Loudoun county Mom arrested for sending kids late to school. (Fairfax: Valentine's day, lawyers)

[HokieFan]

IMO, having ADHD is not an excuse for excessive tardiness. Many adults and children are diagnosed with ADHD and manage to get to work or school on time.

It seems to me that instead of teaching children to use ADHD as an excuse, it would better serve the children to teach them that it can be managed and one can function just as well as everyone else.

Children at our school who are diagnosed with a learning disorder or ADHD/ADD can receive extra time to complete testing and academic tasks. So maybe these kids need extra time to get ready in the morning.

If you typically run 5-10 minutes late, get them up 5-10 minutes earlier. If they have trouble getting up 5-10 minutes earlier, maybe they need to go to bed earlier.

Being tardy to school on a frequent basis is a huge disservice to the kids who are coming in late as well as the other kids in class and the teacher.

I do think being arrested is a bit of an overreaction, however, it appears (from reading a couple entries of the mom's online diary) that this has been going on for at least a couple of years and the mom elects to be defensive and defiant instead of cooperative.

And sending an email to the school listserv lobbying for your "cause", probably did make you the school whackadoodle. I mean come one, how many parents do you think you offended? I'm sure there are many who have personal issues but still manage to get their kids to school on time.

[kutra11]

Even if ADHD is characterized as a serious disability, the correct thing to do is to overpower it. If you keep using that as an excuse, you will never get far ahead in life.

Slightly OT, but a good story nevertheless: I was swimming in my rec center this past weekend and got tired after about 10 laps. I noticed a young girl in the neighboring lane who had been continuously swimming even before I stepped in the pool and was still at it while I was taking a break. Her body moved like a fish and I thought, "If I was young and could move my body like that even I could swim 100 laps!" As I was about to resume swimming again, she got out and imagine my look of surprise and horror when I saw that her hands were amputated at her elbows. She had overcome her disability with hard work and determination while I had used my age as an excuse to not push myself harder.

[RamblingMan]

Originally Posted by Yankeesfan

I agree, at this point we're only hearing one side of the story.

The woman who runs the Free-Range Kids blog is infamous for handing her nine-year-old son a map of the New York subway and letting him ride it alone, because he asked her to and she wanted to be a cool mom. (What would we think of someone who let a nine-year-old ride the Metro alone?) Someone, I think maybe Dr. Phil, used a mapping tool to show that there was a huge number of registered sex offenders in the area where the child was traveling alone.

I'm a big fan of the Free Range Kids concept. Lenore Skenazy may be "infamous" to some, but she is a breath of fresh air to others. I think a child can be mature enough to take public transportation, including metro or the New York subway at 9 years old. Many children would not be. It depends on the kid and the decision should be up to the parents and children involved.

[slduvall]

Originally Posted by Maureen Blake

Have John call me and the school for their side of the story if they are interested. My understanding it is the Truant Officer who chose that course of action. She can confrim exactly how many times I was late bringing my children to school and I offer permission for her to do so with particularity.

Lincoln Elementary School

Moderator Cut
Truant Office Lori Melcher
21000 Education Court
Ashburn, VA 20148
571-252-1015
FAX 571-252-1245

Or talk to the court to see what their policy has been, and what their desire on this issue is. I am sure they will be as happy to kindly discuss it with you as they did with me. ( Seriously the clerk there is very gracious in her manner in answering questions.)

Loudoun Circuit
Ms Evamari Bates
Phone/Fax
Phone: (703) 777-0300
Fax: (703) 771-5039

I have taken a look at your blog and find some of what you have posted there a little off. I understand the need to vent and obviously you admit that you have some issues - but to bring the issues of your children to the internet (you have posted about custody battle issues with the actual Loudoun county court paperwork uploaded) that goes into detail of your childrens medical and mental states. This IMO has got to be in violation of HIPPA and other privacy issues in regards to minor children.

You do realise that your children can read these blogs...you have now posted your name for everyone to see..you state the names of your children over and over again in your blog. You discuss being late for school way back in 2010 and how it was an issue in custody. This is not a new thing and I doubt the sympathic officers have seen your blog.

I'm sorry moderator if this appears to be a personal attack - Not intended to be so..But she has chosen to provide all the above information. I think of it more as wake up call - to the needs of the children, rather than the needs of (from what I see on her blog) as other have stated "a drama queen" who in the past has admitted to being "off her meds".

[JD984]

Maybe some of the services listed on this site would be helpful for the mom or her kids, if she's not already familiar with them:

Youth & Children Services | Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice/LAWS

[HokieFan]

Originally Posted by slduvall

This IMO has got to be in violation of HIPPA and other privacy issues in regards to minor children.

HIPPA only applies to health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers.

It's not against the law for individuals to broadcast another's health issue as long as it's true. Then it becomes an isssue of libel or defamation.

There's no issue of a privacy violation in this case - just a lack of couth.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by kevinm

How does this woman keep a job? I bet she shows up for work late too.

my experience is that there are lots of employers who will tolerate 10 minutes late 7 times in 5 months. Depends on the field, and the employer. Those who need that kind of tolerance should choose employers that match them.

families that need that kind of tolerance, and can't find it from their local school system, should look at private schools, or explore homeschooling.

[slduvall]

Originally Posted by HokieFan

HIPPA only applies to health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers.

It's not against the law for individuals to broadcast another's health issue as long as it's true. Then it becomes an isssue of libel or defamation.

There's no issue of a privacy violation in this case - just a lack of couth.

Agree to that on the legal ramifications and inforcement of HIPAA laws, just referring to the the nature of the disclosure - it is defininly private health care information, that is protected by law everywhere else - and for a mother to disclose it for the entertainment of others on her blog well.....

[Yankeesfan]

Originally Posted by slduvall

I have taken a look at your blog and find some of what you have posted there a little off. I understand the need to vent and obviously you admit that you have some issues - but to bring the issues of your children to the internet (you have posted about custody battle issues with the actual Loudoun county court paperwork uploaded) that goes into detail of your childrens medical and mental states. This IMO has got to be in violation of HIPPA and other privacy issues in regards to minor children.

You do realise that your children can read these blogs...you have now posted your name for everyone to see..you state the names of your children over and over again in your blog. You discuss being late for school way back in 2010 and how it was an issue in custody. This is not a new thing and I doubt the sympathic officers have seen your blog.

I'm sorry moderator if this appears to be a personal attack - Not intended to be so..But she has chosen to provide all the above information. I think of it more as wake up call - to the needs of the children, rather than the needs of (from what I see on her blog) as other have stated "a drama queen" who in the past has admitted to being "off her meds".

Good points. I browsed the blog too with a sort of horrified fascination .

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by slduvall

Agree to that on the legal ramifications and inforcement of HIPAA laws, just referring to the the nature of the disclosure - it is defininly private health care information, that is protected by law everywhere else - and for a mother to disclose it for the entertainment of others on her blog well.....

most people i know of who blog about issues with disabilities, schools etc, do so to reach out for support, to mobilize people for change, etc, not to entertain others.

It is a dilemma for parents who want change - on the one hand, people say things you know to be untrue and/or unfair, and the only way to respond is to cite your own childrens experience. OTOH, you dont want to share info that could hurt them. Most people don't share, and don't become activists, and change comes slowly if at all (this is one reason physical disabilities are so different - theres no hiding them). Often it takes so long to change something, that by the time anything happens, your own kid is done with k-12 (esp of course if the issues came up in middle school or high school). That is why I so admire the people I know who kept fighting issues even after their kids had gone on to college.