I was going to write something more uplifting today, but…
Well, between the comments here and on our local Autism Parents group on Facebook, there was the question of what can be done to “Fight the Man”, as it were. So, in the interest of offering up some tips that we either already knew or learned in the most recent process: Continue reading
And even with the outcome of the Monster’s IEP process for SY 2015-2016, I’m still very upset.
Look, the fact that it took this much fighting to get to this point, when there is so much evidence of the fact that he’s needed more help all along, tells me that the system is absolutely, positively broken. The law requires that students with disabilities get a “Free and Appropriate Public Education” (FAPE), and according to national standards, Maryland is “meeting requirements”. But there’s something that’s missed in the midst of all of this – the Monster is only getting the help he needs because my wife and I dug our heels in and fought. Continue reading
And now, the explanation for why I’ve been so quiet.
Two months ago, I last posted about the IEP process (see IEP Year Four) and where it had gotten to… and then I promptly got very, very quiet about the process. Yes, other things happened in the meantime – my wife and I went on vacation, and then I went off to curling trials, but my posting hadn’t come back up to normal frequency.
That’s because things went absolutely sideways after our last IEP meeting. Continue reading
Just thought I’d pop my head up here for a moment.
Many of you are probably wondering why I’ve suddenly gone so very, very dark in my posting – not that I was posting a lot of late before the last few weeks.
We’re in the midst of trying to get the Monster’s IEP straightened out before the new school year begins in about five weeks. (Yes, you read that right. We’re still in the middle of the IEP process, with school starting on August 31st. The Monster’s last IEP expired in March.) Couple that with a ton of work-based stuff for me, and it’s just been a little hectic for me to think about how to best censor myself so I’m not saying things I shouldn’t as we’re preparing for the IEP meetings.
I promise I’ll have something meaningful/deep to write later this week, after the Monster’s latest IEP meeting on Wednesday morning.
In the meantime, to all my fellow special-needs parents out there – keep fighting the good fight.