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I'm the same way - I would be on my kids so hard if they hit first, but if someone hits them, they are allowed to defend themselves. And I'm no Bruce Willis...

Well not so good at the district level, today they responded to us. We met with Elementary School, Middle School and High School. They forwarded our request to the person in charge of Elementary School instruction, and the assistant to the school superintendent. Their response was that 6th grade Middle School would be detrimental socially for an 8 year old and even possibly not safe. They will allow his 5th grade math teacher to give him independent study for 5th and 6th if needed, and provide the materials needed for that. I think I liked it better with him learning online, unfortunately he really wants to interact with other students, and not be off on a computer, or with a book by himself. So now what? I have asked to meet with the District Superintendent. I have sent the previous group a lot of information (Via web-links) about this topic. I do not believe they looked at it. Hopefully the Superintendent will be more hopeful. I have also contacted one of the school board members to see if the overall topic of how the district deals with this topic can be addressed, being that they seem to have no detailed plan. I pointed out that perhaps there is a disconnect between their feelings and anecdotal evidence, and what the actual data says. I haven�t started burning bridges, but I am still moving politely, and non-confrontationally forward.

((hugs)) Edwin

I wish, last year I ran a math club for 4th and 5th at my sons school. Thier was at least a few that had the ability to do 6th. But the districts issue is social. I have been informed they have never moved an ES 5th grader to MS 6th grade. The good thing is the District superintendent is now following up and will get back to me on Monday. Next week we may start DS again on EPGY, and maybe pay to have an online instructor.

What he is really saying is that when he hits you, he wants you to run away otherwise he will really hit you. The man is a bully.

This policy has been ruled illegal in every case brought for suit. Everyone has the right of self-defense when threatened. If your state is a No-Retreat state then the school district can probably be explicitly sued for damages if harm came from something like this and that man can also be held personally liable.


What state are you in and what is that state's policy and is the district in violation of that policy?

What precedent exists within the district? In Surrounding districts? In top districts in the area? Can you get copies of acceleration policies from other districts to show them?

What procedures do they have to arrive at a decision like this and can they provide the documents showing they properly followed procedure?

Can you contact an advocacy agency (ie DYS) or professional advocate ( Pyschologist ) to help you?

There is now published literature on the effects of acceleration and you can use it to buttress your case.

http://www.tagpdx.org/accelera.htm

IMHO this man is a bully and you have to get him to knuckle under now or he will just lord it over you in other ways.

Implicit ridicule is an effective method and I'll bet a female professional advocate taking him apart in front of the school board would be the best tactic.

Here is another idea.

If you cannot reach them from a rational argument, then you need to use emotional arguments with them and induce them. People who do things from emotion will do things for fear, jealousy, altruism, and or vanity. It then becomes a sales job.

My guess is that given their rigidity, fear will only make them more conservative in their decisions. Altruism would be used to justify the "social" part. That leaves vanity and jealousy.

Perhaps finding out what they aspire to or are proud of or jealous of may give you the foot in the door. Maybe using other districts' policies as a means to induce both emotions would get them off their rock? It would also give them a model to follow and political cover..

On the bully issue, the MS principal and I may never agree. He is a good man, and is fair, he just has a zero tolarance for any violence. I am sure if my son defended himself, he would not be expelled. Most of my issues were whne our oldest went thier 4 years ago. Our youngest is not thier yet. The road bloack has not just been the MS principal view on social problems for an 8 year old in a class with 11 year olds. It is a district view. They do have a policy for acceleration, but it is vague, and subjective. I belive the strongest oponant besides the MS principal is the Ditrict person in charge of Elementary education. We contacted this person when DS was 5 about a grade skip for K. She was against it because she was grade skipped and had a bad experance. The only resaon we recived the current grade skip was a change of the prinicapal at the current ES. The prinicpal has lots of leway on this within thier school. She agreed last year to it and has been helpful, although she also has concerns about DS going to the MS. I am hopeful my meeting with the District Superentendent will go well. I have also e-mailed one of the board members on the larger question of district policy. Our district must have seen this before, thier are over 22k in this district. I will also check out other district policy and see what they do, as well as invlove the Davidson counslor.

So sorry about the district idiocy. What, they can't keep him safe in the middle school for 1 class? I would challenge them on that particular issue up front.

Here are a few resources that might help:

http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/Resources/Policy_Guidelines/ (very helpful website overall)
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/articles_print_id_10314.aspx

You can also do a search for model acceleration guidelines or just "acceleration guidelines." I've only collected a few - from DeKalb County, Union Grove, Wisconsin, and a model from the Ohio Department of Education. I bet you would find more out there.

I'd also have the Iowa Acceleration Scale with me and refer to it.

I would directly address with the super. that you feel like this is being dismissed because you think one person involved is basing her decision on her own personal feelings and experiences. Say that while she is entitled to her opinion, she should not be making educational decisions for other peoples' children based on such anecdotal evidence and that it is unprofessional to do so. Point out all of the solid education research out there supporting acceleration and state to the super. that you expect the district to rely on research, not personal opinion which may be unfounded in reality(well, I don't think most education research is very solid, but better than a story from one person).

You can do it!

Cat

I have to agree with Catalana here. Is their Middle School really so out of control that they can't allow an 8-year-old in for even a fifty-minute math class? This doesn't say much for their ability to run the school.


I'm not sure this could be stated any better! I agree completely.

Val

Edwin,
I'm sad to hear about this. The fact that your son already knows boys in the MS class from your scouting would suggest to me that there would be people in the class watching out for your son. I also think bringing the Iowa Acceleration Scale to the meeting could help. If the superintendent sees on paper that your child had a strong case for a full skip to MS then maybe access to one class will seem like a compromise (?). I really hope your FC can help.
Chrys

One bit of good news, We will meet with the District Superintendat, on Thursday. She recieved the e-mail from the Davidson Institute, and called them. She has asked to meet my wife, myself, and our son (This is a first). Will know more next week.