Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Things are getting very bad

Irena, I think your instincts are right about the avalanche of emails. I think they would use it against you.

I think you need to do everything possible to get ahold of the advocate as soon as possible so you can run this escalation of events by her.

And then I think that you should definitely bring in the superintendent.

It seems absolutely ridiculous to me that the principal and teacher have decided that it is the principal's job to explain a worksheet. Just childish and unprofessional, IMO!

I am calling the superintendent tomorrow. I left a message for the advocate. I am upset b/c clearly things are escalating and she isn't going to this IEP meeting with me. Should I warn the principal that I am involving the superintendent?

Perhaps I could make things more cumbersome by doing the old fashioned letter/correspondence way. I honestly don't email that much so I don't even know when it will happen again. But I am so angry.

In reviewing this thread, I realized I still have Irena's old screen name included in my replies.

Out of respect for Irena's privacy, I propose the other posters in this thread (and others, if possible) go back and edit her old screen name out of their replies. I will do so momentarily. Or, perhaps a moderator could delete the back-posts to the series if this hasn't already been done.

Yes-- and please be aware that that previous username ALSO still appears in any quotes.

I would agree that this is a new low, but I've seen this waiver tactic before. It's slimy, for sure, but not new.

I agree that a briefing to OSERS would be excellent, however.

I also think that it probably IS time to involve the superintendent. Preferably with a semi-apologetic tone of; "ummmm... I know this is sort of ridiculous, but I don't see any other way to resolve this but to involve you. Sorry."

It actually gets worse. He actually stoops lower.

He didn't answer my questions properly about the worksheet (which figures since, well, he's not the teacher and he probably doesn't even know what worksheet I am talking about). I responded with specific questions (an exact copy of my questions: "How long of a time spent observing his reading is necessary for a valid answer (one sitting? a week? a month?) Am I to turn this sheet in? When? Regarding the comprehension questions on the bottom of the page, some of those seem like questions I could ask DS, am I to record DS's answers? Where? Or just make a check mark that he did it? What kind of book am I to use? A fiction or non-fiction? Both? A chapter book? What about the questions pertaining to his classroom reading? Do I just skip those?") He responded with and I quote, "I will be happy to meet with you to answer your questions. I will invite Ms. Asst. Vice Principal to attend since she is an experienced Reading specialist. I will be happy to schedule a mutually convenient time to meet."

Talk about a new low. I can not make something like this up. I responded hastily and angrily - I know I should not have ... but I did I wrote, "while I appreciate your offer, you know as well as I that it is unnecessary and seems as though it is designed to harass. Just tell me or have Mrs. Teacher tell me what I am suppose to do. Thank you."

I cc'd everyone the entire iep team including the special ed director.

I wanted to add it's a shame an innocent child has to suffer because your ego is so fragile that can not step out of this pissing contest and for five seconds stop getting in the way of an innocent child's education to serve your own pathetic ego.

I am definitely calling the superintendent tomorrow.

I also emailed the iep team to add to the agenda for the upcoming meeting (principal had sent around an agenda) so I emailed to add to it... I wrote this: Mr. Dear Husband has an addition to the below IEP Agenda. He (and I) want to also discuss the mandate by Mr. Principal that we, DS's parents, are not permitted to have "any e-mail communication about DS's program at school" with DS's teachers directly and that "any e-mail communication about DS's program at school be directed only to [Mr. Principal]." We would like to discuss specifically how this type of situation is healthy or good for DS's success. We like to discuss the reasons behind such a mandate as all of our communications with DS's teachers (while not a great amount) are always respectful and pertinent. We realize and appreciate that Mr. Principal is concerned about teachers possibly inadvertently admitting to violating the IEP in their email communications. However, the way to solve that is not by creating obstacles to communication - it's solved by making sure the teachers are fully educated about the IEP and having a specific IEP so that everyone knows what they are suppose to be doing to be in compliance.

I am not sure if I were wrong or not but one thing I know is that they like to stick to their agenda and do not tolerate extraneous issues so I wanted to make sure we out it out there that this will be discussed at the meeting. I think I am going to go ahead and retain a lawyer... I may have to reschedule the meeting if the lawyer isn't free on such short notice. It is worth my mental health and my child's welfare I think to have a lawyer there to shut some of this crap down because I don't know how he can seriously maintain his composure and act like some of this stuff he is doing is okay. Personally I think he looks like a complete ass. Hopefully, I hear from advocate tomorrow.

I want to thank you all so much. I would seriously be lost without you all... I will do everything I can to help others here and I have been helped so much and really this is my only source of true support in this ordeal. This is awful.

What is OSERS?

When I was working as a program specialist in my state (went to all IEP meetings at my school), if a parent indicated that they were bringing a lawyer we had to schedule our lawyer to attend too and our lawyer might not be available at the drop of a hat so we as the school would have to reschedule. Same went if a parent wanted to record a meeting we had to record it too.

I agree, it think it originated with the Special Ed Director quite honestly. Although, as slimey as it is I don't think it was personal - I think they pull this crap routinely with services that they do not offer at the school. I actually don't think the principal had much to do with that (I could be wrong) although I don't doubt he was looking forward to taking full advantage of the waiver.

Now that the vision therapy is on the actual "agenda" for the iep meeting I wonder if they are going to make it a part of the IEP (prior to this they always insisted that the vision therapy was outside the iep and thus not discussed at the meeting but after the meeting once the rest of the team has left) ... Of course, they are keeping in the the dark until the actual meeting so I don't have time to prepare for any of it.

Thanks for the link!

Blast 'em with the best legal team you can hire.

(I know this is pithy non-advice, but I'm getting riled up on your behalf.)

ETA: PM sent.