Why are kids with extreme behavior issues being mainstreamed?

[Anonymous]

Everything requires parent approval to put the kid in a new program. Parent response: “he doesn’t do this at home. What are you all doing to set him off?”

MCPS thinks least restrictive environment means mainstreaming even through the LRE laws clearly state it should not impact the other students. MCPS doesn’t want to pay $80k a year to put the kid in a private placement nor can they provide medication support that a kid like this likely desperately needs.

[Anonymous]

I am also curious how you can know these very specific details, OP.
That said, I agree with the poster who recommended organizing the other parents and putting pressure on the administrators. At the same time, please clearly and consistently communicate that this is not an indictment of the teacher or aide’s abilities but rather extreme behaviors exhibited by a child. If you can organize parents to volunteer in the classroom (with the teacher’s permission, of course) that would put even more pressure on admin as parents witnessing these incidents first hand is something they do not want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everything requires parent approval to put the kid in a new program. Parent response: “he doesn’t do this at home. What are you all doing to set him off?”

MCPS thinks least restrictive environment means mainstreaming even through the LRE laws clearly state it should not impact the other students. MCPS doesn’t want to pay $80k a year to put the kid in a private placement nor can they provide medication support that a kid like this likely desperately needs.

This is the why. It is cheaper to have the child in a class of 25+ with a poorly paid aide than in a smaller classroom with fewer children and more staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has eliminated any alternative for these kinds of kids and they are too worried about the optics of the data. If it’s a student of color and/or EML they can do and be wherever the parent wants

As the parent of a white kid in this category, the problem is well beyond optics.

These kids need more than an aide. It is really hard to get an aide in the first place. A disaster has to happen first. And no PS system wants to make the schools these kids need. Even though the kids themselves would have better outcomes in a more supported environment with clear limitations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the details of the incident?

It's easy to know all the details when you make the whole thing up.

Or when your child who witnessed all of it tells you?

The most reliable narrators ever!

[Anonymous]

Another issue with the SESSE programs is the severe shortage of staffing. This is national issue…not specific to MCPS. Similarly, the private/non-public programs are also dealing with shortages and are accepting less students as a result.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is an SES kid??

Social Emotional Support

Op here. I kept thinking it was Special Education Services when my kid kept saying SES

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the details of the incident?

It's easy to know all the details when you make the whole thing up.

Or when your child who witnessed all of it tells you?

The most reliable narrators ever!

You are so helpful and right. There's no such thing as severely troubled children at school!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everything requires parent approval to put the kid in a new program. Parent response: “he doesn’t do this at home. What are you all doing to set him off?”

MCPS thinks least restrictive environment means mainstreaming even through the LRE laws clearly state it should not impact the other students. MCPS doesn’t want to pay $80k a year to put the kid in a private placement nor can they provide medication support that a kid like this likely desperately needs.

due process can override the parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you know the details of the incident?

It's easy to know all the details when you make the whole thing up.

OP here. Too bad for you, I am not making this up.

Our Principal just sent the whole class a message through ParentVue addressing this scissors issue and he said that he and members of student well being team will be meeting with the 5th graders on Monday. He acknowledged that this is a clear violation of Mcps code of conduct.

I'm hoping this child will be removed if students tell him their fears. If the PTA calls for a townhall, I think it will be good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It probably stressful for the SES kid to be in the class and causes them a lot of anxiety. But no one ever considers that. No one thinks that a big group can really overwhelm some people and they just get more and more anxious. They just don’t want to spend the money for the smaller class and good resources. You never know though, the kids parents might now have been in favor of this plan and was forced into it.

Probably what's happening. But it does not mean that other kids should be in fear that this kid could harm them any time. Today it was scissors. What if gets something else another day. Let's say he picks up a rock and flings it.

And to the PP who thinks kids make up stuff - these are 5th graders, I think at that age they know what they are seeing in class.

[Anonymous]

This is completely unacceptable. File a police report. If your kid witnessed it, you can file a police report. The victims should press charges. Absolutely unacceptable, criminal behavior. The school is complicit.

[Anonymous]

Don’t let the school bury this. The police need to be involved. This requires police intervention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t let the school bury this. The police need to be involved. This requires police intervention.

That's on the parents of the two affected children.

School is addressing this, not burying it.

If they call a town hall, I will attend.

[Anonymous]

Your child witnessed a crime and this is an opportunity to teach them what to do.