It breaks my heart to see bright young parents of bright young kids become frustrated with badly broken traditional school systems – and continue accepting the “is.”
I communicate daily with these families, and its hard to watch, because I watched my son and his peers live it for far too long.
The pattern, as I lived it, involves annual failures of schools and staff to prepare for anything other than “ordinary” students. Young children who require a 1-on-1 aide are dropped off on day one. Parent learns later that their child’s first day was a nightmare because there WAS no aide – despite the district’s prior knowledge.
After a few days missing work to battle with administration and keeping the child home due to safety concerns, you’re likely to see the district’s “Help Wanted: Para-educator needed for K-6 Special Education program…” ad in the classified section of the local paper…
This happens because districts will not do prework to ensure students with disabilities deserve a Free and Appropriate Public Education. They’re perfectly happy seeing a kiddo be underserved and shown that they are undeserving.
And yet, parents seem to believe they could not do better. You can. It’s a different kind of work, and I assure you it will not pay well monetarily. It sucks to realize that an “adequate” car, home, wardrobe, etc., may have to suffice as raising a child with a disability requires a full-time advocate, so one parent will have to postpone career aspirations. It especially sucks for single-parent families.
So, what’s your priority? Pretty simple question. My position is such that, if I have to quit work due to the local political/educational body’s lack of competence, I may as well compete. When enough jobs are lost in the broken industry, THEN change may become attractive to them.
Recall the pathetic state of the American auto industry thru the 80s and 90s? Success of foreign competitors – fueled by Americans’ refusal to pay for shoddy junk – eventually forced The Big Three to retool their business models. It was painful for their workers, but those workers can once again be very proud of the quality products Big 3 now produces.
And no, not everyone has the means or ability. to create a school. But if you were able to earn a college degree or, even better, can identify a number of ways in which your local, public school has failed your child out of sheer lack of interest? You got this.
#unschool #takeastand #makeabetterway
outerself initiatives 