Is This a Sign?
Day before yesterday, I get another call from my children's principal. This time telling me that the kid with Down Syndrome pushed Youngest against the wall.
Fantastic.
"I investigated it, Ms. Robinson, and Youngest wasn't to blame. This attack was completely unprovoked."
No kidding.
Youngest didn't seem too upset about it.
"Did you push him back?" I asked.
"No," Youngest said. "He's handicapped. I just told him to calm down."
Good for him.
I sent off this letter that evening. An excerpt -
Dear School Board Members,
My twin sons attend Mouthbreather's Elementary. Their education this year has been fine and I'm pleased to say that their report cards have been excellent - both in behavior and academic categories. I've attended teacher conferences and have been in regular contact with Miss Blah Blah, who teaches Youngest, and Mrs. HooHah, who teaches Oldest.
Three of Youngest's classmates have caused conflict with both Oldest and Youngest and their names are Larry, Curly, and Moe.
(This is where I outline the nonsense. You can read about it here and here and here.)
Frustrated, I called a meeting for myself, my husband, Mrs. HoohHah, Miss Blah Blah and Mr. Principal on 04.03.08. Miss Blah Blah was especially defensive and said that Oldest and Youngest were equally to blame for these issues. I told her that I found this hard to believe since their report cards were so terrific and I'd received no such feedback before. I wondered if maybe these incidents occurred due to Larry, Curly and Moe's specific challenges.
Miss Blah Blah said all children had challenges and she would not label her students.
When we were trying to figure out why two smart and well-behaved children were such targets, Mr. Principal and both teachers suggested Oldest and Youngest's confidence, athleticism, and intelligence might be to blame. I'm not sure how to solve my children's confidence "problems", but a reasonable understanding of this situation seems beyond the grasp of the parties in play.
Therefore I am contacting you.
I am concerned with the actions of these children and even more concerned with the reactions of the educators involved, especially Miss Blah Blah. Her willingness to blame the victims (our children) has grown tiresome. Mr. Principal is always kind to me and my husband, but doesn't seem to hold his teachers accountable for their participation in what is obviously a mess of a situation.
A fair and equal education for all does not mean that every child is treated the same; it means that every child gets what he or she needs.
To indicate that children with disabilities, behavior problems and emotional needs are the same as the two well-behaved children that they are picking on is beyond the realm of my understanding.
Oldest and Youngest will not be attending Mouthbreathers Elementary next year. I cannot and will not put them into a situation where they are targeted for being confident and able students or athletes. I cannot and will not sit them in classrooms with teachers who blame them for being targeted and refuse to see that the behavior problems of special needs students are the real issue.
In summary, I am angry about the children who exhibit agressive behavior in Miss Blah Blah's class and the way they have pushed and punched Oldest and Youngest. But I am even more upset with Miss Blah Blah and Mrs. HooHah, who blame Oldest and Youngest for the attacks, and a principal who defends their right to do so.
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Catherine Durkin Robinson
And the fun continues...
posted by kate @ 9:37 AM
14 comments
14 Comments:
"When you sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind."
Thanks, teachers' union and liberal education establishment.
Sooner or later every parent who is willing and able will choose homeschool.
And by "willing and able" I mean "alive".
I used to be skeptical about home schooling. But then I met a family of five children and two stable loving parents who seemed together, with it, socially normal and academically brilliant. All five went to college, two have advanced degrees and none of them have any visible psych problems. After that, I was sold. Not saying I could do it, but I think it can be a terrific idea, depending of course on the family. By the way, neither parent had a college degree. It can be done. And at least they never worried about school shootings. ??
Ok Katie so what was our final decision about where the boys will be educated?
Homeschooling has its advantages. As long as they're getting what they need socially and academically, why not?
No final decision, Tam. Just educated guesses and a whole lot of questions.
In other words, we have no idea. Not yet anyway.
My son with Down Syndrome attends a private school because of the bullying and name calling in "mainstream public schools". I also think he gets a better education. He experiences pushing, shoving and name calling from other kids and has been the initiator on occasions. It never rises to the level of cruelty, violence and persistence that occurs in the public school system from "normal" kids.
So, to each his own. I do not agree to most of what you have to say but so what! I move on and just recognize that opinions are like .....
But ... using a picture of the three stooges as a symbol to represent other children with disabilities is pretty mean spirited and to use and upload a picture with the name "thetards-760335.gif" speaks volumes about you. Low class move lady.
Obviously, you think that your children are lily-white innocents, which I doubt very much. Downs Syndrome children tend to mimic what they see and what they experience. Accordingly, I'm pretty certain that your own children are setting the example when it comes to bullying and picking on handicapped children. Perhaps they DO need to be home-schooled so they won't have the opportunity to do that anymore.
Exactly, w.rus. And the apples don't fall far from the tree.
come on, w. rus, she meant the picture to represent the educators, NOT the children. And to anon 5:33, how can you have any opinion as to what really happened? I have a good friend who worked in an establishment with handicapped people of all levels and many of the patients were prone to violent outbreaks with no provocation; the behavior was simply an unfortunate component of their disease. If you don't agree with Kate's politics that's okay, but don't make unsubstantiated assumptions about her children. Even if the kids are "overly confident" as one teacher remarked, that is not an invitation to physical violence.
Downs Syndrome children are not given to violent outbreaks with no provocation as any symptom of their condition. Accordingly, there must have been provocation, or at least example-setting behavior.
Huh? What do you mean "Anonymous"? If you took the time to read the post you would see that the blog post author wrote:
"Three of Youngest's classmates have caused conflict with both Oldest and Youngest and their names are Larry, Curly, and Moe."
How much clearer is that.
I don't know what your motivation is to be the authors cheerleader but you should read before you post. Oh yeah and "thetards" is offensive no matter who it is directed at. Clear example that the kids learn it at home first.
Larry, Curly, and Moe - nice Jewish boys. It wasn't an insult so much as an attempt to not use the kids' real names. I just wanted to come up with another way to identify them.
But 'tards was meant more as a joke than anything. Although not everyone finds it amusing.
But don't read more into it than that. Some of my best friends are 'tards...trust me.
Why would anyone who follows OLF be surprised that disabled kids are dismissed, along with countless other groups and individuals.
The defense that "some of my best friends are 'tards" is classic. How many times have we heard a racist, biggot, sexist or religious intolerant defend themselves with "some of my best friends are....."?
And who wants to wager that the kids have learned to be nice and polite when it's show time, but are dismissive of the world around them as they have seen it be done all of their life.
and, tommorrow, on the next episode of "As The World is Pitiable".......
It takes guts to require authorities to be accountable. Nothing wrong with asking a teacher, "Another kids pushed my kid. I was proud of mine for not knocking the crap out of his assailant. What, specifically, did my kid do to cause this?". Vague answers like, "well, he's confident". What kinda rot is that? Isn't that the same rationale they used at Collumbine?
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