Follow Up On The "Why Are Kids So Mean" Post

[Tom Lawless]

I am so glad to hear that you are getting some assistance. It is so wrong for a child to live in fear or to be taken advantage of and have no one in charge step in and help or make you feel bad for expecting something better. I like both you and your husband's approach. It kind of covers both angles. I can't wait to hear how the school reacts when they see the arsenal of resources you have advocating on your son's behalf.

[Halo]

Yeah, I don't think the reaction will be pretty. I also found out that if the school doesn't keep Eian safe on the bus, they have to provide a bus aide who's responsibility it is to watch the kids while the driver drives. The school may not be happy, but Eian's happiness is what concerns me.

[alohashark]

It is absolutely the school's responsibility to make sure there is a safe atmosphere on that bus, it is to their benefit to do so, both for the student's safety and comfort, as well as shielding themselves for any potential liability.

[teenab]

Ohhhh - I read the other posts & this just makes me mad all over again!!!

I'm in Nebraska & have had custody of my brother for almost 15 years. I was very young when he came to live with me & he has mental issues that put him about 10 to 15 years younger then he really is. I fought the Omaha Public Schools every day for a good six months - just about beat the living crap out of the principal of the high school my brother was enrolled in (that I had graduated from myself). I literally bankrupted myself suiing them. We have the Madonna School in Omaha. It is a school for mentally disabled kids. Our state laws requires the public school district to pay for private schools if they are unable to provide a safe environment & meet their special needs. My brother was TORMENTED, harassed, bullied & suckered into doing bad things for other peoples entertainment.

I was young & had a real bad temper (well...maybe I still do in the right circumstances).
I ended up beating the damned school district but I did have to pay the tuition until I won. When I did win - I was awarded all my costs plus interest so it was very much well worth it. My brother got a quality education with other kids that he fit in with well. He joined sports teams & played in the Nebraska Special Olympics & has good friends that don't take advantage of him.

If you have schools like that there - I would strongly suggest looking into them & seeing if your state laws can make the public schools pay the cost.

Main-streaming kids is a novel idea - if they are being mainstreamed with other well behaved kids or kids whose parents will put a foot in the asses if they behave badly towards anyone (& especially special needs kids).

[alwaysontimneh]

My main problem with mainstreaming kids is the teachers. I have worked special ed and loved it and it was my job to take the kids and make sure they were able to mainstream. When the teacher has no idea on how to properly handle a child with special needs mainstreaming is a bad thing because they do not know how to properly modify behaviors and get the information across. Mainstreaming is the reason why when I finish school I will teach general ed so that way I can ensure that at least the children with special needs in my class will get proper treatment.

O and I actually have done bus monitoring as well since one of the kids in the class I worked in last year was not able to safely sit on the bus. I use to have to give him cookie pieces or gold fish every couple of minutes so that way he would sit and not get up and run around.