That may be the body going into fight-or-flight mode: adrenaline rising, blood pressure too. This can happen when a person is confronted with a threat and does not know what to do next, that will be effective.
Yup. I generally "freeze," but "fight" is emerging. Mostly just protective, keep DS safe.
I am reporting all of this
You may wish to create your dated documentation very carefully, so it is factual, unemotional, and refers to the 504 frequently.
Check. I referred to the 504 (just to remind them he has one) and said I believe the teacher is penalizing academic grades because of disability related behaviors. However, this is not addressed in the 504.
Teacher Two said, "You are losing points!" to DS (publicly) when DS blurted "hi" to a friend who had come to the front of the class to present. This teacher doesn't give any written feedback on the students' assignments--so I have no idea how many times DS has had grade reductions for behavioral issues.
You may wish to refer to what the 504 stipulates a teacher is to do regarding classroom behavior.
You may also wish to suggest the creation of a grading rubric if one is not already used for each assignment, to help reduce the incidence of grades being capriciously assigned, based on other spur-of-the-moment criteria.
I requested some feedback in writing to evaluate how many behavior related grade deductions have occurred.
There is *nothing* in 504 about how to deal with behavioral issues. It is all organizational, in terms of accommodations. I have asked several times for him to have a BIP and have not succeeded.
First, the 504 coordinator told me that "the district now wants BIP to go through SPED, instead of under 504."
Then the SPED processor, as part of her decision to evaluate, send out surveys and DS was doing well (all new teachers, beginning of year) and so he did not qualify for evaluation--or, I guess, BIP as far as she was concerned.
Later, I was told that *any* student, regardless of 504 or IEP status, could be given a BIP--initiated by counselor--if the school felt it warranted.
I attempted to talk to the program coordinator, after DS came home from school saying he'd spent two class periods sitting out in the hall, on the floor, alone because he was in trouble. I asked, again, if perhaps he could have a BIP and had a circular conversation in which the coordinator finally arrived at: maybe DS could request to sit out in the hall when he is anxious and impulsive.
I think part of the problem is that DS' behaviors are annoying and low-level, but increase with anxiety, and eventually start to get on everyone's nerves. He hasn't had a referral to admin this year but maybe it's a death by a thousand cuts situation.
If DS weren't frequently referring to having "no reason to live," refusing to go to school, having melt-downs, and actually communicating (rare!) some of the things that are stressing him out, I'd have no way of knowing that things aren't going well for him, emotionally, at school.
