As a parent of a child with special needs, I suspect that some of my parental involvement may have been considered bothersome by the school district. However, it seems to me that most of the time, it is the district that is the real source of trouble. So in the quest for fairness, I’ve come up with some criteria (a la Jeff Foxworthy) that I hope will be helpful in identifying the real culprit. So use it wisely and feel confident in knowing that your school district may be a pain in the neck IF…
they think No Child Left Behind means taking a final head count on a field trip.
your child’s one-to-one can’t add one to one.
the Special Ed Director thinks hippotherapy means riding on the back of a hippo.
they think AAC is what keeps you cool in the summer.
there are notches on the school district’s side of the conference table.
the school’s special education attorney has a permanent office in the district office building.
the school nurse sends your child home because the teacher has a headache.
the superintendent can’t come to your child’s IEP because of the restraining order.
they pat you down before the IEP meeting.
the school district’s brand new conference room chairs already need to have the cushions replaced.
when you go to an IEP meeting, the team brings a change of clothes.
they consider an inclusive placement standing between two regular ed kids in the lunch line.
they consider outdoor recess a least restrictive environment.
your child’s inclusive classroom has only one chair in it.
they think that mainstreaming got its name from throwing a child in, sink or swim.
when you go to an IEP meeting, the Special Education Director gives you
decaf and tells you it’s caffeinated just to get you off your game.
you carry a prescription for Godiva in your purse or pocket.
your school’s idea of a behavioral intervention plan exclusively
consists of hand clapping and a sugar cookie.
the seventh grade summer school school-supply list only asks for pipe cleaners, cotton balls and glue.
you have your special education attorney’s phone number on speed dial.