Kitty was admitted to a psych hospital last night (this will be her 6th hospitalization since March). She's only been home 1 week since her last hospitalization.
After the most recent IEP meeting, the school has decided to punish us by not letting her call home anymore, and she isn’t allowed to leave the classroom and go to the Learning Lab if she’s feeling stressed and overwhelmed anymore (when she felt ill and went to the nurse’s office she was sent right back to class after having her temperature taken, which sounds fine, but during the last 4 IEP meetings it was agreed that Kitty goes to the nurse when she's feeling stressed and overwhelmed and needs extra support). They did let her go to the Learning Lab for additional instruction, but only if she had makeup work (she failed 2 tests this week).
Because of this she couldn’t handle going to school Wednesday morning (she LOVES school so this is a dramatic change for her), so we took her to the crisis center for an assessment, and they recommended hospitalization. The big problem is that I don’t think we can do anything to get the school to change this new approach and I don’t know what’s going to happen when she goes back to school (probably after Thanksgiving).
Yesterday we spoke to Kitty’s new Assistant Principal, and I think we're finding that a big reason the school is fighting us so hard about letting Kitty go to the Special School is because she's so good at wearing her mask. All the teachers not only believe the few times they see her giddy (manic and overstimulated) that she is actually happy, but also it's that she's a positive influence on the rest of the class and they want to keep her. She's quiet, likes school, gets her work done, understands the lesson, and is a good buffer between some of the more rambunctious students. I think the teachers are tired of having all their kids being tough, and Kitty doesn't let them see the effects of the stress on her. The Behavior Program staff probably are receiving a lot of pressure to minimize the behaviors they see (A "6" on a scale of 1 to 10 being labeled as "mild anxiety"!) No one seems to care that Kitty is being torn apart.
We’re still not receiving the Behavior 360 reports. I've asked our professional advocate what should we do? Should we start moving up the line to higher ups in the school district? Should I ask for yet another IEP meeting or Parent/Teacher conference? Should I write a letter demanding they go back to acknowledging she needs to leave the classroom if she’s stressed (like all our documentation states)? She has to go back to school (probably after Thanksgiving) and her next IEP meeting (her annual) isn’t until December 6th.
4 comments:
I think it is time to stop being nice. It's time to skip the intermediate steps and go to legal action. They have lied and deceived you and retribution is called for.
Before you take legal action, speak to your superintendent and make it clear that it is your last stop before legal action. If you have clear, concise demands, the district may decide that it easier (and cheaper) to give you what you want.
The school district will likely continue to fight you tooth and nail. They do not want to spend the money. Kitty does not disrupt others. Usually, only kids that disrupt others get outside placements.
I am so sorry you are having to go through this. We've been in a similar situation because our kids too wear a mask at school.
It burns me up when districts are more concerned with dollars and cents than a child's well-being.
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