Blatant Socially Accepted Discrimination @ SUMMER READING CAMP?

Blatant Socially Accepted Discrimination @ SUMMER READING CAMP?

Blatant Socially Accepted Discrimination
3rd Grade Reading Camp June 22 - July 24, 2009
Riversand Elementary School - Broward School District FLORIDA

*Yesterday I received a phone call from Mariah's 3rd grade reading camp teacher, his name is Mr.R. He has such a nice strong friendly articulate voice and was glad to meet me, asked me if I was still planning having Mariah attend the 3rd grade reading camp. To be honest I completely had forgotten and hadn't logged the date and times into my fancy iPhone calendar to remind me! Of course I was still planning on Mariah attending the 3rd grade reading camp I told him...we talked on the phone a bit as I had lots of questions for him. He has this wonderful booming voice that just makes you want to sit and listen to him, as I was listening to him on the phone, I was envisioning how my daughter would like him and how his strong voice was going to be a positive influence on her for the few short weeks that this 3rd grade reading camp is for. He has that kind of "wonderful story telling voice" that would make anyone want to sit and listen to him read them a story!

After a little bit of a conversation on what the reading program is about and how it is presented to the students, I just knew this was going to be a positive experience for my daughter. I told him about the Headsprout reading program www.headsprout.com Mariah has been using since the 1st grade at home and how she has been accessing the Odyssey program aka the Compass Learning Odyssey Online Program her entire 3rd grade year. http://compasslearningodyssey.broward.k12.fl.us/childu/index.html I also mentioned that her ESY was just a 'home packet' this summer, instead of her attending the Extended School Year program aka ESY. Telling him how she is very computer literate and enjoys using several computer and online reading programs that documents her academic progress. He was thrilled to hear how involved I have been in working with my Child and at one point even suggested that maybe she didn't need to attend the reading camp! Oh...no...she WANTS to attend school and meet new 'friends' and go to a new school for the summer....I was flattered he thought that I was 'doing all I can' to help my daughter learn to read..that's when I asked him if he knew she had Down syndrome..."no", he said he did not know that...well of course he didn't...that doesn't need to be written all over her paperwork to attend! He didn't seem to be too overly concerned about it, so we moved on with our conversation. Brain Pop Jr. is another wonderful online program that Mariah really likes too. www.brainpopjr.com

I gave him some more information on the home reading programs Mariah has been using. Told him I would send in a few of her little books that can be printed out from the Headsprout program just so he could see and get an idea on what she is using. I asked him for his email so he could be sent email updates after she completes a lesson, he agreed and gave me his email. He said it would be good and was looking forward to meeting Mariah in the morning at school. I told Mariah about her going to school in the morning, she was happy and excited about meeting her new teacher and making some new friends.

Mariah and I woke up wayyyyy too early for a 'summer vacation day'....the alarm went off at 6:15AM. The coffee was brewing, we both got dressed, brushed our teeth, combed our hair and I poured my cup of coffee and out the door we skedaddled into the wet overcast morning to the car...looks like a long raining day today! Mariah was very excited to be going a different way in the car and to a "new school". I told her this was the school that her brother James went to and her Aunt Barbie did too! That made her so happy to know her brother James went to this same school! The things that make her smile!

We were one of the first to be out front of the school so early! A lady came out and even commented how early a few of us were and directed me to go to the office since today was her first day. We went to the office, met the nice office ladies and had a nice chit chat with them and were directed to go to the cafeteria for the breakfast. We didn't get any 'slip of yellow paper' with her name or teacher info on it at that time, but now know in hindsight that's what I was suppose to receive from those nice office ladies.

We went to the cafeteria and got in the breakfast line, she put the few breakfast items on her tray, of course I had to let the kitchen staff know that she can't have milk, so she got the dry cereal, applesauce and biscuits with jelly. We found our way to the table and met some of the other students and enjoyed some conversation. Mariah was quiet and slowly was eating her breakfast, when she was done she threw her stuff away and then went to sit at the table that had her teacher's name on it...we looked for Mr.R's name card on a table and sat down with the other students.

Other parents were waiting with some of their Children until it was time for them to go to class, so I stuck around and waited too. Mariah was so excited to be there and sat waiting like everyone else...a little anxious for the start of a new 'school day'! Everyone was just waiting for 7:45AM...then I saw a previous years ESY Principal Ms.L, she recognized me too and said, hi to me from across the room and then the same lady that met us outside the school when we first got there, came up to the table that Mariah was sitting at and started talking to Ms.L and said something like why was Mariah sitting there isn't she suppose to be in Ms.T's class, not Mr. R's class? I spoke to Mr.R and knew who the teacher that was assigned to her was and it was NOT Ms.T! This was all so odd the way this person was talking about which teacher Mariah was suppose to have!...I even said to her, "no she's not in Ms.T's class...she's in Mr.R's classroom, we spoke on the phone yesterday!" She strongly stated that I needed to "step outside' with her.......what??? I needed to step outside with her?! This sounded like she was looking to fight with me by the tone of her voice and the stern look on her face!Ok....I followed these two women just outside the cafeteria doors and the discussion went like this....The lady that was a tad stern with me, started telling me in a confrontational tone that my daughter was suppose to be in Ms.T's ESY classroom! Ms.L was standing right next to this lady that I had no idea who she was, but she obviously was a person in authority...I am guessing now that maybe she the summer school Principal??...there was no introduction or shaking of hands....like when I met Mr.R for the first time in the front office a moment ago...no decent polite respect for one adult to another....she was trying to pull the rug out from under my daughters right to ATTEND THE 3rd GRADE READING CAMP...right now and right here!!

There was an intense exchange of words from this person that I still had no idea who she was or why she was acting so out of line and somewhat mad about the fact that Mariah was in Mr.R's reading camp classroom! She said several times something about Mariah's reading level and what is BEST FOR THE CHILD...and what was her reading level? That is where I looked at Ms.L, who I do know and she is somewhat familiar with my daughter, but does NOT know my daughters reading levels or anything about her other than she is a student with Down syndrome that attended an ESY school that she was the Principal of a few years back...neither one of these women know my daughter at all....and yet here I am on our first day of 3rd GRADE READING CAMP and I now part of a conversation that sounds just a tad confrontational to me in the fact that she is 'in the wrong program' and that "we" needed to do what was going to be in the "best interest of her".....absolutely...I agreed and absolutely want what's best for Mariah more than these two will ever know!!!...Gosh....I didn't know I would have to wake up so early only to be met with such a 'resistant combative person' over my daughter attending A 3RD GRADE READING CAMP?!

The person that was being confrontational to me, finally told me, "SHE IS THE Principal of THIS program and if she NEEDS to be IN ESY than that is where she will be attending!".....I calmly said that my daughters ESY "program" is a HOME PACKET that included the Odyssey computer program and that it is NOT written on her IEP that she attend an ESY 'site', but just a 'home packet'....which is the computer academic program. I had to remind "this Principal"...who I still did not know her name....I had to remind her that it was an IEP team decision that she have a "home packet' for ESY this year. I asked her, "why was she being so confrontational with me on this", she said she didn't believe she was!! Is this how professional Principals 'meet' parents on the first & second day of school? She was so rude and disrespectful to me as another adult and especially as a parent bringing my child to school for the first time to attend the 3rd Grade Reading CAMP over the summer! We did talk about her IEP and what it says about her 'attending ESY'....I mentioned that if my daughter was put into the ESY program and not be part of the READING CAMP that I would file for a DUE PROCESS because what she was saying was wrong and I wasn't going to stand there and be BULLIED BY HER either! Mariah was signed up to attend the READING CAMP not ESY this year!

I had to walk away from this woman before I lost my composure as she was already showing towards me....I was shaking inside and had to feel good about leaving my precious little girl on this campus, to know that she was going to be safe and in the class she was suppose to be in! I walked away from 'this person' down the hallway a little bit and prayed a little prayer that I could stay calm and think clear. I turned around and went to go back into the cafeteria to stay with my daughter till it was time for her to go to class...all the other parents were still there...and I would be too!

I asked "the Principal" what was her name and she told me, "Ms. T". I reached out my hand to shake her hand and introduce myself...to start on a different foot? I dunno...don't think her 'mind-set' will ever change...as she seems to have the 'majority mind-set' of what many Principals and many General Education teachers still have today....I'd like to call it: BLATANT SOCIALLY ACCEPTED DISCRIMINATION!

Because my daughter has Down syndrome...she was being SINGLED OUT by this PRINCIPAL to NOT be part of the 3rd Grade Reading Camp today!!!...because why? She certainly didn't know my daughter AT ALL or her abilities...she certainly has never laid eyes on her IEP...her IEP was not part of this 3rd Grade Reading Camp! BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER "HAS THE LOOK"....SHE WANTED HER TO GO TO THE "SPECIAL ED CLASSROOM" WHICH WAS NOT PART OF THE 3RD GRADE READING CAMP PROGRAM!After I reached out to shake her hand, I asked what is her name, she told me, "T". I asked her what was the READING PROGRAM they would be using in the ESY Program? She said she didn't know anything about ESY!!! (...and she has been standing there saying that's where my daughter is suppose to be and she doesn't know anything about what curriculum they use in ESY for reading?!) She earlier had asked me 'what level' was my daughter in reading and my reply was that she was, "BELOW GRADE LEVEL" that's why she's here for the reading camp! I asked, "if all these students were reading on grade level?" "Of course they're not...that's why they are all here attending this reading program!" "...well that is why my daughter is here too!" "...and what was the reading program they would be using?"..."a district approved reading program"...I asked, "if I could see how the program works so that I can have a better idea on what would be BEST for my Child...." She said, "I could observe anytime." I will absolutely be coming for a few visits to see how this wonderful "district approved reading program is being delivered to MY GIRL"...also just to make sure she is in the correct classroom with Mr.R!

Why do some school administrators have to act the way they do because of their own outdated thinking? Ok...so now what....how is a mother suppose to feel at this point? It's not even 7:30AM in the morning and I have already been asked to, "step outside"....almost sounded and felt like a bar room brawl was about to happen to me!...the way she asked me to "step outside"! Dang...what is with people anymore...where is the decent human respect for one another? My daughter and myself didn't do anything to be 'singled out' and be treated with such BLATANT DISCRIMINATION to have my daughter attend the 3rd GRADE READING CAMP!!! She is allowed to be there like any other Child!!...SO WHAT SHE HAS DOWN SYNDROME!!! SO WHAT!!???

My daughter was so excited to GO TO SCHOOL today! I was excited for her and to have her be part of a wonderful READING PROGRAM with a new teacher that had called and talked to me on the phone the night before...he's the new teacher that I was looking forward to meeting and getting to know. He's the teacher with the wonderful voice...he's a teacher that has been teaching for years and enjoys teaching Children how to read! He had already told me it was a small group of about 7 students that showed up on the first day and he was looking forward to meeting my daughter. He knows I am working with her at home and she is using the Odyssey computer program...he even said to me...."you seem to be pretty involved with helping her, maybe your daughter doesn't need to attend the program, since you are doing so much with her at home already."... Mariah loves going to school and being around new people, she likes to make new friends. She wants and needs all the extra help she can get, especially in regards to reading....all academics really...as she needs all the opportunities available to her to help her be her personal best!

Mariah loves books, she is learning to read and reading simple stories independently. She just needs those in the teaching profession to BELIEVE IN HER and provide her with whatever it takes to help her move to the next level........to automatically say that a person is suppose to be in a certain classroom because of 'how they look'...or because of a certain type of disability...is wrong and society...our schools are a 'society'....our Principals and teachers are part of that school society....they need to STOP THE BLATANT SOCIALLY ACCEPTED DISCRIMINATION that continues to happen everyday...student after student....MY CHILD HAS A RIGHT TO BE....a right to be taught how to read, a right to be included in general education classrooms, a right to attend whatever program everyone else attends, a right to participate in extracurricular programs and clubs, a right to a FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION and more than anything a right to be RESPECTED!!!Show some respect to not only my daughter....but to all those parents that are raising beautiful Children that 'need a little extra' BELIEF in them that they CAN DO...what everyone else can do...just give em the chance and be respectful of their RIGHTS!I picked up Mariah at noon, she was standing next to Mr.R her wonderful summer reading camp teacher! He is friendly, nice and more than anything...he is respectful! I like that in a teacher especially!

Thank you Mr.R for making Mariah HaPpY today!!...by INCLUDING her in your class today...she LOVES her new class, her new teacher and her new school...for the summer!

Tuesday June 23rd, 2009Nancy Linley-HarrisParent and Inclusion Advocate for my daughter Mariah

*Actual names of those involved in my stories are changed, the name of the school I change to be a made up school name. I do post the name of the district the story took place. I can use my own daughters name, because she is my daughter and this is her BLOG. Please post comments if you have a similar story or can relate, would love to know what you think! If you have a similar story that you would like to see posted to my BLOG send me an email at: podsangels@bellsouth.net

Dad v. Autism: Dad v. Summer School

Dad v. Autism: Dad v. Summer School: "He probably could have been swimming... So Noah has gone to Summer School for the last three summers. It is paid for by the school system ..."


Thursday July 28, 2011         Dad v. Summer School

*Check out my cousin's blog....from Michigan before reading my post below.

I came to the same conclusion back when my little girl was in the 2nd grade! She took the 3rd grade FCAT and failed with flying colors! Because of that...she was 'entitled to attend' the 3rd grade READING CAMP for all 3rd graders that didn't pass the FCAT. That was a BLOG story I posted back then about when she was attending the Reading Camp. The Principal of the Summer ESY Program and the Reading Camp for 3rd graders, took one look at my daughter and very loudly (and unprofessionally) in front of the entire cafeteria filled with students and staff....told me that my daughter needed to 'go over to the OTHER SIDE' of the divider in the cafeteria where all the other ESY students were. She very rudely stated, that she needed to be in Mrs. SoInSo's classroom! I will find the date of that blog posting...it's a sad but true story of just how much PREJUDGMENT still goes on with people....especially Administrators that are 'in charge' of lots of our kiddo's! Here is the blog post from THAT wonderful experience!!
Blatant Socially Accepted Discrimination 3rd Grade Reading Camp? June 22 - July 24, 2009

ESY ~ Extended School Year for our Kiddo's that NEED the intensive help to gain academic skills so they don't LOOSE any of their academic progress over the summer time break is a great and wonderful program for students. ESY classrooms are filled with wonderful teachers and staff that work over the summer. ESY is NOT an INCLUSIVE General Education type classroom setting, the Children all have an IEP ~ Individual Education Plan/Program with the SUMMER TIME high priority academic and "educationally relevant" therapeutic needs to be worked on during the short and sweet time frame over the summer months.

I have personally gone and done OBSERVATIONS of her ESY classrooms on several occasions to each of the ESY school sites over the years from the time she just 3 years old till when she had just finished attending the 2nd grade. I personally meet her new Summer time ESY teachers, staff and principals at my daughters ESY schools. THIS IS A MANDATORY IN MY BOOK to do each year you send your kiddo off to ESY!! I tell parents all the time...give the ESY school site 3 days to 'get settled' and before the end of that very first week of ESY....make contact with the ESY office staff and set up an observation time. Once you have gotten a teeny tiny snap-shot of your kiddo's ESY day and a feel for the program, you will know without a doubt if ESY will be best for your kiddo! Sign up for it and attend....but do an observation and know more about what the ESY school day is really all about and meet and know who the teacher and staff are that will be responsible for your Kiddo!


Is there classwork and homework during the summer ESY program? Have you seen or not seen classwork coming home or notes from the teacher or staff?....do all you can to see and make sure it's going to be the BEST use of every ones time to have your Child continue into the 2nd week! You will know before the end of week 2 if it is going to be worth a darn. PS ...remember that observations are not the time to TALK or have big old long conversations about your Child with the teacher....it is an observation...and many times...not always a true snap-shot of how the 'academic' day really goes along. It might even be an observation of an ALL HANDS ON DECK type of situation...not real at all of how the day actually is.

Support staff....find out WHO ARE THEY? The main ESY teacher....WHO ARE THEY? What school do they teach at during the school year? What sort of classroom are they used to teaching and what types 'disabilities' do they have training and certification in to teach? It is just good practice as a parent sending your Child off to school, to KNOW the Certification their teachers hold. Here is the Teacher Certification LOOK-UP link for the Florida Department of Education: http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp  This link is something you should know how to use and be using on a regular basis for all teachers and staff! Mark it as a favorite and put it on the computer desk top for quick reference. Share it with other parents!! Know what all your teachers & staff are CERTIFIED IN to teach! Know the members of your IEP TEAM and what they are CERTIFIED IN TO TEACH! Make sure your IEP TEAM are the REQUIRED IEP TEAM MEMBERS and are CERTIFIED in what they say they are at the IEP meeting.

I am all for ESY ~ for students that need it! I am all for parents being INVOLVED AND ABLE TO SEE WITH THEIR OWN EYES WHO IS TEACHING OUR CHILDREN! I encourage everyone to make sure you get the first and last name of every single person that ever works with your Child. Look up their teacher certifications on the State Department of Education websites and know what they are certified in. I am NOT for taking hours and hours of total 'fluff' to determine ESY 'eligibility' and to also take hours to write an ESY IEP! I am all for DISAGREEING to anything you do and/or don't believe is what your Child needs from his/her ESY program.

Parents are taken on an EMOTIONAL ROLLER-COASTER RIDE of emotions over the IEP process as it is....why do 'they' put on such a show for the ESY ELIGIBILITY IEP meeting and waste so much time with what should be basically simple and easy to do for our kiddo's!! I have attended some ESY IEP meetings that turned into 4 hour Circus Acts and for what...for the fact 'the IEP determined' that the Child only 'qualified for 2 HOURS per week on a MONDAY!!! Really.....the Child has a MATRIX of 253-254 and would only NEED 2 HOURS PER WEEK ON A MONDAY?? That particular parent learned how to sign 2 different DUE PROCESS PAPERWORK THAT DAY! It did not go to Due Process and low and behold 'the right' amount of days and the right amount of time was provided to that Child for ESY that year!

ESY ~ It's a GREAT Program! It's the process of getting 'qualified & eligible' and the correct and needed amount of time the student will be able to attend the program for. Always remember it's 'the IEP TEAM that determines' how many weeks and how many days the student qualifies too attend for. Being told many times that, "the ESY Program is for the really BAD KIDS" or "it's for the REALLY INVOLVED kids"......(I have heard these similar type comments said way too many times when I attend IEP meetings with parents!) Getting it all written on the IEP document is all fine and dandy....but like any SPECIAL EDUCATION Supports & Services, YOU have to be part of the TEAM!!

ESY CAN BE WHAT YOU MAKE IT TO BE BY YOUR BEING INVOLVED!! Establish COMMUNICATION between home and ESY teacher and school. Ask for HOMEWORK and send it back to the ESY Teacher everyday. I had an ESY teacher that was so happy I wrote a daily note and said I was, "THE FIRST PARENT TO EVER DO THAT at ESY!!" (I really hope not!!) Do you know the Daily SCHEDULE and the OT, PT, ST person that will be seeing your Child and for how long and where? Do you know who the classroom assistant is and what they do during the regular school year and what school they work at? Do you know the age of the other classmates? Are they a lot older than your little one? What grade are most of the other classmates? Are they students with challenging behaviors that your Child doesn't have now and absolutely does NOT need to be 'watching n learning' from as well? THIS STUFF IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW! Our Children need a good classroom that is tailored to their needs, not tailored to the 'schools needs' or the 'teachers needs' or the Administrators needs....it IS about YOUR Child's needs! Be a confident advocate and do what is BEST for YOUR Child!

Raise the bar on EXPECTATIONS....from everyone! If you don't communicate to the ESY TEACHER & STAFF at which they probably did not attend the ESY IEP meeting or may not even ever see the IEP! Most ESY teachers are just meeting your Child for the first time and don't know your Child at all or may not have even laid eyes on your Child's IEP document or ever seen the ESY "PLAN".

Say YES 2 ESY! ~ Do YOUR part as a parent and go OBSERVE the classroom you are sending your Child to over the summer! MEET THE TEACHER & the ESYAdministrator!

Look for FUN over the summer.....HOME SCHOOL the ACADEMICS if you can....Create your own school work! YOU KNOW your Child BEST! Be the summer teacher....and have FUN with your Child!

School is around the corner....DUST OFF THOSE IEP's and start planning for the real goals that absolutely need to be mastered within 1 school year!

Have a FUN Summer!


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