Violation of IDEA
12/16/2005 06:37 p.m.
Last week (12/6) I requested that my sons teachers update me on his grades by Friday (I didn't specify, but thought it was implied that I meant Friday of THAT week).

on 12/7, I emailed the 504 coordinator/principal on his campus to have him removed from afterschool detention for homework completion. This had been suggested at his 504 meeting as a method of getting my son to complete his homework. At the time, his teachers pretty much said my son didn't need tutorials, and they weren't appropriate for him, because he is capable and understands the curriculm.

I heard from one of my son's teacher's on Monday. She apologized, saying she had been out sick last week, but that my son was passing her class as of Monday.

Today I received an email from his reading teacher, telling me that my son hadn't turned in a major novel project, and that without that grade he would probably fail reading (again!). I didn't even KNOW about this project before today! To say I'm peeved is an understatement!

Then I received an email from the 504 coordinator, about how she thought I had understood that my son wouldn't receive assistance on homework in D-Hall, and they didn't have adequate staff to have a study hall/homework assistance before or after school.... yada, yada.

Now, today was NOT the day for me to get these emails. I found out today that my teaching assignment is changing, not next school year as I had thought, but when I come back in January. Instead of doing CM (basically a tutorial classroom where students are sent for extra help, reading assistance, etc.) I'll be doing Math and Language Arts Inclusion, where I go into classes where our neediest students are, and give support in that classroom (although for oral testing during finals, major exams, etc. I can still have a separate room that week).

Over lunch I was talking with the consultant that is helping the district implement this, as well as one of the area Sp. Ed. Program Supervisors, and we talked about how although my son could be qualified Sp. Ed. because of his Disorder/diagnosis, there isn't really a purpose, because he is entitled to the same type of accomodations through IDEA and 504. The consultant is also one of only about 6 certified 504 Hearing Arbitrators in this state!

So, in my reply to my son's principal/coordinator. I stated that it seems that my son is failing because of an organizational issue... which is related to his diagnoses (ADD/BPDw/Depression), an that if his accomodations are being followed and he is continuing to fail (this is the second 6 weeks) then his accomodations need to be reassesed and either changed or added to.

So... do you think Santa Clause is gonna be nice to me this year, cuz I don't think I'm winning any bonus points in my school district!

If I could afford it, I'm so tempted to sue the district! Of course I might not be able to find work as a teacher afterwards, but what is going on is SO WRONG!

I am currently Angry