I'm glad to know Im not the only one who is fed up (hence the name) with the FL public school system and district school board. Why nothing has been done before is beyond me - I know Attorney General McCollum is trying to change some things (check his website and 100ideas.org) about the treatment of students with disabilities.
Pasco County School board is ridiculous and take up for principals even when they lie or "omit" facts from parents. I was told by the ASI's office that
we as parents have NO right to question a principal and their decision to keep information about things at school from us.
an example: Our 7 year old son is Autistic, and in a self contained class. He has no behavior problems, extremely smart but does not know any fear - he is unable to comprehend dangerous situations. It's in his IEP and even has extra adult supervision needed at all times at school.
An incident happened on the playground and her substitute assistant was gathering the other 7 children including my son who was up on the equipment.
It was really loud and his teacher was yelling for one of the other teachers out there to get her a walkie talkie to call in the office. My son was scared to death of the commotion and ran off the playground toward the front of the school. The teacher saw the direction he was heading and started yelling that a student was running off.
The teachers on the playground either didnt hear her or ignored her, until the aide left the children with the teacher and ran to get a radio.
My son was not found until later by the media specialist, so who knows where he went before the media center. I don't want to speculate - but he was probably in there the whole time.
He loves books and I'm thankful I make sure every morning when I walk my children to class we talk about the "clues" in the school if you get lost. Lunchroom, Media (library) office, butterfly garden, playground etc.
The principal told the teacher and asst. to tell me only certain facts of the events of the incident.
I said oh really? why. She said I was to be told this so I would not over react or call anyone over what happened. I was to be told that he ran off the playground and the media specialist intercepted him outside the center.
The teacher said I cannot lie and tell you something that did not happen, you deserve the truth. I asked the media specialist what happened and she confirmed what the teacher told me and added a bit more.
I called and complained to the school board. I was basically put in my place, degraded because I have homeschooled my son and told I was an interfering overprotective mother who was blowing things out of proportion. Even 1 minute of an Autistic child being lost is enough.
The man who came to get my son from the media specialist was loud and demanded to know who he was and why he was out of class; to the point he had an accident in his pants (which I wasn't supposed to know) and then the media speicalist said to the man - I think he's Autistic and doesn't understand you.
This school is absolutely ridiculous - they don't want me there because I don't believe in main streaming or play their school politics games and the principal can't control me like she does her teachers. She threatened to fire the teacher and put her under review if she told me anything else other than he had a good/bad day.
I questioned her the first day of school about parental involvement - we cannot volunteer and cannot be on school grounds before or after school. The first day of school there were around 100 parents waiting in the afternoon to talk to her about this.
She basically wants to control the school, lock the gates to the school and leave us parents in the dark about what goes on during the day.
I was told not to ever question what principal says; OMG what is the world is wrong with that.
I took the heat for my son being "lost". I'm now the overprotective, overjealous mother who likes to cause trouble by protecting her child to the fullest extent possible because he cannot defend himself. That's fine with me, I can take it and this wonderful teacher didn't get fired.
I am now on a "need to know basis" and will never be told if anything happens again. The school board backs this up and said that it's her choice if she tells a parent information or not.
WOW! what kind of rights do we have as parents then?
They're just mad because I stepped on their toes and called the FL Dept of Education.
I told them - if I wanted to cause trouble I would have complained when my 5 year old was lost by a sub the 3rd day of school. She came home told me what happened and explained how she and her friend followed the "clues" to get back to class that I've taught her. I made sure to go over safety rules and tell her that she did great remembering everything.
I talk to alot of parents, there is so much more going on at this school that it's scary. This is a school that has alot of special needs classes and students, they get tons of funding for these programs and are being allowed to treat children however they want and get away with it. Then they sweep it under the rug and chalk it up to us being suspicous parents.
A threat to be fired from the principal will ensure that we as parents will be kept in the dark until enough parents step foward and stop this kind of nonsense - lovely way to spend our tax dollars huh?
After talking with the Sheriff's Department (I had to tell them everything I knew including confidential information), they recommended I find another school.
I have no guarantee my son will be safe and that my children will not be mistreated for me doing my job as a parent.
Anyone have a suggestion or good experience with a school that has an Autism program?
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Need a good school with Autism Program
Special needs
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