Suspended from riding the School Bus

[Anonymous]

My DC (not the one who has SNs) was bullied on the school bus by a kid with similar issues.

My heart goes out to that kid, who was not getting the help he needed. But I was furious at the school system for not protecting my child despite my repeated requests.

So I think there are two sides to this story. But clearly, the school needs to provide you with an alternative that is more appropriate, or some help in getting your DS to adjust to the rules of the bus, or something! To just kick him off is heartless.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thank you for the thoughtful responds...others not so much. Hitting did not involve injury -- a 45 lb kid trying to get the attention of a seatmate. No one was punched; you did not read that language in my post pp who was indeed rude.

We have been stalled on the iep front as ds tests well and achieves academically. However, he misses instructions, social queues, shouts out answers--you know the affected kid. The bus is large and crowded and totally loaded full. Ds is on overload in it.

[Anonymous]

Op again.
Sorry if my response sounded harsh. I am just at my wits end. I cannot leave work at 2:30 everyday. DS was bawling in office today when e&e picked him up. And Just to clear up, seatmate was a much older boy (not a little girl or multiple kids as some pps assumed). Again, thanks for the ideas.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP: 22:28 here. Sorry if I assumed your son was hitting -- I guess I was responding to some of the previous posts rather than what you had originally said.

Based on your description, it sounds like they are really overstepping to ban him from the bus. The bus needs some more rules -- ours has assigned seats that keeps the big kids and the little ones separate, which might address some of your issues.

Sounds like you need to get tough with the school -- the behavior warrants correction and assistance, not banishment.

It's infuriating that a kid who's performing well academically can't get the support he needs -- my DC is in the same situation. If you can afford it, it might be time to get an educational advocate to come with you to the EMT meeting, which they MUST give you if you request it.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I agree the bus is similiar to the lunch room in that there is no "real" control or structure. It's hard for some kids to handle the bus because the noise and movement of the bus. In fact on my kids bus anyways the patrols are walking around saying they are going to report you if you are not good. I realize they are doing their "job" but if somehow one of those patrols could sit with your child maybe that could help the situation until you can work something out with the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They are in fact punishing him for his disability which is completely illegal!!!!!

And, who is the advocate for the non-SN seatmate who gets punched every day? Where is her specially written plan outlining the accommodations to be taken so she doesn't get hit?

To the few seemingly new posters on the SN forum, an IEP or accomodations for a disability are not intended to allow children to get away with bad behavior as the responder above seems to indicate. It is not a free pass. It is true that if a negative behavior is deemed to be a manifestation of a disability the result is to determine what needs to be done to support that child so he/she does not repeat that negative behavior. Traditional punitive measures, like suspension from the bus, don't work with many kids with these kinds of diagnoses. It just shuns them. They need carefully designed behavior plans that follow them from the beginning of the school day to the end. Kids with IEPs are playing catch-up in so many areas (not just academics), lets not begrudge them the supports they need to be successful.

[Anonymous]

You got good advice here: but he is so little! However, while the school system is sorting it out, how about an assigned seat up front near the driver and a kid who likes him as a partner? For the moment you need accommodation and the school should provide it, not punish. I would be in to the principal on Monday to discuss because frankly, this is illegal and seems unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you in that an IEP is not a free pass for misbehavior. You are correct, I did not mean it to sound like that. An IEP is intended to support the child and help him work through the behavior. You are right that suspensions and in fact they often punish the parents. You have to understand that the law states all children are entitled to a free education in the least restrictive environment. A child who has a diagnosed disability and is asked not to be on the bus anymore due to behaviors caused by his/her disability needs accomodations. The child needs to be supported so he can ride the bus. That is what an IEP is there for. If the child continues to have difficulty even with the IEP in place then alternative measures need to be in place (i.e., an aide, special ed bus, etc). You are right in that they are playing catch up esp in the social arena. Unfort, public schools don't really address social skills and our kids have a much harder time on the bus, at recess, in the lunch room, etc..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfort, public schools don't really address social skills and our kids have a much harder time on the bus, at recess, in the lunch room, etc..

By law, public schools are supposed to address social skills if the lack of these skills has educational impact on the child. In an IEP, your child can have goals put under the heading of social, emotional and behavioral that address just this type of situation. I know, my child has these goals. To the OP, if these behaviors are happening at school, whether in recess, lunch, classroom or transportation, you should request a functional behavior assessment (FBA) which should result in a behavior intervention plan (BIP). This can be done even if the child does not have an IEP. Your school may want to convene a student support team (a pre-cursor for referral to special ed) first, which is a good thing to do, but you should still insist on an FBA. Of course,always make these requests in writing. The FBA should look at your child across settings and hopefully shed some light on the function of his behavior and then a plan to help the child overcome the behavior.

[Anonymous]

The best accommodation is probably a special ed bus. There are fewer children which makes for a less chaotic ride. Often there is special safety equipment on board (seat belts, harnesses, space for wheelchairs, etc.). Fewer children theoretically may mean shorter rides as well. And if the child is at risk for being bullied or targeted as an object of ridicule the special ed bus removes the child from an emotionally unsafe environment. Get the SpEd bus written into the IEP.

[Anonymous]

the Short Bus!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the Short Bus!

Yes, it is the short bus. If you're here to make fun then you don't belong, choose another forum for your venom.

[Anonymous]

If your child has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS why has it taken the school a year to amend his IEP? As a parent YOU have the right and responsibility to rock the boat and make an IEP meeting happen. I am so sorry that your child has been treated this way. It is so wrong!

[Anonymous]

OP, you might find the school is moreresponsive in addressing your concerns if you cough up the money for an advocate. I know it is expensive, but they can write things in a way that will get a school's attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the Short Bus!

Yes, it is the short bus. If you're here to make fun then you don't belong, choose another forum for your venom.

I didn't take this a making fun - although it seems some non-SN parents are lurking in our forum now trying to contaminate it the way other forums are (and they should go away). When I saw the post, I thought of Jonathan Mooney - he was the keynote speaker at the Fairfax County Special Ed Conference a few weeks/month ago. http://www.jonathanmooney.com/ He's amazing and if you haven't heard of him, I highly recommend you go to his site. I may mix this up a little but was diagnosed LD in like 4th grade, ADHD in 5th, tried to kill himself in 7th grade and dropped out of school in 8th grade. He went back a year or so later, was told by the counselor that kids like him don't go to college, they go to jail. He didn't learn to read until he was 12 and clearly had a really rough time but he ended up graduating from Brown University. He wrote a book called the Short Bushttp://www.amazon.com/Short-Bus-Journey-Beyond-Normal/dp/0805074279" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> http://www.amazon.com/Short-Bus-Journey-Beyond-Normal/dp/0805074279

He's really amazing and his speech/session at the conference was really inspiring and let us hopeful about our kids. When I saw that post, I thought of him.