I know I’ve been quiet, I haven’t even visited the blog myself since that last post. I told Duhdee that it just really sucks when all the things you want to say, shouldn’t be said.
But, here I am to give you the latest and greatest report on our latest IEP. The last day of school is now 9 days away and we have met with the team twice and exchanged several e-mails and we have decided…ready for this?
N.O.T.H.I.N.G.
We are no closer today than we were when we walked into the first IEP meeting. OK, that’s not precisely true, the team leader has at least acknowledged that not only are we, his parents, part of the team but we are the ones who make the ultimate decision. So! That is progress, right?
We have also accepted placement in a summer program with a wrap around camp. Monkey will attend the school program for 3 weeks (we miss one week because of vacation plans) from 8 – 12:30 and then at 12:30 he will go to the camp portion where he will swim and take field trips and make art projects until 3. Basically he’ll have 3 weeks of full days instead of 3 weeks of 1/2 days. We’re pleased…we can also send him for an additional week of camp if we choose…I suspect we will. There is more progress!
Look at me talking myself down off the cliff, aren’t you proud?
All that we have to do now is…find a classroom for the fall! Easy! Except it doesn’t exist in our district. Oops? We’re going to tour the substantially separate class they had already picked for him (before we ever discussed progress or goals…AHEM!). They are still stuck on lunch, recess and specials (art, music, gym) even though I told them point blank at the last meeting that we won’t ever sign off on that…not when he continues to make progress in an integrated class. The team leader very enthusiastically told us she would have our IEP to us no later than…yesterday. They say they don’t want to go to mediation (for good reason) and yet they’re going to send us an IEP that we will have to reject, at least in part. I guess that buys them a little more time to try to wear us down.
A fundamental problem here is that they want us to trust them to do the right thing by Monkey and we are unable to do that. They are unable to understand why we don’t trust them and yet continue to do things like…plan an IEP meeting knowing that the OT won’t be there. It is not OK for the OT to miss an IEP meeting for a child with Fragile X and it’s not OK to schedule the meeting knowing that the OT would miss it and not tell us.
At some time in the next week they will have his teacher hand us a form to sign excusing the OTs abscense. It’s just a formality she’ll say, as she did the last time someone missed a meeting. Of course, it won’t be just a formality when we refuse to sign it. Then it will be one more violation in a long list of violations of federal law. See why they don’t want to go to mediation? 😉
i’m so sorry you are having to go thru all this (insert expletive here)!
Seriously, you are amazing! You have all of our support and admiration and sympathy for what you are going through. You can do it!
The last paragraph gave me a big chuckle! At my first IEP mtg last week I commented on how my son’s PT score was so ‘high’ (seeing as it’s a big issue). The PT sheepishly admitted she ‘missed’ the arena and based it on other reports!! HA! Geez they will try to get away with anything, I love when parents know their rights and aren’t afraid to push!! YOU GO GIRL!!!
(sorry about the ‘you go girl’ I got a little carried away ; ))
I “like” your blogs and I “like” your humor as you go through this. Yes even I get it! I just can’t believe some of the crap they try to pull. Again you know your son better than anyone I don’t care if they have a Masters or PhD in Special Ed (one hesitation I have about going forward you never really “Master” it) you know your stuff! Don’t sign, don’t budge keep at it and I hope it doesn’t have to come to mediation but if it does well so be it it was their stupidity that got them there (yes I said the “s” word). I am with Kathleen You GO Girl!
Monkey is incredibly lucky to have you and Eric as his parents. You are doing a tremendous job with him and he amazes me every time I see him, even if he does seem to whip a ball at my head when we get together, lol…he is such a cutie! You are doing the right thing for him by not letting them put him in an inappropriate placement. I can not believe they are still dragging this out when they know you are not going to agree to the crappy suggestions. Best of luck with the process.