The upshot is that it has been a year of James being without a steady, structured educational environment. It's showing. It's come at a horrible time of a flood of hormones, added height, and explosive frustration.
In short: two Sonoma County school districts, our State and Federal governments failed us at a crucial time and they pretty much bank on parents like myself being too tired, broke, or ignorant to do much about that.
Here's where being outraged pairs well with stubborness and endurance. I am currently engaged in several Processes, some of which include legal, to fight for my son to be educated and supported per his legal rights. To give him tools so later in life he can be as independent and self-supporting as possible.
I call them Processes for the good of my soul. It's long-termed and I know he won't get his full legal entitlements while the federal Secretary of Education removes guidance and legal protections for other-abled students, our state government continues a pattern of funding cuts for public schools and special education, districts side with unions over student needs, and schools actively work to keep special needs parents in the dark about what is actually happening at school.
My mother taught for 30 years. She worked for and received a Masters in Special Education while my brother and I were in high school. I have helped teachers in private and public schools since I was in the 5th grade. I have seen a lot of school from both sides and understand how games must be played to do the best one can in a system. I understand schools are being asked to do too much with too few resources and training. I understand it is hard to work with kids in general, our kids in particular, and sometimes parents most of all. I do get infuriated when I want to pitch in and help but get treated like the enemy. And lied to. And meanwhile, my guy gets put in a corner and short-changed. Over and over. So yes, outrage.
Our public schools systems are not perfect. They never will be. That doesn't mean we get to shrug our shoulders and let it go. Throwing money at schools is not a solution (although it can help). It doesn't mean that yelling or pointing fingers will do much. I think our best bet is to keep trying to hold schools and government agencies accountable, and try our best to partner with them for our kids in this Process.
