CO - Disabled students forced to sit in own blood, urine

[LovelyPigeon]

In any case, no child should be left to sit in their own urine and not fed during the day as a punishment.

Agree. Absolutely.

 

[LisainWV]

I think the problem here is simply this: Children need to be placed in the school environment that helps them most. Maybe one child with a disability can function pretty well and cut it in a "regular" classroom with a little additional help and tutoring. Fine, put that child in that environment.


Some children are severely disabled and need to be in an environment with extra workers for safety, caring workers, strong workers (mentally and physically) and aided and taught in line with their capacity....


i get really sick of the school systems thinking that each and every kid should fit nicely into a few defined boxes and if they don't fit, they try to make them fit. It cheats all of our kids.

 

[txsvicki]

Txsvicki, The law actually states that disabled or special needs children with behavoir problems must be given a behvoir plan which highlights postive reenforcement.

Doesn't this include providing an aide if needed in some circumstances, even if temporary? I know that I have read something about that either on this forum or somewhere else.

 

[fivekidz4me]

"Supplemental aides, services and support"...related services available to help a child learn. It's federal law. IDEA.

 

[OneLostGrl]

QUOTEWhat teacher signs on to be bitten, kicked and fought & have things thrown at them by her student on a regualar basis?

Not a regular education teacher which is why they have special placements for these children (not closets though, that is not an appropriate placement) and special teachers. If the child is really out of control then they should be in a different placement then a regular education classroom of course. They need intervention and time that a teacher can not give them in a regular education classroom with 20 plus other students. There are teachers though that Do sign on to take care of these kids and get them the help that they need. God Bless them. QUOTE


The major problem I have had in the last few years as a regular education teacher is NCLB. It severely limits the percentage of students in a school who CAN receive special education services. In our high school, 18% of our students were served. NCLB says that only 12% can be served. We literally had to through 6% of our special education students into regular ed classrooms w/ no learning support. The 12% that can be served must be in regular education classes 80% of the time.
Example (name changed): Beth's mom beat her head against a sink when she was 2--until that point, Beth exhibited "normal" development. By the time the "mother" was finished there were traumatic brain injuries. Beth cannot read, write, or talk. She makes noises and cries and those who work with her can generally figure out what she wants (pain, bathroom, drink, etc. . .). However, the noises she makes are not always understandable and
are very loud/disruptive and sometimes continuous for 30-45 minutes when she gets on a roll. I love this child to death, BUT American Lit/Comp is difficult enough to teach without her in the room "barking." (I'm not being rude, that is the sound she makes.) How does American Lit/Comp help her? She needs to be learning life skills so that she can be as independent as possible. Regular education art, music and gym (etc.) are practical areas for "main-streaming." Once again, Beth is a favorite of mine, but her classroom disruptions EVERY SINGLE DAY wear on everyone in the room. (Don't let anyone tell you differently--teachers have favorites!)
**High English school classes in GA have a limit of 32; however, I have had classes w/ 37. The average is turned into the state. AP classes generally have under 12 students and CVAE/Honors courses are limited to 24; so, teachers who teach general or college preparatory students are almost always overloaded. (Special ed teachers are limited to 9 w/ or w/o a para-pro.)

NOTE: I in NO WAY condone what the "teachers" in the article starting this thread did. They should be tossed out of the profession. They are a disgrace.

Excellent post!!

Being disabled (Mentally ill) and having been put into special ed class (for behavior issues) from 7th grade (that's what grade I was in when given my first IEP) until graduation.. I had the chance to learn the same things that the more severely disabled were learning and it really opened my eyes about what is important to the profoundly disabled (such as the one you are refering to) While I was in Special Ed, our tests were "How do you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich".. step by step. For them that's what was most important, learning to be able to feed themselves- by themselves!

Our schools need to realize that some kids need to learn different things in order to succeed in their life. My SIL is mentally retarded and can only read words like "cat" or "car" and has to count out the dots on dice to know what she rolled.. but she does know how to do her own laundry, how to use the microwave to heat left overs for herself, how to change her sheets and knows what meds she needs to take and at what time to take them! Her parents fought for her and made sure that she was given those skills!

I suspect that your American Lit class would have been usless for her, as it is for the child you are discussing.. American lit is a wonderful class for people who can understand it.. but profoundly disabled kids should not be forced to take such a class and if they are a major distraction day in and day out, the other kids should not be forced to be in a class with this girl!!

These kids need to be taught how to care for themselves- how to make that peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and they will be given a skill that suits their situation.

No child left behind HA! Disabled kids are now the ones who are "left behind"!

 

[OneLostGrl]

I think the problem here is simply this: Children need to be placed in the school environment that helps them most. Maybe one child with a disability can function pretty well and cut it in a "regular" classroom with a little additional help and tutoring. Fine, put that child in that environment.


Some children are severely disabled and need to be in an environment with extra workers for safety, caring workers, strong workers (mentally and physically) and aided and taught in line with their capacity....


i get really sick of the school systems thinking that each and every kid should fit nicely into a few defined boxes and if they don't fit, they try to make them fit. It cheats all of our kids.

Another great post!

That's what IEP's are *supposed* to be about, the individual!

 

[OneLostGrl]

While I think there are issues with this particular school I have to ask myself how involved these parents are. Before you bash me let me explain myself. I am the mother of a child that was SEVERELY ADHD and bipolar. I was told by more than one person that he was the most extensive case they had ever seen and most parents that they knew with kids like him gave them up to the state because they couldn't deal with them. I lived in Colorado Springs during his early school years. I was an ADVOCATE for his education--but also was concerned about the safety of ALL students in his class. He was under the care of a psychiatrist and we also at one point had to put him in a hospital. While in this hospital they used the "quiet" room system. The children would have to sit facing a wall with their hands behind them on the floor-one minute per year of age and time only started once they were sitting correctly and quietly. It was a way for them to get control of themselves and it WORKS(provided it is monitored and used CORRECTLY.)

In my opinion the child who hurt himself in the time out room really needed to be hospitalized long ago to get a better understanding of his behaviour and find the best way to help him. Does the school need to make changes? YES1 However, I hope that any future problems are not blamed on the school--parents are where it STARTS and with a child with these types of problems you have to be very proactive--this went on way tooooo long for me to believe that these parents were advocating for their childrens education prior to this investigation.

I agree!!

A boy who lives across the street from me has Aspergers syndrome and has a very difficult time being touched. Not only were kids on the bus touching him but they were beating him up!!

I was talking to the father (who has a touch of Aspergers as well) about it and he told me he had contacted the school and they refused to do anything because they didn't see it happen. This father was so upset and no one would help him- he had no clue that his son has rights! It was heartbreaking to see that he wanted to help his son but was clueless as to how to go about it.

I got him a number for protection and advocacy and he called- less than a week later, this boy next door had his very own little bus pull up in front of his house... ohh how that child shined when he saw it. Every one of us that was present cried! It has been so exciting to watch this father discover that he has power over what happens to his son!

Sadly, the story I just told is a pretty rare event.. most parents can't be bothered!

 

[Linda7NJ]

Excellent post!!

Being disabled (Mentally ill) and having been put into special ed class (for behavior issues) from 7th grade (that's what grade I was in when given my first IEP) until graduation.. I had the chance to learn the same things that the more severely disabled were learning and it really opened my eyes about what is important to the profoundly disabled (such as the one you are refering to) While I was in Special Ed, our tests were "How do you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich".. step by step. For them that's what was most important, learning to be able to feed themselves- by themselves!

Our schools need to realize that some kids need to learn different things in order to succeed in their life. My SIL is mentally retarded and can only read words like "cat" or "car" and has to count out the dots on dice to know what she rolled.. but she does know how to do her own laundry, how to use the microwave to heat left overs for herself, how to change her sheets and knows what meds she needs to take and at what time to take them! Her parents fought for her and made sure that she was given those skills!

I suspect that your American Lit class would have been usless for her, as it is for the child you are discussing.. American lit is a wonderful class for people who can understand it.. but profoundly disabled kids should not be forced to take such a class and if they are a major distraction day in and day out, the other kids should not be forced to be in a class with this girl!!

These kids need to be taught how to care for themselves- how to make that peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and they will be given a skill that suits their situation.

No child left behind HA! Disabled kids are now the ones who are "left behind"!

Now THIS was an excellent post!

 

[Animal04216]

Well, My son was in a regular class but had the terrible behavioral problems. I will tell you that despite all of that (and wondering if he would even make it to high school) he has turned out to be a very respectful young man. He still has the problems but our goal was for him to be able to control himself and he can. It was a long hard struggle, but he is now nearly 19 years old and works with his dad in the family business--he works outside and is constanly moving LOL. They repair gas pumps and other equipment at gas stations, so he will be fine in his adulthood! Had he not been able to go to a regular classroom I dont think he would have gotten as far as he did.