Thursday, 18 March 2010

• Exclusion of an Aspie Child

  So I’m having a pretty good day, till the school contact me. 
  
  The rude receptionist at the other end of the phone informed me that little man was being kept in the head masters office and he needed me to come and collect him right away.
  
  What the hell, Here we go again. I had only just returned from the school five minutes before as I had to collect some papers from the office and sign a form for little man to see an outreach working that dealt with Aspergers and behavioral problems. She was due in now why couldn’t she do something to help? After all it’s her job.
  
  I was starting to feel like a yo-yo my poor 11 week old son needed his feed yet I’m off out again. Lucky for me I was staying with family due to ongoing plastering works at home so at least I could count on mum.  
  
  I marched into that school with steam flying out my ears. I didn’t even look at the receptionist as she was walking a thin line with me. My main concern was for my son and me giving her what for really would not help. She could wait! Just then I see the head who is walking towards me shaking his head. Yer can u belive it I wanted to shake some sense in to the man but some people are a losing battle and getting this man to understand was kinda like getting a one year old to do math. Lets not forget this guy tried telling me little man had no problems at school just at home! yer right I think he needs to eat his own hat.
  
  The head starts by thanking me for returning to the school and leads me to the office, the one that I’m seeing a little too often for my liking. “I really tried but his just gone to far today”  I tried don’t see anyone trying!  He goes on to tell me that little man has sworn at him and the deputy head. He then was asked to come to the office but instead ran all the way through the school kitchen and along the corridor. No one could catch him and all the time he was running he was shouting abuse at the staff.
  
  He said it had to stop.
  
  He needs to follow instructions and isn’t! Because of this he thinks its best if he is excluded from the school for the remainder of the day and tomorrow. I’m going to court on the 30th March as the school believes his attendance was poor from June 09 to Nov 09. Whenever he refused to go I phoned the school requesting help only to be told it’s my own problem. Then at a meeting I’m told that just because he is diagnosed as having Aspergers does not mean it’s a reason to not attend school. The thing it wasn’t was the reason his sleeping problems brought on by having Aspergers. Then the problem is them and in my mind if a parent needs help you offer it! You don’t make them attend court.
  
  Now here I stand and you are excluding my child - the very same child you said was an angel in school when you blamed my parenting for his behavior at home. The same child you state should be in school everyday as Aspergers is not a reason for no school attendance. Wow how things have changed!
  
  I had a solicitors appointment  at 4pm and now I would not be able to attend. God I’m seeing a solicitor for the school having me up in court but I’m unable to make appointments with him as the head and reception staff are always calling me in.“Miss Parkinson you need to understand I have no choice. If Giovanni did not have special needs this would have happened a long time ago” What the hell you trying to justify?  You people denied having received his formal diagnosis but it was sent to six different professionals within the school, and a meeting was held with his DR and the school SENGO. Somehow I find this hard to believe, and to be honest, a school a diagnosis on paper shouldn't have mattered. You should have recognized he had special educational needs.
  
  As some of you may know I have sent my request to the LEA for an assessment of needs with the schools full support. Now we understand why the sudden turn around occurred. You just want him out! You gave up! The head lets little man into the office and explains whats going to happen.
  
  He just looks at me and make no eye contact with the head, and then turns and tells him he made a big mistake, just you wait and see! With this I looked at the head with a smile and said ” Do you see? My son is a clever child because he speaks the truth! You may not yet see it but yes this is a massive mistake on your part. I turn around and little man and I head for the door. Just as I’m about to leave the head shouts OH ONE MORE THING. EXCLUDING HIM EVERYDAY AT LUNCHTIMES IS  LOOKING VERY LIKELY RIGHT NOW. I bite mt lip and just nod and walk away. If they really think I’m going to pick him up each and every lunchtime then they are dumber then I thought. I have contacted educational welfare, parents in partnership, the governing body, and the LEA. I also plan on contacting my local MP. When speaking with little man later on that evening I discover that it all started when he stuck up for his little sister when she fell out with another child. He was trying to be there for his sister. 

  
  

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