07 Mar 2010, 12:14 am
07 Mar 2010, 12:20 am
DenvrDave wrote:
I just sat through my son's annual IEP meeting and I am furious beyond words 
I have lost all faith in the public school system being unwilling to do anything to help my son. In fact I believe this experience is hurting his self esteem. I feel backed into a corner facing an enemy that I do not know or understand and have no means of fighting...completely helpless. Kind of like trying to fight the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)...its impossible.
Sorry for the rant, but I'm feeling particularly jaded against public school systems and IEPs just about now. We've worked so hard to make an IEP that makes sense, but what good is the IEP if the school refuses to do anything with it? And the only recourse is for me to sue the school district? Grrrrrr......
I have lost all faith in the public school system being unwilling to do anything to help my son. In fact I believe this experience is hurting his self esteem. I feel backed into a corner facing an enemy that I do not know or understand and have no means of fighting...completely helpless. Kind of like trying to fight the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)...its impossible.Sorry for the rant, but I'm feeling particularly jaded against public school systems and IEPs just about now. We've worked so hard to make an IEP that makes sense, but what good is the IEP if the school refuses to do anything with it? And the only recourse is for me to sue the school district? Grrrrrr......
I am sorry to hear it is going so poorly. It is far easier to get an IEP written than followed, and it seems middle school is poorly equiped for following them. As several of my son's teachers pointed out, they teach 100 - 200 kids each day, and remembering the unique details for each is near impossible. Something a little more "in between" the single classroom of elementary and the period system of high school would be nice in many respects. I have watched so many unique kids (not all special ed, just all needing a "one child" approach) fall off track in middle school, it is really sad. In elementary school, they flourish. In middle school, they wilt. It's like the best we can hope for is that they leave the elementary school with so much progress that the regression won't be too devastating. And that is if you are lucky enough to have had a strong elementary school experience. Sad, really sad.
09 Mar 2010, 7:54 am
It depends on the child. Aspergers/autism can be an advantage in school (academically) the positive traits associated with it can be a good benefit. All children have potential they just have to utilize it. 
The IEP system doesn't do much for the child anyways. When I was in school I got great grades. I don't know much about IEP system never experience it (I'm from Taiwan we don't have that). You've got to look at it this way. Does the child really need it? If you just give them things they will expect that later in life. I had to deal with the issues the hard way by myself. I think that if you challenge a child they can get further in life. Remember in the real world their is no IEP no accommodation it's the most able who succeeds.
