Weekend Update

• Yesterday, two different doctors told me that they could not see my son.
• Who had a fever of 102.
• So I showed up anyway.
• They did a chest x-ray.
• He's on steroids and antibiotics.
• Ha.
  
• Well, kind of. It's not like I want to be right at the expense of my son's health.
  
• Now, about that art teacher.
• It's exhausting and emotionally draining to recount all of it.
• There were problems with her last year, and the Sp. Ed team had to start accompanying R. to art b/c the teacher wasn't able to avoid power struggles with R.
• Latest was a message FROM THE CLASSROOM TEACHER (not the art teacher, who NEVER attempted to discuss anything with us) that Rose had to be removed from art by the principal.
• Proposed solution to the ongoing problem with art teacher is that R. simply stop going to art, instead, learning to use a keyboard to improve her writing.
• Bullshit, illegal and pathetic.
• On the other hand, do I need to make some kind of statement on my daughter's back? (kind of like my triumph at my son's infection...?)
• Called the art teacher, who stated that: 1. She had never read R's IEP. 2. She had never attempted any kind of problem-solving with R. and 3. R is removed from specials all the time, that she has problems everywhere she goes, and that the office had instructed specials teachers to simply call to have R. removed.
• I asked her to repeat that last part, since I had NEVER been told that R was being removed from specials, and since I had never been told of any such policy of simply whisking my daughter out of class.
• She repeated it, and I told her I would double-check with the administration to see if that was in fact what was in place for dealing with one of their students.
• Assistant principal had no idea what I was talking about, but decided from the tone of my voice that this would be an appropriate time to PULL THE PRINCIPAL OUT OF A MEETING to talk to an overwrought parent.
• Principal denied that R was regularly removed from specials, cited gym class, where R had once had problems and now simply gets an occasion time-out, and had not heard a whiff of the plan to simply TAKE ROSE OUT OF ART in order to TEACH HER KEYBOARDING.
  
• So here, verbatim except for blocking out the harpy's name, is what I said to the principal.
• Well. It really is verbatim, because by the time I talked to the principal, I knew I could not be coherent without notes.

Well, the idea has merit. Peter and I have talked about it, and as a short-term solution, maybe we do need to consider it.

Obviously, Rose really needs to learn how to use an Alpha-Smart, and time will need to be devoted to that. Also, returning to art day after day, a place which is unhappy and seems to not only perpetuate but actually emphasize her different-ness, is not how we want her to spend her time.

Certainly, the benefits for Ms. "Harpy" are clear. She doesn’t have to modify her approaches or her curriculum. She is able to sidestep the animosity that she so clearly feels for our daughter, continuing to marginalize one of "local school’"s students. She is able to cite the special ed team as the reason for the change, continuing to avoid accepting responsibility for one of her charges. In spite of what is a well-known and long-standing problem in her relationship with Rose, Ms. "Harpy" has never initiated a problem-solving conversation with us, Rose’s parents, and she has failed to return our phone calls that have attempted to open up communication.

Let’s imagine for the sake of argument that we choose to end Rose’s art instruction for now. She will instead spend her time doing writing, which is painful, arduous and which she hates. She will continue to be robbed of the opportunity for one of the means of creative expression which she so obviously needs, a chance for growth in an area which, at home, she has demonstrated not only some proficiency, but enjoyment and fulfillment.

On the other hand, she will not have to drag herself, day after day, to the room where she is at best ignored. (From my perspective, however, you need to know that Ms. "Harpy" has underestimated Rose’s ability to report the events of her day. Rose clearly knows that Ms. "Harpy" spends a lot of time sitting at her computer, clearly knows that she needn’t bother asking for help, and knows that Ms. "Harpy" treats her differently. Furthermore, it’s no secret that asking our daughter, who has an IEP, to work in a collaborative group, is a pedagogical choice that is almost perfectly designed for Rose to fail. Again, what a brilliant decision to allow Ms. "Harpy" to continue ducking her responsibility- now it’s the KIDS who are pitted against Rose!)

• There is the update about the art teacher. I'm exhausted. You'll have to tune in later for any other weekend updates.