Re: ADD / EDUCATION

Gary,

On Tue, 12 Mar 1996, Gary Sherwin wrote:

> SCHOOLS have a LEGAL OBLIGATION under federal law, Individuals with
> Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to identify and properly
> educate ALL students with a FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION.

This sounds wonderful...if it was what really happens. They can ignore a
child's problems and as long as they haven't been diagnosed as a child
with difficulty, they will be treated like every other child. Teachers
will not come to you, they may provided you with all sorts of information
on how Johnny can't sit still, pay attention, read at a normal level, or
speak properly, but they will not tell you to get your child tested.

My daughter had a minor speech impediment when she was little (she's 13
now.) I, as a new parent, thought she would grow out of it. If it wasn't
for the fact that I was in her classroom all the time, I probably
wouldn't have mentioned it for a few years it was so minor. I happen to
voice my concern to her teacher asking advice if this was something kids
usually grow out of. She got her help immediately and her problem was
cleared up easily in a couple years, before she took on too many bad
habits. Half her problem is she is gifted (if you are familiar with this
you will realize this too is a disability of a different form) and her brain
thought lots faster than her mouth could speak. Then she also messed up s
and th sounds. It got to the point where I was having to translate for my
husband. If i hadn't said anything, we would not have had early
intervention and the problem would have continued into her teens.

> If a school suspects that a student needs special services, and
> the parents refuse to have the student tested or provided the services, the
> school has the OBLIGATION to request a Due Process Hearing, which may order
> that the services be provided, even over the parents objections.

This is only if the school has discerned there IS a problem. Many kids,
parents, and teachers do not realize some of these kids have problems.
They learn to cover quite well.

For many years I tutored, voluntarily. I had one child in particular who had
parents who did nothing for her. I requested assistance for this child,
all the teachers requested help for this child, but she fell through the
cracks. She passed the tests they gave her to see if she needed help. But
in 5th grade could not say her ABC's! She was a smart child (although no
one realized this). But definitely learning disabled. She was passed
along in the system as stupid, until I started teaching her. Then she was
passing tests with A's and B's after some assistance. The teachers were
shocked that I wouldn't HELP her on tests. They were not allowed to flunk
her again, and felt they had to hand her the grades in order to pass her.
I had to prove to them she was not dumb, just had to learn in a different way.
I made her earn those grades, and the teachers were shocked at her
capabilities, but could not give her that individualized help. She needed
to have her parents stand up for her and get her help. I think
we can both agree that a parent should know a child best of all, and needs
to stand up for that child, as I see you have been. I'm sorry to hear you
've had such a hard time. If the law was so great, you wouldn't have had
to fight so hard for what your child needs.

> If we do not, OH WELL living one's principals can have a price.

I applaud you for standing up for your child, and having those principles, so
many parents these days leave it up to "the system".

I wish you well,
YiS,

Lisa Varner << lvarner@freenet.columbus.oh.us >>
Haven't been there. Don't want to go. Don't need another t-shirt!

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