Students With Disabilities Rights

[lockhartkitchen]

My son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in November, and then 5 months later was in the hospital having surgery on a hernia. He has missed a lot of school due to both of these. We are looking at dropping his IEP for writing and changing to a 504, to protect US and him.

I am getting nasty letters from the district truency because he has been absent several days in the last two weeks. He woke up with below 80 blood sugar and we had trouble getting it back up. Long story short; I work for this school district yet I'm feeling attacked and stressed. I have students who only show up 4 days a week regularly, yet they're not being contacted.

Our frustration came out in my husband's last email response to "What can we do to help get xxx to school?" "Cure his diabetes!!" When you have a child with disabilities it is hard enough without feeling guilty. At this point we feel we are being harrassed. When my son returns to school each time, teachers are making comments to him about "you need to be in school, etc." I am a teacher , so I can understand their frustration. Try living with it!

 

[trps]

Have you sent a note with him each time just to let the teacher know each time why he was out. Not just he was sick. Explain it. I have a mom that likes to tell me the color of her sons vomit. I never asked why he was out but she may have felt the more I knew the happier I would be that he wasn't under my care while sick.

Also your son may feel like he is being given a hard time when the teacher may just want to let him know she wants him at school and missed him.

I know it is hard being a teacher with kids you always wonder what the teacher thinks you are doing when different things come up because you know how you would react.

Also talk to the truency officer and find out exactly what notes they need on file from the Dr.

Hope that helps

 

[Ginger428]

You DO have alot of rights! First of all, tell them you are going over their
heads. Everyone of his classes should have certain foods for him, he should be allowed to go to the bathroom whenever he needs to. If the teachers continue to make remarks...report them! You didn't say how old he is, If old enough, he is allowed to check his sugar whenever he feels he needs to. A good friend went through what you are & she went to everyone...Civil Rights,higher school board members & MOST important the ADA! My friend even got an email from Mary Tyler Moore. They will MORE than help you in anyway possible. One day he needed insulin, went to the nurses office, she was not in that day & the nurses aide was out to lunch & his medicine was LOCKED UP! My friend told them he would not be back to school until they did something. I sure hope this helps you, because no one should have to go through what you are....