School Update: They want her excluded from all recess!

[admin]

Just a thought, a mean thought but here it goes. It seems to me that in most schools running while in line is against the rules.....soooooooooooooo why is Maia being punished for somebody who should be punished. I feel that if the school disiplines the way they should, their wouldn't be as many opportunities for our children to get hurt.

[Denise_Nach]

I think Lee Anne hit the nail on the head. You've educated them to the point they are at now. They are looking out for Maia. You've put the fear in them and now they are reacting to that fear. They are in the mode of treating her with kid gloves. Maybe you signing a liability waiver will ease their minds. The truth is though that kids get hurt on the playground. Knees get scratched, arms get broken...these things happen. They are seeing to it that this does not happen to Maia. Instead of going in there with a legal advocate why not just try having a heart to heart with them? The bigger you make this the more differently Maia will be treated (even if they do let her out on the playground) and eventually I am afraid the other kids will pick up on this as well. It has always been my policy to make the arm issue as downplayed as possible with teachers and our child and it has seemed to be quite successful. This is just the beginning of her school years. You need to work with these people in a way that won't reflect on Maia negatively. I hope I'm not sounding too harsh. I'm just trying to look at this from their point of view and objectively. I wish you success!

[Francine_Litz]

Hi Denise.... my reaction comes after two weeks of them calling me every single day wanting to exclude her from something else...that's why I told them - ok what's next? lunch? music? her actual classroom?

I did educate them to the hilt about what they truly can't do with Maia...and I've gone there and showed them ON THE PLAYGROUND what Maia CAN do easily and safely. I mean doing a walking club - I think that's a great idea... it's not on the playground itself - they just walk around it and it can be fun - I can set up stations for doing different stretches or exercises... I think that was a compromise don't you? But they don't even want her walking around! They want her INSIDE!! and with her shadow.

I don't want to sic an attorney on them, I just don't know where else to get a list of what Maia's rights are in school, and if going outside for recess is one of those rights. And I haven't been able to find specific rights about recess yet online - but please let me know if you or anyone else can find it. I haven't been a bulldog on them yet (trust me, my insurance companies can vouch about what bulldog means!)

Maia's been out of this conversation completely and so has her main teacher and teacher's aid. Although now that this has occurred, I would like the teacher to inform me on a daily basis, what she did for recess, where it was and who was there with her.

To be honest with you, all this has just opened up a new pile of bpi anger.... it's not enough that my kid has bpi but she has to be high risk too? I'm madder than a hornets nest at the midwives I had. This new fight came too soon after camp and O'leary bringing out all those things I had packed away for a little while...know what I mean? It just sucks. Thank God I just won my medicaid fight and Maia is back in therapy after how long! Now I have to fight for an NMES unit. It just never ends...
vent vent vent vent vent...

What amazes me is that we pretty much lost a "normal" summer because we chose to do surgery in May so that she could be "normal" meaning out of her splint by the time she started school so that no one would start the year off thinking she was too different....now look at us! Not allowed to play with her friends outside? I wonder what kind of pariah her friends think she is now! Yes, I am madder than a hornets nest.

[Francine_Litz]

RICH - where can I find specific information about her rights to recess? etc.

[admin]

Francine,
I am very sorry that you have to go through this! I don't know what else to say. So sorry! Keep fighting for little Maia! ((Hugs))
~Krista~

[admin]

Francine,
I really feel for you and Maia.
When Trevor was excluded from gym for three weeks my heart broke for him, and it was I who ensured he had another activity to do that he enjoyed.

I cannot believe that they wouldn't want her to be included in recess. The children need the break and the fresh air. They are not mini adults - they need to run around! It must tax the comfort level of the schools to let them participate, and of course they are thinking about the liability issue.

It is Maia's and all of our children's right to equal access to recess and all other activities, whether or not modifications must be made.

Gwen

[Cara]

Does Mia have an IEP? Part of the IEP is for the child to be in the least restrictive enviroment. IT is why we don't ship off kids with mental developmental delays, but have them mainstreamed into regular classrooms. It might be another way to approach the subject.

[Francine_Litz]

Monday Morning Update:

I brought Maia to school ready to call a meeting...

The principal MET me on the sidewalk - she was waiting for me. She took charge of the conversation and told me immediately that her past position (she's new) was as the Director of Special Education of the whole district and that reading my last email she knew that we had to have a conversation first thing in the morning.

I told her that I felt that the school was turning Maia into an ARM and forgetting about the person. She assured me that she would have meetings today with all involved and try to dampen the fears. Maia would be going outside and playing with her friends. She told me that she was watching Maia over the last two weeks and said that she's not a child that goes with the "lump" of crazy kids...she stands more shyly with a little group of two or three. She said that with a shadow just hanging out that Maia should be fine.

She told ME that every child has the right to recess and to get some fresh air and that I should not worry.

I told her that we all do what we can for success and the rest we have to leave to faith and she agreed. She also said that we just need to keep the conversation going - even if it's every day.... until everyone feels comfortable - including Maia.

Off the drugstore to get some ulcer drugs.....

Thanks for all your support!
I am still going to keep on researching to find the specific portions of the 504 law that deal with this and I'll post. Gotta get my ducks in line anyway.

-francine




The needs of the child outway the needs of the arm.
-Spock

[Dean-na]

Francine:

Wow, it seems like you have been on a one way roller coaster. I am so glad the principal was waiting on you. They DO NOT have the right to tell her or you that she can't be involved in recess. That makes me so angry. I know that you want them to be careful & make sure that she don't get hurt, but saying that she can't participate in recess with the other kids is nuts. You know as well as I do that when kids are up in school for a period of time that recess is their time to sorta unwind. Maia needs that time to bond with other kids. You take care of the stomach.

Deanna