Bethesda Today: Behavioral issues, lack of support creating unsafe classrooms

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t teachers allowed to implement consequences to kids flinging chairs?

I keep seeing this mentioned, I've worked in schools for over 15 years, can only recall one incident a desk was knocked over, is this a situation being exaggerated?

When you’re in a class with a child that flips desks, it happens many times a year.

Okay, but how common is that.

My first grade daughter witnessed a classmate throw a chair several times this year. Today a boy in her class tackled the classroom teacher and started punching her.

Zero consequences I bet.

My understanding is the boy has special needs so can consequences be given? What consequence could be given to a six or seven year old?

Your understanding is wrong, as usual.

FACT. I am a teacher. We dealt with a serious physical alteration. Principal recommended suspension, central office said it was not permitted due to an IEP. The IEP was for speech... Elementary school principals have their hands tied.

What needs to happen at what level to get more support around this (separation/meaningful consequences for violent students). Federal law? State law? Dept of Ed? School Board? Central Office? I think many would advocate for more common sense around these issues but do not know what needs to happen for it to return.

Why don't you want to get more support for children and families so that these events don't happen in the first place? We all know schools skip that part right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t teachers allowed to implement consequences to kids flinging chairs?

I keep seeing this mentioned, I've worked in schools for over 15 years, can only recall one incident a desk was knocked over, is this a situation being exaggerated?

When you’re in a class with a child that flips desks, it happens many times a year.

Okay, but how common is that.

My first grade daughter witnessed a classmate throw a chair several times this year. Today a boy in her class tackled the classroom teacher and started punching her.

Zero consequences I bet.

My understanding is the boy has special needs so can consequences be given? What consequence could be given to a six or seven year old?

Your understanding is wrong, as usual.

Ha, as usual? Do you think only one person posts here?

PP, if the student has an IEP, and there are goals for the behaviors you described, the school is limited in what consequences can be given, especially if it’s a result of the student’s disability. The school is tasked with determining the cause of the behavior and providing interventions to address the triggers of the behavior, and those should not be punitive.

Surely you don’t think such an asinine gig can last forever, do you?

None of this garbage is based on evidence.

Stop trolling- this is an important issue. If you have nothing meaningful to contribute, move along! Maybe get out of your mommy’s basement and get some sun.

You should tell that to the OP who has been trolling against special needs for years.

[Anonymous]

Jumping in here a little late. As a parent to an SESES child, I think it's helpful to share our story with the hope it provides context for the type of challenges that these kids and families have.

For starters, LO has been flipping over tables since LO was 2/3 years old. At a very early age, LO had intense emotions and was very difficult to soothe even for minor issues. As parents, it's taken us a long time to figure out LO's needs. We pleaded with many providers to conduct assessments at an early age, but no one would until they were at least 4 years old, at which point we could get on a waitlist that was 12-24 months long. Meanwhile we were trying to survive at home and navigate multiple issues in preschool, including two terminated enrollments. Only after getting an neuropsych assessment were we able to determine and agree to a treatment plan. Beforehand, we dealt with many family members who continued to offer endless amounts of advice about being stricter and serving up more consequences, which for us, just made things worse.

By the time LO arrived in kindergarten, LO already had this history of difficulty at school (2 terminated enrollments, behavioral issues, eloping, etc.), a medical diagnosis, medication, and specialists. We actively engaged the school to share our story and explore what resources may be available. All this was good for was to start the conversation on a 504 plan with his home school.

LO is a very sweet, social, and active child. LO has also had significant behavior issues at school. When LO becomes upset, the executive function part of LO's brain shuts off. This would happen frequently as LO would lose focus in the class (ADHD diagnosis) and leave the group. Educators would bring the LO back to the group, with some educators being more strict than others about demands and requirements. This would frequently escalate the situation with LO and contribute to LO's dysregulation. In these moments, LO is unable to use words and just starts to lash out. This would happen frequently during the daily 2-hour blocks of ELA instruction.

In our experience, there is a significant shortage of resources available for these children. We are fortunate that we have had the financial resources to attain private specialists services for our LO. Despite these resources, and the number of interventions introduced at home, we have still ended up with a number of crisis center referrals. At these places we're told that we're doing the right things and that we're much better off than a lot of families who are unable to attain specialist services. I can't help but feel like we're still underwater.

I read the Bethesda Magazine article and empathize with both sides. Children should never feel unsafe in school. Children with special needs often need alternative programming, services, and resources than mainstream peers. Getting programming, services, and resources in short supply is very time intensive and honorous. We're hopeful to make progress as quickly as we can to attain the services our LO needs to thrive.

[Anonymous]

13:59, thank you for sharing your personal family challenges. As someone who is a strong advocate for safe schools, what environment do you feel reasonable for taxpayers to provide?

As we’ve heard from dozens of seasoned educators on this forum, the issue of classroom violence is skyrocketing. What do you feel is going on?

What has helped your child the most? Any particular individual, or method? Is your son’s father in the home? How does he respond to the violence? How do you respond?

Do you believe the other children in the classroom feel safe when they come to school? How should they be protected from assault?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a long, in-depth, reported story on the state of special ed in elementary schools and how it's impacting families, students, staff and schools.

It's worth a read: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/05/23/behavioral-issues-unsafe-classrooms/

Here's a good excerpt:

Jones Lane Elementary School fourth grader Raya Anolik doesn’t feel safe in her Gaithersburg school – not after several incidents involving students with behavioral challenges who ran away from their teachers and hurt her or her classmates.

“She has drawn a diagram of every classroom that she is in, and then she’s also drawn on that paper, a diagram of the bathroom and underneath the bathroom, she wrote ‘the only safe place at Jones Lane,’” Raya’s mother Alexis Anolik told Bethesda Today recently.

....

According to Anolik, her 10-year-old daughter has been subjected to harassment and sometimes physical violence by another student who was in her classes. Raya Anolik also has testified before the school board about the experiences of her and her classmates, saying that she had concerns about safety and disruptions to her education.

“I truly believe that MCPS has not only failed the safety of my family and the other kids around, but they are definitely not doing any good for that kid,” Anolik said, referring to the student who she says has harassed her daughter. “Nobody should go to school and feel so out of control that they have to seek out another student and harm them.”

...

Anolik, who has two children at Jones Lane, said she was made aware of behavioral challenges regarding students participating in SESES during the 2023-2024 school year when she served as president of the Jones Lane Parent Teacher Association. Some students were pulling the fire alarm consistently, tearing down bulletin boards and hurting or threatening to hurt other students, she said.

“It was very clear that the training and the resources given to at least Jones Lane [wasn’t working],” Anolik said.

Anolik said she began looking for information and asking MCPS for ways parents could support the SESES program, without much of a response from the district.

Then in October, a student in the program became upset in the school library, pushed Raya and another student into a bookshelf, elbowed Raya in the ribs and grabbed and shook her. After Raya told her about the incident, Anolik said she reached out to Jones Lane Principal Ron Morris, who contacted her and discussed the incident.

“We were told that things had been changed, that they were going to monitor it,” Anolik said.

Later in the fall, the same student left a classroom from a separate part of the building and ran along a hallway yelling for Raya and then grabbing her by the hoodie before teachers could separate them, Anolik said. The student was removed from Raya’s classroom, but Anolik said she still had concerns for Raya’s safety.

In December, the student again ran along a hallway, yelling Raya’s name and entered her classroom, according to Anolik.

“She hid under her desk,” Anolik said. “Her homeroom teacher stood between the student and Raya while it took two other teachers to restrain him and remove him from the classroom.”

“Behavior issues” is code for violent. No one is threatened by true learning disabilities. No kid should feel entitled to act like they’re strung out on PCP, and terrorize and beat up others.

It’s ok to be angry, disappointed,
frustrated, etc. But absolutely not ok to injure others at school. What the heck are they allowed to do at home? Does mom have to be a boxing champ to defend herself?

Just. Stop. After your alleged years as a year, and all the time you post here, you still have remarkably little understanding of the realities of developmental disabilities for children and families.

Absolutely no one has said it is ok to injure others at school. The issue is whether schools are obligated to provide special services, environmental support, and/or alternative placements to safely accommodate and educate those students when the behaviors are the result of a disability.

And yes, ethically and legally, they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jumping in here a little late. As a parent to an SESES child, I think it's helpful to share our story with the hope it provides context for the type of challenges that these kids and families have.

For starters, LO has been flipping over tables since LO was 2/3 years old. At a very early age, LO had intense emotions and was very difficult to soothe even for minor issues. As parents, it's taken us a long time to figure out LO's needs. We pleaded with many providers to conduct assessments at an early age, but no one would until they were at least 4 years old, at which point we could get on a waitlist that was 12-24 months long. Meanwhile we were trying to survive at home and navigate multiple issues in preschool, including two terminated enrollments. Only after getting an neuropsych assessment were we able to determine and agree to a treatment plan. Beforehand, we dealt with many family members who continued to offer endless amounts of advice about being stricter and serving up more consequences, which for us, just made things worse.

By the time LO arrived in kindergarten, LO already had this history of difficulty at school (2 terminated enrollments, behavioral issues, eloping, etc.), a medical diagnosis, medication, and specialists. We actively engaged the school to share our story and explore what resources may be available. All this was good for was to start the conversation on a 504 plan with his home school.

LO is a very sweet, social, and active child. LO has also had significant behavior issues at school. When LO becomes upset, the executive function part of LO's brain shuts off. This would happen frequently as LO would lose focus in the class (ADHD diagnosis) and leave the group. Educators would bring the LO back to the group, with some educators being more strict than others about demands and requirements. This would frequently escalate the situation with LO and contribute to LO's dysregulation. In these moments, LO is unable to use words and just starts to lash out. This would happen frequently during the daily 2-hour blocks of ELA instruction.

In our experience, there is a significant shortage of resources available for these children. We are fortunate that we have had the financial resources to attain private specialists services for our LO. Despite these resources, and the number of interventions introduced at home, we have still ended up with a number of crisis center referrals. At these places we're told that we're doing the right things and that we're much better off than a lot of families who are unable to attain specialist services. I can't help but feel like we're still underwater.

I read the Bethesda Magazine article and empathize with both sides. Children should never feel unsafe in school. Children with special needs often need alternative programming, services, and resources than mainstream peers. Getting programming, services, and resources in short supply is very time intensive and honorous. We're hopeful to make progress as quickly as we can to attain the services our LO needs to thrive.

The BOE shut down one of the autism programs. They demand to be fully funded but they are mismanaging the money and not putting enough into kids with special needs an circumstances. They have NO clue what they are doing nor does central office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a long, in-depth, reported story on the state of special ed in elementary schools and how it's impacting families, students, staff and schools.

It's worth a read: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/05/23/behavioral-issues-unsafe-classrooms/

Here's a good excerpt:

Jones Lane Elementary School fourth grader Raya Anolik doesn’t feel safe in her Gaithersburg school – not after several incidents involving students with behavioral challenges who ran away from their teachers and hurt her or her classmates.

“She has drawn a diagram of every classroom that she is in, and then she’s also drawn on that paper, a diagram of the bathroom and underneath the bathroom, she wrote ‘the only safe place at Jones Lane,’” Raya’s mother Alexis Anolik told Bethesda Today recently.

....

According to Anolik, her 10-year-old daughter has been subjected to harassment and sometimes physical violence by another student who was in her classes. Raya Anolik also has testified before the school board about the experiences of her and her classmates, saying that she had concerns about safety and disruptions to her education.

“I truly believe that MCPS has not only failed the safety of my family and the other kids around, but they are definitely not doing any good for that kid,” Anolik said, referring to the student who she says has harassed her daughter. “Nobody should go to school and feel so out of control that they have to seek out another student and harm them.”

...

Anolik, who has two children at Jones Lane, said she was made aware of behavioral challenges regarding students participating in SESES during the 2023-2024 school year when she served as president of the Jones Lane Parent Teacher Association. Some students were pulling the fire alarm consistently, tearing down bulletin boards and hurting or threatening to hurt other students, she said.

“It was very clear that the training and the resources given to at least Jones Lane [wasn’t working],” Anolik said.

Anolik said she began looking for information and asking MCPS for ways parents could support the SESES program, without much of a response from the district.

Then in October, a student in the program became upset in the school library, pushed Raya and another student into a bookshelf, elbowed Raya in the ribs and grabbed and shook her. After Raya told her about the incident, Anolik said she reached out to Jones Lane Principal Ron Morris, who contacted her and discussed the incident.

“We were told that things had been changed, that they were going to monitor it,” Anolik said.

Later in the fall, the same student left a classroom from a separate part of the building and ran along a hallway yelling for Raya and then grabbing her by the hoodie before teachers could separate them, Anolik said. The student was removed from Raya’s classroom, but Anolik said she still had concerns for Raya’s safety.

In December, the student again ran along a hallway, yelling Raya’s name and entered her classroom, according to Anolik.

“She hid under her desk,” Anolik said. “Her homeroom teacher stood between the student and Raya while it took two other teachers to restrain him and remove him from the classroom.”

“Behavior issues” is code for violent. No one is threatened by true learning disabilities. No kid should feel entitled to act like they’re strung out on PCP, and terrorize and beat up others.

It’s ok to be angry, disappointed,
frustrated, etc. But absolutely not ok to injure others at school. What the heck are they allowed to do at home? Does mom have to be a boxing champ to defend herself?

Just. Stop. After your alleged years as a year, and all the time you post here, you still have remarkably little understanding of the realities of developmental disabilities for children and families.

Absolutely no one has said it is ok to injure others at school. The issue is whether schools are obligated to provide special services, environmental support, and/or alternative placements to safely accommodate and educate those students when the behaviors are the result of a disability.

And yes, ethically and legally, they are.

MCPS prefers to spend the money on attorneys to fight families rather than help. We asked for help, we were straight out told no by the VP who never met our kid. I suspect racial and other bias had a huge play in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a long, in-depth, reported story on the state of special ed in elementary schools and how it's impacting families, students, staff and schools.

It's worth a read: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/05/23/behavioral-issues-unsafe-classrooms/

Here's a good excerpt:

Jones Lane Elementary School fourth grader Raya Anolik doesn’t feel safe in her Gaithersburg school – not after several incidents involving students with behavioral challenges who ran away from their teachers and hurt her or her classmates.

“She has drawn a diagram of every classroom that she is in, and then she’s also drawn on that paper, a diagram of the bathroom and underneath the bathroom, she wrote ‘the only safe place at Jones Lane,’” Raya’s mother Alexis Anolik told Bethesda Today recently.

....

According to Anolik, her 10-year-old daughter has been subjected to harassment and sometimes physical violence by another student who was in her classes. Raya Anolik also has testified before the school board about the experiences of her and her classmates, saying that she had concerns about safety and disruptions to her education.

“I truly believe that MCPS has not only failed the safety of my family and the other kids around, but they are definitely not doing any good for that kid,” Anolik said, referring to the student who she says has harassed her daughter. “Nobody should go to school and feel so out of control that they have to seek out another student and harm them.”

...

Anolik, who has two children at Jones Lane, said she was made aware of behavioral challenges regarding students participating in SESES during the 2023-2024 school year when she served as president of the Jones Lane Parent Teacher Association. Some students were pulling the fire alarm consistently, tearing down bulletin boards and hurting or threatening to hurt other students, she said.

“It was very clear that the training and the resources given to at least Jones Lane [wasn’t working],” Anolik said.

Anolik said she began looking for information and asking MCPS for ways parents could support the SESES program, without much of a response from the district.

Then in October, a student in the program became upset in the school library, pushed Raya and another student into a bookshelf, elbowed Raya in the ribs and grabbed and shook her. After Raya told her about the incident, Anolik said she reached out to Jones Lane Principal Ron Morris, who contacted her and discussed the incident.

“We were told that things had been changed, that they were going to monitor it,” Anolik said.

Later in the fall, the same student left a classroom from a separate part of the building and ran along a hallway yelling for Raya and then grabbing her by the hoodie before teachers could separate them, Anolik said. The student was removed from Raya’s classroom, but Anolik said she still had concerns for Raya’s safety.

In December, the student again ran along a hallway, yelling Raya’s name and entered her classroom, according to Anolik.

“She hid under her desk,” Anolik said. “Her homeroom teacher stood between the student and Raya while it took two other teachers to restrain him and remove him from the classroom.”

“Behavior issues” is code for violent. No one is threatened by true learning disabilities. No kid should feel entitled to act like they’re strung out on PCP, and terrorize and beat up others.

It’s ok to be angry, disappointed,
frustrated, etc. But absolutely not ok to injure others at school. What the heck are they allowed to do at home? Does mom have to be a boxing champ to defend herself?

Just. Stop. After your alleged years as a year, and all the time you post here, you still have remarkably little understanding of the realities of developmental disabilities for children and families.

Absolutely no one has said it is ok to injure others at school. The issue is whether schools are obligated to provide special services, environmental support, and/or alternative placements to safely accommodate and educate those students when the behaviors are the result of a disability.

And yes, ethically and legally, they are.

MCPS prefers to spend the money on attorneys to fight families rather than help. We asked for help, we were straight out told no by the VP who never met our kid. I suspect racial and other bias had a huge play in it.

Yup!

[Anonymous]

SESES Family Poster -

For 16:58, respectfully, I don't think I can answer the questions about reasonable environment taxpayers should provide. We're living the process and it's harrowing and daunting. I would start from the point of what needs to these kids have and what services match the needs. Then it becomes a demand/supply question and then funding.

Also, we're at a point where we're continuing to understand our little one, learning about experiences from other families, and outcomes achieved. So I don't have a crystal ball about what model works, let alone if that model or models works for all.

Here are responses to your other questions:

As we’ve heard from dozens of seasoned educators on this forum, the issue of classroom violence is skyrocketing. What do you feel is going on?
I can only comment on our experience, which I don't think is representative of the population. I provided an example of what happens with our LO in the original post. IMO, it's a mismatch between needs and curriculum/instruction. Then there is escalation when LO isn't able to maintain the same as gen ed peers. Also, we've had a hell of a time with medication. We've dealt with multiple psychiatrists who all take a try and see approach. In IMO, we saw an increase of behavioral issues as we tried new medications and dosages. It was a nightmare.

What has helped your child the most? Any particular individual, or method? Is your son’s father in the home? How does he respond to the violence? How do you respond?
For us, letting our LO recharge outside of school was very helpful. Providing lots of options for preferred activities and socialization helped most. Also, I'm LOs father. Further, I think your questions about responding to violence miss the point. Once there's escalation to the point of violence, there's very little that can be done in the moment. Understanding the cues and deescalation is essential. Keeping calm and showing empathy is essential.

Do you believe the other children in the classroom feel safe when they come to school? How should they be protected from assault?
I think these questions are for staff and specialists that have observed incidents and families of gen ed kids. What I can say is that my LO and other kids at school are friendly toward each other. LO is looking to have positive relationships and feels depressed after a dysregulated episode. The more is happens, the bigger the hole is to get out.


Again, I'm hoping that sharing our story helps to provide more context.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SESES Family Poster -

For 16:58, respectfully, I don't think I can answer the questions about reasonable environment taxpayers should provide. We're living the process and it's harrowing and daunting. I would start from the point of what needs to these kids have and what services match the needs. Then it becomes a demand/supply question and then funding.

Also, we're at a point where we're continuing to understand our little one, learning about experiences from other families, and outcomes achieved. So I don't have a crystal ball about what model works, let alone if that model or models works for all.

Here are responses to your other questions:

As we’ve heard from dozens of seasoned educators on this forum, the issue of classroom violence is skyrocketing. What do you feel is going on?
I can only comment on our experience, which I don't think is representative of the population. I provided an example of what happens with our LO in the original post. IMO, it's a mismatch between needs and curriculum/instruction. Then there is escalation when LO isn't able to maintain the same as gen ed peers. Also, we've had a hell of a time with medication. We've dealt with multiple psychiatrists who all take a try and see approach. In IMO, we saw an increase of behavioral issues as we tried new medications and dosages. It was a nightmare.

What has helped your child the most? Any particular individual, or method? Is your son’s father in the home? How does he respond to the violence? How do you respond?
For us, letting our LO recharge outside of school was very helpful. Providing lots of options for preferred activities and socialization helped most. Also, I'm LOs father. Further, I think your questions about responding to violence miss the point. Once there's escalation to the point of violence, there's very little that can be done in the moment. Understanding the cues and deescalation is essential. Keeping calm and showing empathy is essential.

Do you believe the other children in the classroom feel safe when they come to school? How should they be protected from assault?
I think these questions are for staff and specialists that have observed incidents and families of gen ed kids. What I can say is that my LO and other kids at school are friendly toward each other. LO is looking to have positive relationships and feels depressed after a dysregulated episode. The more is happens, the bigger the hole is to get out.


Again, I'm hoping that sharing our story helps to provide more context.

Agree with this poster. When our DC was 6 and was showing similar signs we BEGGED to be seen. Everyone was brushing us off. A totally useless psychiatrist ata reputable pediatrician's office just basically diagnosed DC with ODD and called it a day. It was only after pushing and pushing did we get to someone who could really help. We also have rsources, not everyone does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SESES Family Poster -

For 16:58, respectfully, I don't think I can answer the questions about reasonable environment taxpayers should provide. We're living the process and it's harrowing and daunting. I would start from the point of what needs to these kids have and what services match the needs. Then it becomes a demand/supply question and then funding.

Also, we're at a point where we're continuing to understand our little one, learning about experiences from other families, and outcomes achieved. So I don't have a crystal ball about what model works, let alone if that model or models works for all.

Here are responses to your other questions:

As we’ve heard from dozens of seasoned educators on this forum, the issue of classroom violence is skyrocketing. What do you feel is going on?
I can only comment on our experience, which I don't think is representative of the population. I provided an example of what happens with our LO in the original post. IMO, it's a mismatch between needs and curriculum/instruction. Then there is escalation when LO isn't able to maintain the same as gen ed peers. Also, we've had a hell of a time with medication. We've dealt with multiple psychiatrists who all take a try and see approach. In IMO, we saw an increase of behavioral issues as we tried new medications and dosages. It was a nightmare.

What has helped your child the most? Any particular individual, or method? Is your son’s father in the home? How does he respond to the violence? How do you respond?
For us, letting our LO recharge outside of school was very helpful. Providing lots of options for preferred activities and socialization helped most. Also, I'm LOs father. Further, I think your questions about responding to violence miss the point. Once there's escalation to the point of violence, there's very little that can be done in the moment. Understanding the cues and deescalation is essential. Keeping calm and showing empathy is essential.

Do you believe the other children in the classroom feel safe when they come to school? How should they be protected from assault?
I think these questions are for staff and specialists that have observed incidents and families of gen ed kids. What I can say is that my LO and other kids at school are friendly toward each other. LO is looking to have positive relationships and feels depressed after a dysregulated episode. The more is happens, the bigger the hole is to get out.


Again, I'm hoping that sharing our story helps to provide more context.

Agree with this poster. When our DC was 6 and was showing similar signs we BEGGED to be seen. Everyone was brushing us off. A totally useless psychiatrist ata reputable pediatrician's office just basically diagnosed DC with ODD and called it a day. It was only after pushing and pushing did we get to someone who could really help. We also have rsources, not everyone does.

Who really helped? What did they do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SESES Family Poster -

For 16:58, respectfully, I don't think I can answer the questions about reasonable environment taxpayers should provide. We're living the process and it's harrowing and daunting. I would start from the point of what needs to these kids have and what services match the needs. Then it becomes a demand/supply question and then funding.

Also, we're at a point where we're continuing to understand our little one, learning about experiences from other families, and outcomes achieved. So I don't have a crystal ball about what model works, let alone if that model or models works for all.

Here are responses to your other questions:

As we’ve heard from dozens of seasoned educators on this forum, the issue of classroom violence is skyrocketing. What do you feel is going on?
I can only comment on our experience, which I don't think is representative of the population. I provided an example of what happens with our LO in the original post. IMO, it's a mismatch between needs and curriculum/instruction. Then there is escalation when LO isn't able to maintain the same as gen ed peers. Also, we've had a hell of a time with medication. We've dealt with multiple psychiatrists who all take a try and see approach. In IMO, we saw an increase of behavioral issues as we tried new medications and dosages. It was a nightmare.

What has helped your child the most? Any particular individual, or method? Is your son’s father in the home? How does he respond to the violence? How do you respond?
For us, letting our LO recharge outside of school was very helpful. Providing lots of options for preferred activities and socialization helped most. Also, I'm LOs father. Further, I think your questions about responding to violence miss the point. Once there's escalation to the point of violence, there's very little that can be done in the moment. Understanding the cues and deescalation is essential. Keeping calm and showing empathy is essential.

Do you believe the other children in the classroom feel safe when they come to school? How should they be protected from assault?
I think these questions are for staff and specialists that have observed incidents and families of gen ed kids. What I can say is that my LO and other kids at school are friendly toward each other. LO is looking to have positive relationships and feels depressed after a dysregulated episode. The more is happens, the bigger the hole is to get out.


Again, I'm hoping that sharing our story helps to provide more context.

Agree with this poster. When our DC was 6 and was showing similar signs we BEGGED to be seen. Everyone was brushing us off. A totally useless psychiatrist ata reputable pediatrician's office just basically diagnosed DC with ODD and called it a day. It was only after pushing and pushing did we get to someone who could really help. We also have rsources, not everyone does.

Who really helped? What did they do?

Meds + therapy + supports at school (with an advocate at our IEP meetings).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SESES Family Poster -

For 16:58, respectfully, I don't think I can answer the questions about reasonable environment taxpayers should provide. We're living the process and it's harrowing and daunting. I would start from the point of what needs to these kids have and what services match the needs. Then it becomes a demand/supply question and then funding.

Also, we're at a point where we're continuing to understand our little one, learning about experiences from other families, and outcomes achieved. So I don't have a crystal ball about what model works, let alone if that model or models works for all.

Here are responses to your other questions:

As we’ve heard from dozens of seasoned educators on this forum, the issue of classroom violence is skyrocketing. What do you feel is going on?
I can only comment on our experience, which I don't think is representative of the population. I provided an example of what happens with our LO in the original post. IMO, it's a mismatch between needs and curriculum/instruction. Then there is escalation when LO isn't able to maintain the same as gen ed peers. Also, we've had a hell of a time with medication. We've dealt with multiple psychiatrists who all take a try and see approach. In IMO, we saw an increase of behavioral issues as we tried new medications and dosages. It was a nightmare.

What has helped your child the most? Any particular individual, or method? Is your son’s father in the home? How does he respond to the violence? How do you respond?
For us, letting our LO recharge outside of school was very helpful. Providing lots of options for preferred activities and socialization helped most. Also, I'm LOs father. Further, I think your questions about responding to violence miss the point. Once there's escalation to the point of violence, there's very little that can be done in the moment. Understanding the cues and deescalation is essential. Keeping calm and showing empathy is essential.

Do you believe the other children in the classroom feel safe when they come to school? How should they be protected from assault?
I think these questions are for staff and specialists that have observed incidents and families of gen ed kids. What I can say is that my LO and other kids at school are friendly toward each other. LO is looking to have positive relationships and feels depressed after a dysregulated episode. The more is happens, the bigger the hole is to get out.


Again, I'm hoping that sharing our story helps to provide more context.

Agree with this poster. When our DC was 6 and was showing similar signs we BEGGED to be seen. Everyone was brushing us off. A totally useless psychiatrist ata reputable pediatrician's office just basically diagnosed DC with ODD and called it a day. It was only after pushing and pushing did we get to someone who could really help. We also have rsources, not everyone does.

Who really helped? What did they do?

Meds + therapy + supports at school (with an advocate at our IEP meetings).

What supports?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SESES Family Poster -

For 16:58, respectfully, I don't think I can answer the questions about reasonable environment taxpayers should provide. We're living the process and it's harrowing and daunting. I would start from the point of what needs to these kids have and what services match the needs. Then it becomes a demand/supply question and then funding.

Also, we're at a point where we're continuing to understand our little one, learning about experiences from other families, and outcomes achieved. So I don't have a crystal ball about what model works, let alone if that model or models works for all.

Here are responses to your other questions:

As we’ve heard from dozens of seasoned educators on this forum, the issue of classroom violence is skyrocketing. What do you feel is going on?
I can only comment on our experience, which I don't think is representative of the population. I provided an example of what happens with our LO in the original post. IMO, it's a mismatch between needs and curriculum/instruction. Then there is escalation when LO isn't able to maintain the same as gen ed peers. Also, we've had a hell of a time with medication. We've dealt with multiple psychiatrists who all take a try and see approach. In IMO, we saw an increase of behavioral issues as we tried new medications and dosages. It was a nightmare.

What has helped your child the most? Any particular individual, or method? Is your son’s father in the home? How does he respond to the violence? How do you respond?
For us, letting our LO recharge outside of school was very helpful. Providing lots of options for preferred activities and socialization helped most. Also, I'm LOs father. Further, I think your questions about responding to violence miss the point. Once there's escalation to the point of violence, there's very little that can be done in the moment. Understanding the cues and deescalation is essential. Keeping calm and showing empathy is essential.

Do you believe the other children in the classroom feel safe when they come to school? How should they be protected from assault?
I think these questions are for staff and specialists that have observed incidents and families of gen ed kids. What I can say is that my LO and other kids at school are friendly toward each other. LO is looking to have positive relationships and feels depressed after a dysregulated episode. The more is happens, the bigger the hole is to get out.


Again, I'm hoping that sharing our story helps to provide more context.

Agree with this poster. When our DC was 6 and was showing similar signs we BEGGED to be seen. Everyone was brushing us off. A totally useless psychiatrist ata reputable pediatrician's office just basically diagnosed DC with ODD and called it a day. It was only after pushing and pushing did we get to someone who could really help. We also have rsources, not everyone does.

Who really helped? What did they do?

Meds + therapy + supports at school (with an advocate at our IEP meetings).

What supports?

A school
With a guidance counselor and principal
Who get special education, a Homeroom teacher who gets SEL and is supported by leadership, a great paraedicator. People who
Are willing to look out for my kid when other kids purposely try to rile them up to get a reaction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SESES Family Poster -

For 16:58, respectfully, I don't think I can answer the questions about reasonable environment taxpayers should provide. We're living the process and it's harrowing and daunting. I would start from the point of what needs to these kids have and what services match the needs. Then it becomes a demand/supply question and then funding.

Also, we're at a point where we're continuing to understand our little one, learning about experiences from other families, and outcomes achieved. So I don't have a crystal ball about what model works, let alone if that model or models works for all.

Here are responses to your other questions:

As we’ve heard from dozens of seasoned educators on this forum, the issue of classroom violence is skyrocketing. What do you feel is going on?
I can only comment on our experience, which I don't think is representative of the population. I provided an example of what happens with our LO in the original post. IMO, it's a mismatch between needs and curriculum/instruction. Then there is escalation when LO isn't able to maintain the same as gen ed peers. Also, we've had a hell of a time with medication. We've dealt with multiple psychiatrists who all take a try and see approach. In IMO, we saw an increase of behavioral issues as we tried new medications and dosages. It was a nightmare.

What has helped your child the most? Any particular individual, or method? Is your son’s father in the home? How does he respond to the violence? How do you respond?
For us, letting our LO recharge outside of school was very helpful. Providing lots of options for preferred activities and socialization helped most. Also, I'm LOs father. Further, I think your questions about responding to violence miss the point. Once there's escalation to the point of violence, there's very little that can be done in the moment. Understanding the cues and deescalation is essential. Keeping calm and showing empathy is essential.

Do you believe the other children in the classroom feel safe when they come to school? How should they be protected from assault?
I think these questions are for staff and specialists that have observed incidents and families of gen ed kids. What I can say is that my LO and other kids at school are friendly toward each other. LO is looking to have positive relationships and feels depressed after a dysregulated episode. The more is happens, the bigger the hole is to get out.


Again, I'm hoping that sharing our story helps to provide more context.

Agree with this poster. When our DC was 6 and was showing similar signs we BEGGED to be seen. Everyone was brushing us off. A totally useless psychiatrist ata reputable pediatrician's office just basically diagnosed DC with ODD and called it a day. It was only after pushing and pushing did we get to someone who could really help. We also have rsources, not everyone does.

Who really helped? What did they do?

Meds + therapy + supports at school (with an advocate at our IEP meetings).

What supports?

A school
With a guidance counselor and principal
Who get special education, a Homeroom teacher who gets SEL and is supported by leadership, a great paraedicator. People who
Are willing to look out for my kid when other kids purposely try to rile them up to get a reaction.

Sounds expensive. It would be much easier to just expel them.