Inappropriate response from teachers at Elementary School Summer Program

[Anonymous]

OP here...I am really surprised about those who find it appropriate for two teachers to be laughing at a child with diagnosed special needs during an anxiety attack. DS is behind in both expressive and receptive language so using words to describe kicking the hornets nest is not okay.

DS is normally very happy and social, but something is triggering his anxiety in that school. This is not his normal school but where MCPS decided this W school cluster's ES summer school program will be held. If MCPS is spending so much money trying to be inclusive, then I would expect more than the behaviors these two teachers exhibited. The teachers could have left the room to talk but they chose to stay (in an empty classroom) and watch DH comfort DS. Our family has a lot more resources than others and we would hate to see this type of behavior happening to other kids with SN without the family resources to recognize and prevent teachers from traumatizing SN kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make no sense. The teachers don’t sound inappropriate. Is no one ever suppose to laugh around your kid?

This. The teachers were talking amongst themselves, found something funny, and laughed. Your kid took their comment extremely literally, which is understandable for him, but you as an adult must know that that is just a turn of phrase and that no kid was actually hurt. The teachers were not going to disclose the actual details of their conversation about another student to your child, which would have been unprofessional, so they used a colloquialism. You need to explain this colloquialism to your child instead of blame the teachers.

And, you also should have known that summer school was not a good fit for your child. Don’t set him up to fail just because something is free.

I'm surprised what low standards you have for teachers.

Does anyone know hat are the basic qualifications for a para educator at MCPS?
Also for a teacher, do you have to be a para first? What are the basic qualifications for a teacher?

I would say maturity, compassion and a basic level of caring for your fellow man are basics these teachers don't seem to have.

Unfortunately this appears to be what is missing. So I wonder what do they look at when they hire someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Think about how it’s going to sound when you make the complaint…. I mean it’s not the best thing in the world, but you seem like you’re looking for someone or something to blame.

I am having this reaction as well. Maybe you didn’t give a good description of the event but really I don’t get it. Im a parent of a kid who made serious suicidal threats multiple times at school and had two almost successful suicide attempts. It is harder than most can imagine. But the world goes on outside the bubble of your crisis. I just don’t see your complaint getting any traction and you’re going to feel a lot worse when no one responds. What was going on with the teachers is not about you or your son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here...I am really surprised about those who find it appropriate for two teachers to be laughing at a child with diagnosed special needs during an anxiety attack. DS is behind in both expressive and receptive language so using words to describe kicking the hornets nest is not okay.

DS is normally very happy and social, but something is triggering his anxiety in that school. This is not his normal school but where MCPS decided this W school cluster's ES summer school program will be held. If MCPS is spending so much money trying to be inclusive, then I would expect more than the behaviors these two teachers exhibited. The teachers could have left the room to talk but they chose to stay (in an empty classroom) and watch DH comfort DS. Our family has a lot more resources than others and we would hate to see this type of behavior happening to other kids with SN without the family resources to recognize and prevent teachers from traumatizing SN kids.

OP, you should send a written complaint to MCPS and track it to see where it goes.

[Anonymous]

Here is the complaint form.
https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/forms/pdf/270-8.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Think about how it’s going to sound when you make the complaint…. I mean it’s not the best thing in the world, but you seem like you’re looking for someone or something to blame.

I am having this reaction as well. Maybe you didn’t give a good description of the event but really I don’t get it. Im a parent of a kid who made serious suicidal threats multiple times at school and had two almost successful suicide attempts. It is harder than most can imagine. But the world goes on outside the bubble of your crisis. I just don’t see your complaint getting any traction and you’re going to feel a lot worse when no one responds. What was going on with the teachers is not about you or your son.

Look how sure you are. Paid PR at work?

[Anonymous]

I say let it go and move on. You have learned not to send him to summer school. Focus your energy on figuring out how to best support his needs-at home, at his home school and privately. I understand how sad and frustrating this whole experience must be, but there will be many experiences that challenge you and your child and you have to find a way to move on and focus on what’s important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He sounds like such a sweetheart! He’s right! It isn’t funny to laugh at people being hurt. What a tender heart he has to see that, and how brave he is to say it out loud!

He does not sound like a sweetheart, he sounds like an unmanageable spas that the parents expect the county to do the parenting.

I can't imagine what a low life you to make such a commen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I say let it go and move on. You have learned not to send him to summer school. Focus your energy on figuring out how to best support his needs-at home, at his home school and privately. I understand how sad and frustrating this whole experience must be, but there will be many experiences that challenge you and your child and you have to find a way to move on and focus on what’s important.

No. OP is following the recommendations from teachers. Why do you not want to send child to school for crazy behavior of the teachers? MCPS has a responsibility to provide opportunities for all children. If child need support, why can't they provide the support?

[Anonymous]

I would put this in record so that in the future if need be, you can hold MCPS accountable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here...I am really surprised about those who find it appropriate for two teachers to be laughing at a child with diagnosed special needs during an anxiety attack. DS is behind in both expressive and receptive language so using words to describe kicking the hornets nest is not okay.

DS is normally very happy and social, but something is triggering his anxiety in that school. This is not his normal school but where MCPS decided this W school cluster's ES summer school program will be held. If MCPS is spending so much money trying to be inclusive, then I would expect more than the behaviors these two teachers exhibited. The teachers could have left the room to talk but they chose to stay (in an empty classroom) and watch DH comfort DS. Our family has a lot more resources than others and we would hate to see this type of behavior happening to other kids with SN without the family resources to recognize and prevent teachers from traumatizing SN kids.

Sounds like you've figured out what it is. He knows he's in the care of mean spirited b/tches. Kids know, and now you've seen it for yourself. Your DS is right to be anxious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here...I am really surprised about those who find it appropriate for two teachers to be laughing at a child with diagnosed special needs during an anxiety attack. DS is behind in both expressive and receptive language so using words to describe kicking the hornets nest is not okay.

DS is normally very happy and social, but something is triggering his anxiety in that school. This is not his normal school but where MCPS decided this W school cluster's ES summer school program will be held. If MCPS is spending so much money trying to be inclusive, then I would expect more than the behaviors these two teachers exhibited. The teachers could have left the room to talk but they chose to stay (in an empty classroom) and watch DH comfort DS. Our family has a lot more resources than others and we would hate to see this type of behavior happening to other kids with SN without the family resources to recognize and prevent teachers from traumatizing SN kids.

Then put him in a private school and stop humble bragging. Your kid, your problem and stop expecting lowly paid summer school teachers to respond like counselors to the problem kid breaking down repeatedly. The way forward starts by admitting your kid is that kid and nobody else really cares. In fact most people less than care, they resent him for injecting crazy into their environments. Micro aggressions are they least of your kid’s problems, they have a life time of slights small and large ahead of them and society will consistently try and push them to the side so they can ignore them. But go ahead and complain to the superintendent about some giggles, that will teach him how to cope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here...I am really surprised about those who find it appropriate for two teachers to be laughing at a child with diagnosed special needs during an anxiety attack. DS is behind in both expressive and receptive language so using words to describe kicking the hornets nest is not okay.

DS is normally very happy and social, but something is triggering his anxiety in that school. This is not his normal school but where MCPS decided this W school cluster's ES summer school program will be held. If MCPS is spending so much money trying to be inclusive, then I would expect more than the behaviors these two teachers exhibited. The teachers could have left the room to talk but they chose to stay (in an empty classroom) and watch DH comfort DS. Our family has a lot more resources than others and we would hate to see this type of behavior happening to other kids with SN without the family resources to recognize and prevent teachers from traumatizing SN kids.

Then put him in a private school and stop humble bragging. Your kid, your problem and stop expecting lowly paid summer school teachers to respond like counselors to the problem kid breaking down repeatedly. The way forward starts by admitting your kid is that kid and nobody else really cares. In fact most people less than care, they resent him for injecting crazy into their environments. Micro aggressions are they least of your kid’s problems, they have a life time of slights small and large ahead of them and society will consistently try and push them to the side so they can ignore them. But go ahead and complain to the superintendent about some giggles, that will teach him how to cope.

You must be the reject teacher that needs hand holding to not go home and cry at the slightest issue in your classroom. Do you need 10 drinks to get through a day of school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here...I am really surprised about those who find it appropriate for two teachers to be laughing at a child with diagnosed special needs during an anxiety attack. DS is behind in both expressive and receptive language so using words to describe kicking the hornets nest is not okay.

DS is normally very happy and social, but something is triggering his anxiety in that school. This is not his normal school but where MCPS decided this W school cluster's ES summer school program will be held. If MCPS is spending so much money trying to be inclusive, then I would expect more than the behaviors these two teachers exhibited. The teachers could have left the room to talk but they chose to stay (in an empty classroom) and watch DH comfort DS. Our family has a lot more resources than others and we would hate to see this type of behavior happening to other kids with SN without the family resources to recognize and prevent teachers from traumatizing SN kids.

This sounds like your first foray into summer school. As a parent of a mentally I’ll child who was Main streamed for awhile, I can tell you that summer school is the worst. The new environment triggers anxiety and the normal supports available during the school year that make school manageable and successful do not exist. The teachers are not the regular teachers. Unless things have changed, IEPs aren’t usually available until midday the first day so the entire first morning is a terrible time for some kids. And whatever the IEP called for during the regular school year was never enough for for summer school for my kid.

FWIW, if you plan to do summer school in the future (and it’s ever required but you might want it for credit recovery), you have to be majorly proactive as a parent. I always took the first day or two off and I worked with the person overseeing summer school before and during to get the supports that would lead to success set up.

And this year summer school is worse due to teacher shortage.

One last thing. It was unlikely that the teachers were allowed to leave the room even with your husband there. It probably was gma choice to stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here...I am really surprised about those who find it appropriate for two teachers to be laughing at a child with diagnosed special needs during an anxiety attack. DS is behind in both expressive and receptive language so using words to describe kicking the hornets nest is not okay.

DS is normally very happy and social, but something is triggering his anxiety in that school. This is not his normal school but where MCPS decided this W school cluster's ES summer school program will be held. If MCPS is spending so much money trying to be inclusive, then I would expect more than the behaviors these two teachers exhibited. The teachers could have left the room to talk but they chose to stay (in an empty classroom) and watch DH comfort DS. Our family has a lot more resources than others and we would hate to see this type of behavior happening to other kids with SN without the family resources to recognize and prevent teachers from traumatizing SN kids.

Then put him in a private school and stop humble bragging. Your kid, your problem and stop expecting lowly paid summer school teachers to respond like counselors to the problem kid breaking down repeatedly. The way forward starts by admitting your kid is that kid and nobody else really cares. In fact most people less than care, they resent him for injecting crazy into their environments. Micro aggressions are they least of your kid’s problems, they have a life time of slights small and large ahead of them and society will consistently try and push them to the side so they can ignore them. But go ahead and complain to the superintendent about some giggles, that will teach him how to cope.

Speak for yourself. Personally I think we need less people like you in our world. Society would be so much better if we had more quality people -- i.e., not like you.