My ds is still too young for school, but I know a ton of teachers. The funny thing about administrative and other non teaching staff. They have TONS of people on staff trying to force kids to conform to some crazy concept of what children should be like at a certain age. If they spent that same amount of money actually investing in alternative education situations (some ability grouping classes, some age based, some special schedules, a mix) they could give kids better education outcomes.
I have a friend who taught behaviorally challenged kids - she would have some kids with their own para assigned to them. Okay, maybe the traditional classroom isn't the best thing for these kids. Maybe pay that para to work with them in their home or some other setting.
They refuse to be creative or allow the needs of the child to be the guide. It is all about force fitting kids into a mold "Little Johnny - you are a square, because the hole you need to go into is round, we will saw off your sharpe edges until we can force you into your proper place". Little Johnny replies - "but why can't I go into that square over there?". School "because your birthday is Sept 5, the cut off for the squares is Sept 1st." So a school counselro, a school psychologist, a social worker, and a para all spend months sawing, sanding, and grinding away at little Johnny. In the end - he is not longer a true square, but not quite a circle either, so he doesn't fit anyway. But you know who gets the blame - his parents!!
