For those of you unfamiliar with special education, this teacher is acknowledging that MCPS is violating state and federal law. But, in order to prevent parents from taking legal action, she lies by saying she'll provide supports she knows she won't. And since parents generally aren't allowed in class, they would have no way of knowing those supports aren't being provided. |
It’s so disturbing that parents aren’t allowed in class. That would never happen at my daughter’s school. |
As a parent, it took me a while to figure out this out on my own. Once I did, and I started making explicit references to the processes for requesting resources from central, our school IEP team became much more open about it. But I don't understand why they couldn't/wouldn't be more open about it from the start. Best case, the parents may be able to help put pressure on central. Worst case, some of their ire may be redirected towards central. |
“WAH! Why don’t you say this so I can sue the school?” You’re absurd. Honestly? I have kids of my own and a mortgage. Just like everyone else, I am going to protect myself first. Sorry, I am human and my ability to live the rest of my life is simply more important than other people’s kids. |
Honestly? I have kids of my own and a mortgage. Just like everyone else, I am going to protect myself first. Sorry, I am human and my ability to live the rest of my life is simply more important than other people’s kids. Ok, although if you’re the same poster as the beginning of this thread, I don’t know how you could possibly believe you hold the moral high ground. But, what doesn’t make any sense to me is that plenty of IEP teams do simply refuse to put things in IEPs. What’s going on in your case that you’re being told you can’t do that, apparently while threatening to retaliate against you if you do? And if it's really that bad, I don't know why you wouldn't whistleblow, after which it would become very hard for MCPS to take any adverse job actions on you without risking a lawsuit. |
Very disturbing. It was the principal not teachers. We could only go for open house and two parties a year in es. |
Our kids with small accommodations may need it just as much or more. It’s sad how Mcps fails these kids. |
Same. When I wanted to volunteer in the classroom, the teacher looked at me like I had 3 heads. |
X Minds is an organization of hundreds of local parents of Neurodivergent kidd. I recommend everyone with an ND kid join and become active within the organization. I realize this doesn't cover every SN but it's a start. The problem with SN is there are very few organized advocacy groups. Parents are also hesitant to be vocal for fear of "outing" their child. Most of us know what's going on in the classroom and the office. The lies and the gaslighting. We just don't know what to do about it. Get involved. |
Honestly? I have kids of my own and a mortgage. Just like everyone else, I am going to protect myself first. Sorry, I am human and my ability to live the rest of my life is simply more important than other people’s kids. I’m a teacher who posted above. This is why I quit working at one school. I was threatened with legal action even though I calmly and repeatedly explained I can’t perform a task the family required. They may as well have asked me to move a mountain or drain an ocean; I didn’t have the time, ability, or access to resources to do what they wanted. I quit to protect myself. I knew the demands were going to escalate and no reason or logic on my part was going to make a difference. I loved that school and would have preferred staying, but my health and family have to come first. |
I’m not a special education teacher but a general education teacher. From what I have seen, no one is trying to lie and hide things on purpose. The special education team at my school genuinely cares about kids and advocates for them. It just becomes impossible sometimes to provide all the supports that some students need. The staff is overwhelmed. Some iep meetings take several hours and that is just for one student. Some parents can also be unreasonable and unrealistic. Lawsuits happen frequently and cause additional stress along with an extra deluge of paperwork. |
You basically have one option. Seek outside therapies and resources. The tutor me was wonderful to fill in the gaps but of course mcps screams poverty for that. |
I cannot imagine most take hours. Ours was recycled from another child, including with their name in a few spots and several things made no sense. We were not allowed any input and were told to sign or we’d lose services. Given what was offered given that current staffing nothing sadly was better. I wish I got an advocate early on but it seemed to make more sense to use that money on services privately which we could get immediately without a fight vs advocate or attorney fees. We couldn’t afford both. |
Our best teacher which was only one year tried hard to advocate for our child and was denied at every point. She was fantastic and the only one who took the time to get our kid. The special education teacher did not get the issues at all. What may seem unreasonable to you may not be and just unrealistic for you do you call it unreasonable. Kids can be complex but it’s the kids who are quiet and not demanding who are often the ones who need the most help who get ignored. |
The special ed shortage is real and I’m not sure those who don’t work in a school understand it. If 25 kids in second grade all have IEPs and there is one special ed teacher for the entire grade, there aren’t enough hours in the day for that teacher to meet everyone’s needs. Classroom teachers and support staff fill the gaps as best as they can, but no, a special educator isn’t providing all of your child’s services.
Having an advocate is wonderful but can’t make staff the school doesn’t have appear. I am no apologist for MCPS after years of fighting with them for my own kid but they do have to work with the staff they attract. |