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Can children with behavior problems,A D D and autism share a class with regular students?
yellasummer February 7, 2009
I just moved here and was overwhelmed to see how they do children in public school. Andre is not the best school for children and I wish I would have known that before I moved here. My son who is a A student is stuck in a class with children that have problems and I wanted to know if that was normal in this area or not. I thought children that had disabilities should be in their own classes not interrupting the regular students who do not have disabilities. Please help. I am trying to transfer as soon as possible but the CFISD is making it seem impossible anyone who knows about this or knows someone please let me know how can I work this out. I cannot accept IMPOSSIBLE. I will fight for my child's EDUCATION.
healthy11 February 7, 2009
Hi. Unfortunately, the title of your post is asking a different question than the "body" of your post is asking. As to whether children with behavior problems, ADD and autism can share classes with students who do not have disabilities, the answer is yes. There are federal laws that say all students should be provided FAPE (free, appropriate public education) in the LRE, or least restrictive environment. NOW, that does not mean all students with disabilities are able to handle regular classes without appropriate support, and it sounds to me as if the particular school room that your son is in doesn't have a properly trained teacher, or an appropriate teacher:student ratio, to address the needs of all the children.
It's a common misconception that all students with conditions like ADHD are behavioral problems, or they are not capable of doing "A" grade work. The truth is, many of these students have above average IQs and may be bored working at a slower pace, too, just like your son, but a teacher who doesn't engage the students and maintain structure in the classroom is going to end up doing more "babysitting."
How old is your son/what grade? Could he be transferred into another teacher's classroom? If the problem is a bad as you make it sound, I'm surprised other parents aren't expressing their concerns to the principal, too, so that the teacher might get an aide or someone assigned to help her.
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yellasummer February 7, 2009
I have went up there 3 times already to try to find out what is going on. My son is in the 2nd grade and is 8yrs old. The teacher is new because they ran off the last teacher and it seems that they are just filling the position and not getting the real help that is needed. The A/P said that they have a behavior person that comes in and tends to the children that need it, but I do not see where that is helping. The teacher also did tell me that children with learning disabilities have to be in with the regular kids and I am ok with that if they do not cause problems and can keep up but, these kids are distracting so much that it affects the ones that want to learn. I was so not aware that this school had this going on. I just want him out I see him not going anywhere there unless I do something. I am working on another teacher.21058
healthy11 February 7, 2009
I just want to clarify that it's a federal regulation, not only your current school, that allows children with disabilities to be educated in the least restrictive environment. Every public school in the U.S. requires it, too. The problem is not the federal law, but with the way your current school has put a teacher with inadequate training and not enough support into the classroom. There is "strength in numbers," so if you get support of other parents who are upset and speak to the school administration, it will probably be more effective than just you going to the assistant principal by yourself. (In truth, the teacher probably feels overwhelmed, and wishes she could do more to help all the kids, so she may be glad to know that parents are lobbying for her to get a full-time aide.)21057
yellasummer February 7, 2009
How do you get with other parents that may care. Do I go to meetings if any or send out letters or ???? The teacher let me know that I was the only parent that is showing interest in their childs learning. Go Figure?? This is a nightmare, that is how I feel. I need more support I have to agree with you on that.21056
healthy11 February 7, 2009
Since you're new to the school, it probably would be a good idea to meet other parents, by volunteering in PTA or other ways. Usually those are concerned parents, who care and make the time to get involved in their child's education. On the other hand, they aren't the ones who make "political" decisions regarding budgetary items like teacher training, so for that you need to attend School Board meetings at the District level.21055
