Reading Recovery Program For 1st Graders Only?!

I've just been chomping down on my tongue, and just can't take it anymore...  I need to ask you guys what you think of this...

School's come a long way since I was in grade one...  Mind you, I only spoke Slovenian, and when I went to grade one, didn't know a word of English.  My parents didn't speak much English, and were planning on moving us back to Slovenija, so they weren't really concerned about my not being able to speak English.  My teachers on the other hand were very concerned, and ended up failing me my first year of school.  Of course, back then, there was no such thing as 'no child left behind,' and the importance of 'social promotion' verses 'education.'

Anyways...  During my visit to Dayton's school for his IEP meeting, I had an opportunity to learn from the guidance counsellor about the reading recovery program in our school division.  Did you know that it costs $3000.00 for a child to be in the reading recovery program?  I had no idea...  Not only that, but not all school divisions offer the reading recovery program, and for those that do, it is only offered in grade one.

I am really concerned about this Mr. Premier.  As if you actually care what I think, but as a parent of a member of our future generation, I am very, very concerned about this.  You see, my son is in grade four, and he is desperately struggling to read and write.  My boy's reading is at about half way through grade one, and I'm afraid to even guess where his writing level is at, but I'm going to guess it's no where near grade one level. My son is not able to write even a small sentence.  I think that you should be worried too.  I know my child is not the only one falling through the cracks here...

 The "Honourable" Premier Greg Selinger...  

To add insult to injury, I know that my son's teacher, education assistant, guidance counsellor and resource teacher would love to help my son, but can only do so within the parameters given to them.

Of course, Mr. Premier is not at the elementary schools to answer to concerned parents is he?  No...  So who does the parent take their frustrations out on?  Who does the parent blame for their child not getting an education?  Why their school of course!  Makes sense, right?  I mean, it's the school's responsibility to teach our children, right?

I freaking hate politics.  Hate them with a passion.  They have no business in our schools!

I need to do MORE research, again...  Grrrr...

What are your thoughts?


Consider yourselves hugged,

Lou

Finally, A Response From The Premier's Office!!!

Remember my post titled "An Email To The Premier Of Manitoba Regarding Our Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders?"  I sent that email on April 26th.  Getting impatient, as we all know how impatient I am, I decide to call the Premier's office.

Premier's answering service:  "Your email is under review."
"Under review?  What does that mean?"
"I'm not sure..."
"You're not sure?!  Could you pass the phone to someone who can help me?"
"Yeah, can you hold?"

Silence.  Not even elevator music.  On hold for five minutes.  Do you know how long five minutes is when there's no music and you're ticked beyond belief?  It's a looooooooooong time.  By the time the poor girl got back on the phone, I was ready to scream.

She gets back on the phone:  "Your email is under review, meaning 'they're' looking at it."
"Does that mean 'they're' reading it now?  How long until someone calls me to discuss my email?"
"I'm not sure..."
"Well, put me on hold and find out, or get someone who does know on the phone!"  I've lost all patience now.  I have things to do and people to annoy.  Ugh!  I'm betting she's blond and her name is Bubbles.  I'm wondering if she's the coffee and donut girl.

Bubbles finally gets back on the phone, stammering:  "Reviews take between one and two weeks, then someone will get back to you."
"I don't have two weeks.  I'm very upset, and I've just been handed a five page "Threat Incident Form" from my son's school because the teacher feels my son puts her life in danger.  It seems the school thinks a 60 lb 9 year old is able to kill a 170 lb adult woman.  Each page is stamped with the word "CONFIDENTIAL."  I'm guessing this has to do with your office transferring the call I made to you last week to my MLA, who in turn called Manitoba Education.  Manitoba Education in turn called me as well as Dayton's school.  The principal threw the five page "Threat Incident Report" at me and through flaring nostrils told me Manitoba Education was paying them a visit.  Awwwwwwesoooooome...  So you see, I need to talk to someone NOW!!!"
Bubbles:  "Ummm, OK, would you like me to leave a message?"
"Ummmm, yeah!  Do that!"

About an hour later, I get an email:

May 2, 2011

Lou Lovrin

healthy.you.home@gmail.com

Dear Ms Lovrin:

On behalf of the Honourable Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba, I would like to thank you for your recent email.

We have taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of your correspondence to Honourable Nancy Allan, Minister of Education, and to Honourable Gord Mackintosh, Minister of Family Services for their consideration and response. 

Once again, thank you for writing to Premier Selinger.

Sincerely,

Judith Baldwin

Coordinator of the

Premier’s Secretariat

Of course, I lost my ever living mind.  Did Judith bother to read my email, or just saw the word autism and decided to forward the email to Manitoba Education?  Seriously?!  I had been calling the Premier's office since noon yesterday, when I received the email.  I've left at least a dozen messages for Judith to call me back.  This afternoon, I snapped.  I call the Premier's office at 3:26pm this afternoon, and guess who answers the phone...  That's right, it's miss Bubbles!  Oh joy!

"Hi, I just spoke to you a couple of minutes ago, and quite frankly, I'm done talking to you after this phone call.  I've left a dozen messages for Judith already, so I want you to leave her a new message.  Tell her I'm mad.  Tell her I've spoken to CJOB radio station and told them my story.  They're interested in doing an interview with me.  You let her know that if I don't hear back from her by 4pm tomorrow, I'm not only doing the interview with CJOB, but I'm going to Global TV and CTV and the Winnipeg Sun.  Any questions?"

Half an hour later, I get a call from Judith. Had I known that all I had to do is threaten her, I would have made this threat in my email to the Premier.

Judith sounded concerned about my fight for Dayton's education, completely missing the boat.
"This is not just about Dayton Judith, this is about all kids with disabilities.  1% of our children are now being diagnosed with some form of autism.  This 1% does not include the rest of the disabilities children are being diagnosed with.  We have a problem in our education system.  Parents are forced into bankruptcy because they have no faith in our education system and have to home school their children.  During today's "The Town Hall" on CJOB, a concerned parent asked the Premier why his teenage daughter's high school has 2 law textbooks for the entire class.  The teacher has to photocopy the textbook for the rest of the class.  WE HAVE A PROBLEM!  It needs to be addressed!  This is not something Manitoba Education can change, only our Premier can, which is why I emailed him, only to have YOU respond to me.  THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE."

I continued with my views on "inclusion" and how I really loved the "theory" of "inclusion," our children are not experiencing genuine inclusion.  As parents we don't have a choice in our children's education, nor do the schools get help with our children from the government, other than money.  We need more services, more Occupational Therapists, more Speech Therapists, more autism savy educators and teacher's assistants... etc.

She promised my concerns are not falling on deaf ears, and that she will be calling me back.  I told her not to bother unless I get an appointment with the premier.  And if I don't...  I told her to let him know that I will be talking to him on CJOB in person during his "The Town Hall" interviews every first Tuesday of the month from 11am to noon Central time!

Let's see what happens, shall we?!


Consider yourselves hugged,

Lou

An Email To The Premier Of Manitoba Regarding Our Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Dear Mr. Premier,

This email is written to you in the hopes of getting your attention to the problems faced by parents with children on the Autism Spectrum.  I ask that you read this email with an open mind, and recognize that I am not merely criticizing the school system, but desperately seeking some change.  My son Dayton's diagnoses are as follows:  Global Delays, ADHD and PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified, a very, very high functioning form of Autism).

First, I would like to say that I am very pleased that the government does not shun our children into a "special school" where the building is considered more of a dumping ground for the inept children.  I am glad that in the government's eyes, my son is entitled to the same education as anyone else.  I love the "theory" of inclusion. 

My concern is that not all schools are equipped or skilled to follow through with "genuine inclusion.'  Most of my son's inclusion has proven to be "cosmetic inclusion."  Dayton spends the majority of his time in the hallway.  The school he is currently attending claims that this is by his choice, not the school's, but it appears they have no control of my son or his behavior.  If they did, he would genuinely be included in the classroom.  I think the problem stems in their misunderstanding of the Autism Spectrum.  Please don't take my opinion as though I'm suggesting that the school Dayton attends is not working hard with Dayton, but they are not skilled or knowledgeable in teaching or including a child with autism.  The Autism Spectrum is a very, very broad spectrum.  If you've had the pleasure of meeting a child with autism, you've met a child with autism.  Not one child is the same.  What works for one child, will not necessarily work for another. 

The most common thread of these children is their inappropriate behavior due to their inability to control impulse and their inability to cope with emotions and sensory issues.  I have moved through three different school division to get Dayton the education both you and I believe he is entitled to.  Dayton's current school thinks that at the core of Dayton's inappropriate behavior is my parenting.  They have called CFS about my parenting twice in the last year. I can not begin to explain the humiliation of this experience.  Furthermore, they did not believe that Dayton's diagnosis of PDD-NOS falls under the Autism Spectrum, which has resulted in them "disciplining" Dayton in the way that makes sense to with a typical child.  Sometimes even worse...  An extreme example of their discipline was when they had four teachers force my son to the floor, all of them laying on top of him over a misunderstanding because of a torn back pack, at eight years old, weighing fifty pounds...  This resulted in my loss of daycare, forcing me to work part time.  The incident traumatized my child into hiding under his bed for a few days, not being able to eat because of a sore throat due to his screaming at the school staff to let him go.  Suspending a seven, eight or nine year old child who is delayed by two years is not teaching him a consequence, it is a punishment to the parents.  My son is now looking for ways to get suspended, as to him it means that he doesn't have to show his peers just how far behind is from the rest of them.  The suspensions have been a "reward" for him.  In his mind it is better to be seen as "bad" then "stupid" in front of his peers.  Dayton's self esteem is at an all time low, as he constantly tells me he is stupid, he can not learn, so what's the point of me trying to help him at home...

The last CFS call resulted in them immediately closing the file, and asking me what they could do for me.  I wanted an advocate from the system to advocate on my son's behalf in his school.  They provided me with Brenda Suderman, an amazing woman, who is fighting for my family.  She is a true advocate, and very much a support to my family.  I have humbled myself and allowed a worker to come to my home to give me advice on working with my son once a week, but even the worker is telling me that I am doing everything with Dayton that she would recommend herself. 

On calling your office, my call was transferred to my MLA, whom I had already spoken to.  The MLA's office promised to  contact Manitoba Education with my concerns, and assured me that someone would call me to discuss my concerns further. 

Marlene Gregory of the Manitoba Education "student services," suggested that I fill out a "school of choice application form" and have it submitted by May 15th, giving me false hope for my son's future education.  It turns out that school divisions do not accept this application if the student it is being filled out for has special needs!  Even if there was a chance I was able to move to their school division (rental availability in the city is sitting at 0%, furthermore, my child with autism needs stability, and I've moved from school division to school division three times to get him a "promised education"), I can not get my child into an autism program or an adaptive program because they are all full.  When I called Mrs. Gregory back and conveyed my results, she informed me that the school divisions have the right to deny the application...  I have every reason to believe by Dayton's child psychiatrist who diagnosed Dayton with PDD-NOS, that he can live a productive life, become a contributing member of society, providing he gets the services and support his current school division is not providing him.   

Mr. Premier, I ask for an appointment to see you, and discuss my son's education.  This is not only a concern for my son, but for all children who have been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  One in a hundred and ten children are being diagnosed with a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder today and the numbers increase every year.  These children are our future and they need your help.  Help them...  You can make a difference in these children's lives, if you want to, and I know you do.  You are a wise man, if you weren't, you would not be the premier of Manitoba.  Imagine our future if these children do not receive your help...   You are our leader, our voice of reason.  I know that as a parent alone, I can not make a change, but you...  You can make all the difference to our children's lives and education. 

The stress I have endured as a result of Dayton's discrimination has taken a toll on my health.  I am currently on medical leave, and am available at your earliest convenience to meet with you. 



You may reach me at home at 837-6308 or by cell phone at 771-4546.  My email addresses are healthy.you.home@gmail.com and autism.diva.help@gmail.com.  I look forward to your call.






Sincerely,


Lou Lovrin, a mom of a beautiful nine year old boy, who desperately seeks your help.