advocate.

didn't want to do it. i wanted the school to want what was best for noah. but it's just not happening. he has a great teacher but she is not very academically agressive. i am looking for noah to get mainstreamed (go to the general education class, versus the special needs class) for a minimum of two classes per day. It's criminal what they do to these children. schools here prefer to have them segregated and do little to nothing to help them be included with their general ed. peers. I was tired of hearing excuses and finally called an advocate through Florida Advocacy Center. She will coach me and sit in on the upcoming IEP meeting-- she will get noah what he needs because clearly my voice is not enough.

the drawback to getting an advocate is now i have drawn a line in the sand (so to speak)-- sort of an us vs. them situation. they will unwillingly give you what you want because they know the advocate knows every law, every detail of everything when it comes to these kids. they know it's not worth the trouble of fighting because after the advocate (if things don't go well) is the attorney. and they know he can do the work--that's the frustrating part. they just don't want to pay for an aid to help him with a lot of the physical stuff. and I was actually told recently that he could never be in that class because he would take twice as long to eat, to cut, etc. WHAT?! gosh, that's just ridiculous and ILLEGAL for them to say!

if only every person could experience discrimination in the way this boy has. the world would be a different place. Truly.

IEP updates to be posted as I get them.