Friday, November 17, 2006

Fury!

I am so angry today! I am ready to dance on someone's head in rage. There is nothing that can elicit this kind of wrath in me except when I feel that one of my children is being harmed.
This is about Little Man and his school. I have been unhappy with his new school since the beginning, but I haven't said anything about it because I was trying really hard to make things work and I was making sure I was keeping things as positive as I could with my thoughts and words.
We had a parent teacher conference last week. Little Man's old teacher had kept meticulous records on a daily basis of everything he was doing or not doing. When you have a child like our son whose performance varies from day to day, it is important to not take a day's work and say, this is what he knows.
It was very clear to me at his conference the teachers had never even looked at the binder of things his old teacher had sent. They were talking about setting a goal of knowing his time to the hour and half hour, I said, he already does that! Oh, they said. That went on and on until I had a horrible headache by the time I got home from being polite when I was so angry.
They are not watching him on the playground during recess and he got in trouble for inappropriate behavior. I was soooo upset. This child needs to be in line of sight and earshot of an adult at all times. He is not a safe little person. The principal was a complete jerk about it when I asked for more supervision.
I got a report from his afterschool program that when they pick him up, the teachers are brusque, unkind and one even shoved him to get him to hurry one day.
I could go on and on, but this is the LAST straw!
Parent teacher conference? The teacher complained about Little Man's coat. He has one of those coats where it has a zip in liner, so you can use different pieces depending on the weather. The teacher said it was hard to put on and they wanted us to buy a new coat. I said no, we like his coat and I like knowing no matter what the weather is, he always has appropriate clothing. She said it it too hard to put on. I said, sorry, we like it.
Yesterday? Little Man came home and announced he needed a new coat because his teacher said his was stupid. I told him it was a nice coat and no we were not going to buy him new one.
This morning? We had a melt down because he REFUSED to wear the coat the teacher thinks is stupid. WE ARE SO ANGRY!
Geez I bought him new shoes without asking them first if they approved! I didn't realize I now had to pass his clothing through a approval process!
That is it. I am calling the district today and having him moved to a different school. This school has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they do not have my son's best interest in mind. Heaven and earth know no fury like a mad mother bear, watch out, my claws are out and I am smelling blood!!!!!!!

8 Kids Who Want To Play:

Anonymous said...

This is my first time coming by your blog. I really enjoyed the posts I read and this one also made me angry! Some teachers really make you wonder if they are in the right profession. Good luck working this out!

Anonymous said...

It sounds like the school is not capable of supporting his special needs. If they claimed that they could, then someone needs to give them a wake-up call. What if other special needs kids are also not being given the support they need. Definitely ask to have him moved, but also definitely give them hell about the inappropriate behaviors of the teachers. Do not pull punches or be polite. There is a time for being polite, and a time for telling the truth. Sounds like it's time for you to tell it like it is, mama bear. Sharpen up those claws, and let 'em have it.

Anonymous said...

What a bunch of jerks! The coat thing is wholly inappropriate on another level besides them being lazy and unaccommodating: what if this was a purchase you could not afford? Rude, much? Aside from which, they sound like they are manipulative and mean — they had to know it was going to affect Little Man when they started calling his coat stupid. I feel so sad for him, a. not getting the help he needs from them and b. on top of all his challenges facing the social ridicule about his (perfectly fine) clothing.
Geez, I better stop writing. I'm getting madder and madder the longer this comment gets. Sending you my best mamma bear vibes so you can get some results...

Anonymous said...

I have been reading your blog for awhile just don't have the time to comment or anything worthwhile to say. That being said-I am a former teacher(current stay at home mom)and the way your son is being treated is TOTALLY inappropriate and you should let everyone you can know about it. Especially the district when you request a change. Like Klynn said it sounds like they are not capable of supporting his special needs, they probably have a degree, but they definitely don't have the compassion and know how to be effective teachers. Go get them.

Sarah said...

Screw being polite. The time to be polite has passed. You WERE polite. They are doing nothing for your son besides keeping him alive for six hours a day. They don't care about him. They don't know what to do for him. You have every right to go kick down the door of the board of education and jump up and down on someone's desk.

His coat is "stupid," huh? He is not a normal kid- saying something like that can and did have a profound effect on him- they have no business educating him. They have nothing to offer.

I'm with Klynn; sharpen those claws.

L. said...

I agree with everyone.

Go, Mama Bear, GO!

Jenny said...

Agree agree agree AND write a letter to the Editor!

Granny said...

She said what? To a child who already has far too much baggage to carry? A child with serious physical and emotional challenges? What is she doing working with special kids? And how dare she decide on appropriate clothing for your child? Shall I continue? No, that's probably enough.

Either he needs to be out of there or she does although from what you said I gather she's not the only problem with that school.

Elcie had a teacher like that in the 3rd grade. We called it her "year from hell". The teacher didn't come back the next year.

Rochelle is like that about criticism from the powers that be. She takes it very to heart and has been known to almost shut down.

Your other commenters are right. The time for soft talk has passed. Attention must be paid.

More hugs.