Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments How is your experience dealing with public school?

Hi,
Yes, the principal specifically said that they won't accept private testing. Tried meeting with support staff, CST is only available to kids with medical diagnosis. Plus support staff are all siding with the teacher.
Recently, after much pursuit they did agree to have the gifted teacher look at him and make some recommendations to his classroom teacher. The teacher hasn't bought into any of this and doesn't feel he's entitled to anything different than any of the other kids. She's offended that he wants to learn more than she's offering. She actually stated she was offended because he said he wanted to go to a private school where he would be with more kids like him who want to learn (now this is the perception of a then 6yr old - not saying that his thinking is right but his 50 year old teacher is holding this against him).
The folks we are dealing with THINK they are highly knowledgable about gifted education, but clearly they are clueless. To quote the brilliant principal "gifted kids who are bored always finish their seatwork before the other kids and then they just sit still and look bored". Whatever...
What's really scary now is that even though they have a report stating my son is gifted and does not have a disorder, they are suggesting that he's not gifted (but he's been tested twice at age 4 & 6 and the second time his IQ score jumped higher by a significant amount) and that he has a disorder that we are failing to treat!!!! I've heard of schools reporting parents to child services for not medicating them! I'm starting to think with the little hints they are dropping that they are trying to scare us off by suggesting that we are negligent.
I'm hoping to make it to June and then we are done with our public school system. I wish I had the money to sue them. Not for damages but to change the law. My child has no rights to an appropriate education in NJ! I know there's a 2005 mandate but it's not funded or enforced. And the mandate does not support the parent's right to private assessment. Basically the school can use whatever method it wants to determine a child's ability as long as it uses more than one measure.
I may move to Pennsylvannia. I hear they have IEPs for gifted kids which would at least give us a bit more legal footing.
Thanks for the suggestions.

Oh FrustratedNJMom - ICK ICK ICK. I don't even know what to say to your post but just to offer huge hugs.


oh my - well that might be true for most gifted kids, but certainly not mine.

Thanks Dazed&Confuzed. I sure need a hug. :-)

FrustratedMom,

Before you look into changing states, you might just need to speak to a few other districts in your state. The PS that my DS6 is in is not mandated to do anything for him, yet they have gone out of their way to get him what he needs. The secret is to find a principal who understands PG kids. Look around, make phone calls, you might get lucky.

Wish we were having the same luck. Principal seems to have completely ignored our request to carefully consider which K teacher to give DS6 last August. Don't think he took it the least bit serioulsy - even though I had a county counsellor with me too. Have planned to asked about next year next week - because I figure hey will have some totally lame excuse about not knowing who's staying and which teacher's are getting cut here too .With all the cuts - all the mroe reason to homeschool -but while they still try to help DS6 this year, I give them a chance and don't outright mention it. No point burning bridges. Just wish were in a better neighborhood - and yet this school pulls from neighborhoods better than this one - it just pulls from a few that a slightly worse too. No clusters....no teachers ...no money soon I expect ...just sucks.