Refusing to allow SN child on field trip bus
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Anonymous
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Trying to learn what the rules are around field trips for children with special needs. This week my DD has a field trip which a parent is chaperoning. On Friday, we received an email that she is not allowed to ride the bus even with the parent because her behavior is unpredictable (she's in an ED program). She has never had a behavior problem on any bus, including when riding the bus daily for over an hour a day to school. She also has a diagnosis of anxiety which rarely presents at all near a parent.
The field trip is to St. Mary's so it is really far. I feel that this is actually the school knowing that I will not drive over 5 hours in a day so it is there way of preventing her from attending. My reason for wanting her on the bus is that it is a special experience that the children have been looking forward to. Not only is the trip supposed to be great, but they are on charter busses and the children have already been talking abut which movies they will be watching. This would make her feel even worse about herself if she is not allowed to ride the bus. Are there any rules? Is there anything that I can do or say to prevent this? TY |
Anonymous
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I don’t understand the part about the School knowing you will not drive over 5 hours in a day?
Also, you mean that either you or your spouse will chaperone on this field trip, right? I don’t think I understood. |
Anonymous
| Ask to attend the field trip and ride the bus with your DD |
Anonymous
| I'm pretty sure that's illegal discrimination. Here's what wrightslaw has to say: http://www.wrightslaw.com/howey/field.trip.transport.htm |
Anonymous
| I would definitely complain. I think that’s illegal. |
Anonymous
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That is completely unfair. Please notify the principal, teacher, counselor and the hierarchical superior of the principal (look it up on the school website). You could offer to chaperone and sit with her, and point out that she's never had an issue on a bus or when there was an adult near her. |
Anonymous
| This is an official school district field trip? They need to provide her an aide. They can't exclude her from a school function due to her disability. If they are doing it during the school day and the school is organizing it it is not considered an extra curricular activity. |
Anonymous
| Discrimination with no basis in fact. Write an email to the principal, contact the cluster supervisor (or whoever it is who oversees your school in the special education office in Rockville--these positions were recently rejiggered). This would have me raging. My kid is supposed to have a harness on the bus. Once for a field trip for his special needs public (Stephen Knolls) I asked about it and got a very flippant response from the coordinating teacher. If the teachers at the SN public weren't paying attention to this kind of thing clearly nobody ways. |
Anonymous
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Is this a weekend long overnight trip? Are other kids from the ED program going?
I think what your school is doing is not inclusive and discriminatory and would file a complaint with whoever is in charge of Sp Ed in your state. When my son's school had a 5 day trip last year, our school gave him the option to not go which we took but he certainly could have gone if he wanted to. DS had an important competitive event to attend that weekend. DS10 with ASD/ADHD, is fully mainstreamed. |
Anonymous
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Op here-
1) This is an extended day- day trip. The location is 2.5 hours from school. 2) A parent (me) was already chosen as a chaperone and would sit next to her or around her. 3) Principal was cc’ed on email. Hope that clarifies things! I definitely want to complain- just want to make sure that this is something I can complain about. |
Anonymous
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It sounds like you need to take care of this fast. I would start with the school's principal and special needs resource and hope they can remind the teacher or organizer that they cannot exclude her from a school event.
If that goes nowhere, or if it was the principal sending you that email, go to the cluster supervisor and district compliance office. I'm sure they will back you up. If there's no aide at the school available they can hire someone from elsewhere in the district to accompany your child. They can also work with you on a contingency plan for what they can do if she has a behavioral issue such as sitting up front with the aide and reading a book or staying in the town library while everyone does a tour. |
Anonymous
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Sorry I wrote my email right before I saw your latest post, OP.
Yes, you should protest. You can respond and cc the cluster supervisor and the compliance office explaining that you have volunteered to act as a chaperone. What district, OP? http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/contact-us/#school-based "Refusing to allow a student with a disability to attend a field trip may be a denial of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Prior to excluding a student with a disability from a field trip, the school must consider if accommodations and supports will allow the student to attend, thereby giving the student equal access to the school program." |
Anonymous
| Does she ride a special Ed. Bus or a mainstream bus for neighborhood kids? If they don't think she can handle the mainstream bus and gets special Ed bus due to her disability then they need to provide a special Ed bus for her. Has she ever refused to be back on the bus at the end of the day? Are they afraid she don't wont board the bus at end of field trip and so everyone can't go back home? |
Anonymous
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She does ride a special needs bus to and from school (the only thing offered to get her to school). She has never not gone on the bus at the end of the day.
They just stated that "due to her unpredictable behaviors" a parent is required to drive her. I am so furious. |
Anonymous
No, they can't require you to drive. The school has to provide accommodations so she can go, not make you accommodate your DD for them. |