide for the greater good of these students, and not to simply save money.

Even more interesting is that these decisions for this new model come at a time when there is no superintendent, and a blood bath taking place amongst the school board.  Budget cuts,  poor economy, no actual leader, political infighting; very interesting timing indeed.  Change is vital to progress, when the intention is genuinely designed to affect the greater good; not place further constraints on an already broken system.

Maybe I just have a biased opinion from personal experience working in conjunction with this district, and having a child not being served by it adequately.  Maybe I have a skewed view because I have the luxury of intensive training, and staff who genuinely believe in what they do, and are always willing to learn new things. Or maybe, it's just the skeptic in me, that screams this is not what it seems, don't let them pull the wool over your eyes on this issue, while these students get lost in the maze, and will only further regress.

They say patience is a virtue, though I hold little faith that patience will show with time that this move will work out for all, and is a heartfelt sentiment on behalf of the district that is just simply experiencing some growing pains.

My two cents on the subject.

The wheels on the bus.........come to a screaching halt!

Simply put, bus drivers, they irritate me. Many years of my life have I waisted cleaning up the mess they create, simply because they are under-educated, or ill trained when it comes to the special education population.

My district in particular, touts the "excellent" and "intense" training they go through to become excellent providers of service, and with the highest regard to your child's needs. Really? Seems I've missed those drivers (for the last eight years and multiple placements).

Daily, I find myself confused, disheartened, and down right pissed off at the treatment, lack of professionalism, and omnipotence, in how they deal with the population. At what point during their supposedly so thorough training did they learn behavioral theory, the multitude of facets that come with each and every specific disability (and co-morbidity as well), sensory processing dysfunction, and a slew of other factors that frankly, I'm to tired to list?

It enrages me that these individuals who at most, may spend 2-2 1/2 hrs a day with a particular student, seem to not only know so much about them, but can also in a split second determine what is, and what isn't a manifestation of the child's disability, and there for, consequate them (based on their own belief system, not a carefully crafted behavior support plan, that they refuse to implement).

Let's take a look at these children's support aides, or their teacher's, and how many hours a day they spend with them, and how less reactive, and punitive they respond to minor infractions (being irritated by a child's verbal stim is never an excuse to chastise the parents into feeling so guilty they start privately transporting their child to school, how pathetic). If ever someone was going to be tired, impatient, or potentially annoyed, it would be them (and mind you the typical bus driver in my district makes a salary greater than an aide does, but with significantly less output of work).

What about us parents, who have to bend to your every demand, and complaint because you illicit a response out of our child on a daily basis because you simply are not intelligent enough to realize YOUR FEEDING HIS NEGATIVE ATTENTION SEEKING BEHAVIOR (and failed to implement anything proactively on yourself to prevent you from being so petty).

I mean really, what is the point? Individuals who either can't tolerate all that comes with your typical special ed population (which is a huge list, you don't get to hand pick what behaviors you prefer), or lack the knowledge and willigness to learn, create a huge dis-service to those that they supposedly serve. It goes beyond being counter productive; it's down right insulting.

Some classic examples I have witnessed recently (and just for this school year alone):

"He's to silly, and makes to many animal noises" MR student, non verbal
"He winds up the other kids with his duck noises, and then I can't concentrate" MR student, non verbal
" I do not have to take this kind of verbal abuse!"ED/HFA student
"He threw a paper muffin cup, and I was in fear, and had to duck" ED/HFA student
"He plays with his spit, and it smells" AUT student
"His music is to loud coming from his headphones" Downs student

These are very typical behaviors for their respective conditions. These are children who are placed in the most restrictive placement available in the county due to their often extremely aggressive behavior/self injurous behavior. Your nit picking things like verbal stimms, and proactive stratigies (preferred music and headphones to distract from NAS behavior), when you could be dealing with much worse?

I personally say, get a new job. Your are obviously not equipped to deal with this population, and you make it evident everyday with your ridiculous overly reactive behavior, and negativity. No matter how severly affected a person is, they still can sense disdain in your voice, and dislike on your face.

So much for the happy little nursery ryhme about everything great and fun about riding the bus all through the town!