Wah Hoo!
Ever since Ash has started school DH and kiri have been constantly reminding me to "play nice" and "be cooperative" and "be tactful!". Which IMHO has resulted in Ash getting an education that amounts to little better than advanced daycare.
Since this is a transition year, the pair of them have had their horizons broadened a bit. Most importantly, they have found out that there has been an autism specific program at no less than 3 locations in the county that would have been more appropriate for Ash these last five years. I have been telling them there was something odd about his being the only autistic kid in his class if, as the school told us, there were no programs locally. This has made my partners a wee tad irritated.
So DH and kiri let me off the leash. I am to go forth and thrash the infidels! Yeah!
Now since we have been quite adamant about Ash going into a specific program, the coordinator of special education for the district is taking my phone calls personally, and the things she has said and done! She has been sending us all over the county on wild goose chases, said there were no program openings in places that there were, told us there were openings in places that there weren't, and so on. Most recently I tracked down an age appropriate, autism specific program myself that is closer than anything she has had us check out. I made sure the opening was there, then I ran it past the special ed staff via phone, and got it set up. So Ms district coordinator calls me up, tells me that it is not as good as the mixed program at the local middle school (where the teacher has _never_ worked with an autistic child). We are all quite sick of this nonsense, so I requested a CSE meeting immediately. (CSE- Committee on Special education) She put me off. Refused to call the meeting until after we had toured a facility at the other end of the county that is the sister facility to the one I have him set up at. Now that is a big no no. Any parent has the right to call for a CSE meeting at any time.
So I called VESID today, and talked to the area person for special education. (VESID- Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities, it is state run)
I explained this poo to her, and she called the Director of Special Services at the school district. He is more than a mite perplexed, and I think after he called and talked to me that he mght get this straightened out lickety split just so he does not have to displease me and have his ears slashed on the phone again. Curiously enough he seems to be under the false impression that the countywide facilities are not allowed to have specific programs for specific disabilities. Um, dude, look at the website at least before making such statements. He is going to call the facility I got a placement at, and find out what their deal is. He was under the impression that they had no openings. Gee, I wonder who could have told him that? (grr) But if they do, then it is obvious to him that that would be the most appropriate placement. He also told me that Ms. district coordinator told him she did not tell me we couldn't have a CSE until after we toured the far away facility. Well DUH! admiting to something like that could mean her job. Anyway, the CSE is scheduled, we obviously just haven't gotten the paperwork yet. *roll eyes*
He is doing the call everybody and their brother thing, and will get back to me later today or tomorrow.
Ahhhhh! Being allowed to go forth and slay is a fresh breath and a spring rain! I feel better than I have in days!
NightMist