Originally Posted by blackcat
I think that once you notice a child spiraling downhill, it's time to seriously consider other options. For instance, the child is showing anxiety, thinks negatively about themselves, is starting to hate certain subjects or think they are bad at those subjects, etc. If advocacy efforts don't work, then that leaves little choice. I have been criticized for school switching, but the criticisms come from people with perfectly ordinary children who have no concept of what we, or our kids, face. I think it's almost always better to switch (or homeschool) than to keep a child in an environment that's toxic. Keep in mind that he may claim to be happy (because switching schools is scary and going to the unknown), but you need to look beyond that at his actual behaviors and what's underneath. If there are no better options, then you are left with no choice but to advocate the best that you can.

The only silver lining in all of this is that, for the most part, my son's self-concept is intact. He is showing signs of stress but there is something about his personality (probably related to his special brand of 2E) that insulates him from internalizing things--at least to a degree. I'm grateful for that--even though I have a feeling it is disability related.