How can I.... Pissed off mother?

Question

help my daughter realize her dream of becoming a jewelry designer. When the school keeps telling her she cant. She is in special ed, because of a learning disability and a mental disorder. Well every year they go to the career fair held at the college, except her class. The teacher came out and told the students that since they are in special ed, that they weren't going because there was no point, if they were never going to work anyway.

I know here in the district I live in I have had to fight the school board just to get a report card for my daughter, and that she eats the school lunch(McDonalds use to bring in special lunches). Also have found out that she wont be taking the AIMS test either. But my main problem is the other parents are perfectly fine with it, and that I need to stop rocking the boat.

Answer 1

That is absolutely **disgusting** behaviour on the part of the school, I know people who have disabilities who have gone on to be successful in creative industries like jewelry & fashion design. They have no right to put a child down like that, you should go to your local media & govenment with this story if the school won't listen.

If other parents don't care then they obviously don't care about their children as much as you do. Or perhaps their children are not as dedicated as your daughter as living their dream.

Have you heard of LoveBites and Bruises? here is their website: http://www.lovebitesandbruises.com - they're quite popular and "in" at the moment. Believe it or not their founder had severe mental disibilities, and unfortuntely died earlier this year,

but the simple fact that a business such as L&B is so popular now is proof that children such as your daughter are just as capable as anyone else.

Now LoveBites and Bruises helps people to design jewelry and works with children hospitals as a creative outlet.

Your daughter has just as much of a chance as anyone else, and never stop telling her that!

Answer 2

First off that is just plain sad. As far as what to do I would read over IDEA 2004 act. Within this act it states every child has a right to the same quality of education as general education student do. Go to the Principal with this knowledge she/he will likely intervene with the teacher at least out of fear. If that does not work you can actually do a number of different things. Under this act you can press charges against the school demanding your child receive the services she has a right to. It seems as if there are more problems with this teacher then not taking them to career fair. If she/he has this view point then they are not likely bringing these children up to their fill potential.

Just a little background I have learning disabilities and was in special education classes my entire life. Now I am one year away from graduating from college and becoming a special education teacher. Anything can happen !

Answer 3

That is bullsh*t!!! Being learning disabled means nothing more than that student has difficulty in some subjects. A person with learning disabilities can be anything they want to be. If I were you I would contact the U.S. Department of Education and file a complaint. I did earlier this year when I found out that certain states were forging test scores to obtain more federal funding and denying the learning disabled the right to the right to an equal education. The U.S. Department of Education will listen because they did devolope new test methods that will properly diagnose and treat for a learning disability at an earlier age due to my complaint of nationwide discrimination against the disabled.

As someone who also has a learning disability, I managed to work from 7pm to 7am on a 2-2-3 schedule while going to college, maintained perfect attendance at my job and college, went to college full-time majoring in Engineering, still graduated with a 3.82 GPA, member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, on the 2006-07 National Dean's List, and been asked by the International Scholar Laureate Program to go to China next May to take part in a 14 day engineering delegation. BTW, I'm going back to school to earn dual Bachelor Degree's in Computer and Electrical Engineering where I've maintained a 4.00 GPA, so far.

To farther prove that people with learning disabilities can actually do more than scrub some sh*tty, nasty *ss toilet for a living, click on the following links:
http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Mayor/Mayors_Alliance/famous_persons/people_A_thru_E.asp
http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Mayor/Mayors_Alliance/famous_persons/people_F_thru_L.asp
http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Mayor/Mayors_Alliance/famous_persons/people_M_thru_R.asp
http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Mayor/Mayors_Alliance/famous_persons/people_S_thru_Z.asp

Edit:
Here is the direct link that can help you file a complaint straight to the Inspector General of U.S. Department of Education.
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/complaintform.cfm

Good luck!

Answer 4

First, I would talk to school authorities and verify that this was the information that was given and ask for admin's reasons for not including the students in the activity. If the answer is inadequate and arrangements won't be made to include them then.......

I am going to make a suggestion that you bypass the school and talk to some of the other parents in the class, assuming that you know them well. If that is what the students are being told en masse, then how about setting up a career fair for the students in the class alone. Instead of using your energy to be angry----use it to be proactive.

l. Develop a list of interested parents and have a planning meeting.
2. Develop a list of career interests specific to these students as their parents know them. If the students are old enough, surely include them in the planning process.
3. Brainstorm on resources in the community to provide representatives to a career fair specific to those career paths.
4. Have the parents volunteer to take a couple of the resources and contact them to ask them to participate, go over what needs to be discussed, demonstrated, brought with them. See how they can adapt their presentations to the needs of the students. Perhaps all of these students will not be attending college, that doesn't preclude them from maintaining employment in fields that are not dependent upon degrees.
Ex. My daughter will graduate next month with a Fine Arts degree. Jewelry design, metals, fiber art and glass are her passions. But after 4 1/2 yrs. in school and 20 days from a degree, she will be the first to tell you that what she learned about metals and jewelry, she could have learned in apprenticeships and bypassed the degree. And that, since she will be and already is, making her living as an artist, a degree to impress an employer is a moot point.

So when I talk about community resources, I don't just mean the obvious college type resources. Talk to independent business people, artists (in your daughter's case), etc.

5. Try to get sponsorship for the event from a local business, chamber of commerce, advocacy group, church with a ministry for those with handicaps, etc.

6. Choose a date and a venue and set up your own career fair. Invite the local media and send them an introductory letter explaining why and how you parents did this on your own.

7. Celebrate the abilities not the challenges of your special students and show the school how something is done RIGHT!

Answer 5

How awful! No child should be told that they can't follow their dreams. I would go talk to the school and make a point because that is not fair to the kids in that class. Right there is treating them differently because they are in Special Ed. They are being discriminated because of there disabilities. I was also in Special Ed because I was a very slow learner and that is just not fair to your daughter or her classmates. I hope you find a way that can help! God Bless

Answer 6

You have every right to rock the boat. Your child is entitled to the best education possible. If you want your daughter to take the tests other student do, and go to the college fair then she should be included. You are the best advocate that your child has. If the other parents want to sit back and not include their child with the others that is their choice. Inclusion should be listed in the IEP, if it isn't then request that the IEP be rewritten. If u don't rock the boat who will?

Answer 7

Only you can fight for your child, if the rest of the parents don't believe in their children that is their problem,
I have a special needs child, and lucking the other parents agree with me when I bring something to the schools attention, some people are afraid to get involved.

Go to the School Board, involve your school principal and superintendent,
KEEP ON FIGHTING! AND KEEP BELIEVE IN YOUR CHILD ONLY YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR CHILD IS CAPABLE OF DOING.

Answer 8

I had a student who was mentally impaired, Deaf and had suffered so severe burns she had only stubs for fingers. She is now making jewlery and selling it. So I believe your daughter has every chance of achieving her dreams....but maybe not with that teacher/school!
Those parent's rights that you get at every IEP meeting, look for the phone number of you board of ed. etc and get busy calling. Rock the boat until you get what you want!!

Answer 9

Rock that damn boat! What a bunch of idiots. Can you change her school? That would be my first move. I also like threatening to talk to the newspapers.

As for the design...call up a few beading places, explain the situation and see if they can set up a one on one class for her. Or ask around at community colleges, churches, crafts groups etc. Somebody will be thrilled to teach her.

And tell her this for me: Next time somebody tells her she CANT do something replay with this:

THOSE THAT CAN NOT DO TEACH

that will shut them up

Answer 10

As a teacher and parent I can sympathize with you.
I firmly believe that if you expect more from your students you get more. We as teachers have a very powerful affect on our students lives and they believe what we tell them. If I were you I would start by talking to the principal, if that doesn't work go to the superintendent. You may have to go all the way to the dept of education for your state. You owe it to your child to be an advocate for them. If you don't do it, no one will.
I wonder if anyone told Beethoven he couldn't compose music?
Good luck!