Topic : 07/03 School Discipline: Out of Control?

Oh my goodness, this show SO underlines the experiences my special needs son went through.  Thank goodness I was able to move him to a school (surprisingly, in the same district) that provides all of the appropriate supports, rather than the humiliating and blaming environment I kept him in for 2+ years.  I wish I had thought to send a tape recorder with my son!

In my son's case, the school culture set by the principal (i.e. leadership traits& values) is what made the difference in his success vs. failure.  By failure, I refer to overall mental health... he was suicidal in 4th grade.  That school identified his problems with ADHD in 2nd grade & he was subsequently diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome in 3rd grade.  Yet after the problem was identified, they refused to admit that this was an academic issue, nor would they provide any services related to the diagnosis and learning problems. ("We don't see a problem." was the principal's statement.)  Ultimately, the principal wrote that they saw no issues and I 'needed' my son to have a problem.  (Do any parents of special needs children ask for this challenge?  No, we simply work towards acceptance and try to help our children.)

Luckily, the school district supported my request to move him to another school.  Talk about culture shock!  I entered the new school somewhat skeptical and defensive as to how they would work with my son's issues (and me, knowing that the previous school had identified me as the primary problem!)  Now I must sing the praises of the 2nd school...  they have restored my faith in how a school can 'do-it-right'.  The principal set the stage for a culture of mutual respect and holds all parties accountable (staff, faculty, students and parents).  With the basic belief system & expectations communicated to all parties from the outset, everyone feels comfortable and safe in voicing their concerns.  Those responding are always respectful of the other person's position... at least in my experience!)

Here is the difference in my son's personal experience: 

(Student: DM; 1st school: CC; 2nd school: WF)

DM in 4th grade at CC:  Progression of psychosomatic illnesses and exacerbation of Tourette's symptoms; expressions of distress related to teacher's behaviors and the classroom enviroment.  Expressions of suicidal desires and declining grades. Principal refused to change his classroom. 

Subsequent meeting with 'Student-Study / 504 accommodation team who refused to acknowledge any problem.

DM in 4th grade at WF: expression of suicidal ideation (via pictures/writings... denied verbally) in 5th grade @ WF:  Teachers, nurse and counselor worked with me to support his needs.  By springtime, I requested an IEP and they accepted request without argument (compared to previous school).  By 6th grade, with supportive mechanisms in place, his academic performance continues to be up and down, but I am immensely grateful that his self-esteem remains intact.  The challenges now seem to be in-line with his disorder, without being complicated by the bullying of the teacher / school admin!  That being said, he gets bullied and he now has been bully-ing other peers. The difference is that the school addresses the problem and my son can manage / cope with these challenges that do face our children in their daily lives. 

Has my son been disruptive?  Yes!  Any more so than other children? - No (He generally retreats rather than acting out.)   My lesson? (no political statement intended):  It does take a village to raise a child (in these times!!) 

Can we not all learn a lesson from the progress in the medical, educational and behavioral sciences?  And should we hold our educators accountible to these standards?  In my case, I chose not to report to the Board of Education because it was too much time & energy when all I wanted was some relief for my sick child.  I only have enough energy to address my own child's challenges and cannot work to hold the responsible parties accountable.  It takes a power larger than myself to change the educational system!

    I am happy to here someone else say some of the things that I have said so many times before. All parents should believe their children, especially the young ones. No one should come before your child. My child has told me the truth even if it meant he would be in trouble himself. It has to do with how we raise our own children!!

As a 2nd grade teacher, it's so frustrating to watch and witness what other teachers are doing in their classrooms!  I can admit, teaching is very difficult and it takes a LOT of patience.  It is my goal to make the environment in my classroom comfortable for a student to learn effectively.  A student WILL NOT learn in an envirnoment in which he or she does not feel safe.  The BEST way to get students to behave in a manner in which you desire, is to PRAISE students acting the way expected.  That praise will motivate the student who is acting inappropriately to change their OWN behavior to get your attention.  Let's face it, children are VERY" SIMILAR to adults.  Let's think about it, what do we do to motivate adult employees in the sales business?  Companies provide INCENTIVES.  Do we call these "incentives" BRIBES? NO! I worked for a fortune 500 company which motivated its employees by offering bonuses, commision increases, private dinners, special recognitions, awards, and even paid vacation packages simply to reward employees for behaviors that the company EXPECTED.  When we look at children, most adults expect them to "do what they are supposed to do" without any rewards.  Don't you work more proficently when you have a goal or reward within grasp? Why would a child be any different?  Too many teachers want to just SIMPLY teach curriculum.  What people need to realize is that teaching is not just teaching curriculum.  In fact, I believe teaching is 90% classroom management.  You CANNOT effectively teach if you do not have effective classroom manangement and expectations set up in your classroom.  For every negative comment you give a child, you just give 5 praises to that same child.  It's so frustrating to know there are teachers out there who treat their students this way!  My goal as a teacher is to create a safe and inviting learning environment in which students are WILLING to make predictions and guesses and feel like they won't be critcized if they are "wrong."  Students are responsible for their own behaviors, and if you put the responsibility back on the student and make THEM tell you if they are making a good decision, your students will learn more, and you will have less work as a teacher.

To 'Connorsmom' and all other families that have gone through the fear, uncertainty and anxiety of having your child mistreated at school, I really feel for you since I'm Isabel's dad.  I wouldn't wish what happened to us or others like us on anyone in the world.  I appreciate your story about finding out that this is happening to other families.  After we learned about what was happening to our daughter and started t speaking to other parents we learned that other parents had had similar experiences.  Many of them had not fought this but had simply moved.  This was the right thing for them to do.  For us,  we decided the right thing for us was to do was to get to the bottom of this.   We fought to clear our daughter Isabel's name and keep this from happening to other families.  If it hadn't been for the tape we would have continued to believe that Isabel was the problem, not the school. 

Its nice in a sense that this topic is getting so much debate.  It really reveals the fears that many parents have that their child's education will be disrupted by 'special needs' kids.  I understand that.  My younger daughter is not handicapped and I have no desire to disrupt or hurt her education.  But it is an interesting fact that despite all of the pain that my younger daughter has suffered  along us, I am convinced that she is a better child and will be a better adult because of the relationship she has with her 'special' sister and the lessons she has learned from it.

I would like to 'set the record straight' in a couple of aspects that make most of the comments pretty far off base.

1.  Isabel was successfully educated in Colorado for four years-- no physical restraints, no seclusion, no severe problems.  She spent the vast majority of her day in general education classes and was thriving.

2.  When we moved to Iowa the school had a very different schedule, she was only with regular kids for lunch, PE, specials, and a bit in the morning.  Whenever she was in the regular education classes she had an aide.  She wasn't a burden to the general education teacher.  Almost all of her education was ONLY with other handicapped kids.  A FEDERAL COURT HAS RULED THAT THIS CHANGE IN PLACEMENT WAS ILLEGAL; THE SCHOOL'S DEFINITION OF 'INCLUSION' WAS SO OUTDATED THAT IT VIOLATED IOWA AND FEDERAL EDUCATION LAWS.

3.  Without our knowledge and contrary to Isabel's educational plan, the school started using physical restraint from SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS to hold Isabel while she was coloring worksheets.  This wasn't an education, it was a punishment for huge crimes like "Refusing to take a break".  These episodes of restraint lasted on and off for over 1 hour on several occasions.

4.  When the timeout video was filmed, the timeout room ACTUALLY WAS ISABEL'S CLASSROOM. When the desk was there she would do her work.  If she refused a command they would take out the desk and she was in timeout.  There were several different tasks she had to do to be let out of timeout.  Non-handicapped children did not have to do these tasks.  She had to sit perfectly still on the floor for 5 minutes CONTINUOUSLY.  Even moving a hand or making a face made them reset the timer.  She then had to pull apart socks. She then had to finish work there.

5.  Before this video, the school had physically taken Isabel to the same room for similar timeouts, even though timeout was not in her plan at that time.  She had the same 5 minute sit perfectly still demand.  She wet herself almost immediately each time.  She slipped in her own urine, asked to change her clothes since her shirt was wet, but was told, "No, your job is to finish timeout."

6.  The school staff were trained in a very good program (Mandt System) to train them to avoid the need for restraint and to do 'safe' restraints only if necessary.  We were told in writing that the school was using this.  The CEO of the Mandt Training company told me that NOTHING that the school did was actually supported by his company's training.  Literally not a single thing.

7. As we were trying to figure out what was going on we took Isabel to not one or two but three full evaluations at the best hospital in Iowa. 

8.  An administrative law judge ruled that Isabel's education plan was illegal and wasn't even followed.  A FEDERAL COURT UPHELD THIS RULING AND THE SCHOOL HAS NOT APPEALED. The school did not give Isabel a legally appropriate education.

9.  My wife had to homeschool Isabel for 1 1/2 years as we tried to rehabilitate her.  She was diagnosed with PTSD and would initially become violent almost anytime we tried to get her to do something that looked like education.

10.  We successfully reintegrated Isabel in a California school last year.  She is now in her second year of school here.  Believe it or not, NOT A SINGLE MOMENT OF PHYSICAL RESRAINT OR SECLUSION. 

You figure it out.  Four successful years in Colorado.  Two successful years in California.  Two years of hell in Iowa. 

What all of us can do is to support education and our educators.  Congress has given them more responsibilities but hasn't provided the money to fund it.  I'm sure schools 'lose money' educating Isabel.  That isn't fair to other kids. 

If you want to learn more about the dangers of resraint in schools I urge you to check out the APRAIS website.  It gives you some information about the dangers of restraints, discusses positive alternatives, and provides resources to parents who are concerned about what may be happening to their child.

www.aprais.tash.org

If your child has an educational plan (IEP) and you have questions or concerns about this and/or are looking for someone to advocate for you, you might try the website www.copaa.org  This is the Council of Parent Advocates and Attornies and it focuses on special ed issues. 

If the publicity from the Dr. Phil Show helps only one other child in the country it will be worth it. 

Thanks,

Doug Loeffler

Let me begin by saying my heart goes out to those children who have been placed in these extreme situations. I would never do that to a child. As a teacher, the discipline situations in the classrooms have gotten out of hand. Children disrespect us everyday and we have to more or less take it. Teachers are cursed out, yelled at, and even punched for trying to offer a child an education. I will speak for myself, I am a teacher because I want to make a difference in this world, but what are we really teaching these children when they have no consequences for their actions?

seriously can you imagine having a class of 25 kids 2 have adhd, 1 is gifted, a few have never been taught how to act, there are 3 that speak 3 differant languages and then you have the one the is austic. this 1 "lead" teacher as a differant IEP for 7 differant kids need to challenge the gifted while making sure the slowest is also getting individual attention, needs to give each ESOL student a differant individual assement  according to their level of english speaking. all these children are thrown into a class and the ones who suffer are the children with no "special" diagnosis. and i understand that kids ave a right to an education but an austic kid learns differant from normal kids so doesnt that mean that they should be in a special classroom with someone thats gonna teach them special.