oh he will enjoy that almost as much as having a double root canal while having an exploratory laparotomy. I have had the pleasure of introducing a few people to leather restraints, Donnah. What a surprised look they had on their face when I walked in...

I apologize, I don't want to seem callous to the little bastard's predicament, but my wife taught ESE
kids for 10 years...she was assaulted twice. Finally, she had enough and quit, thank God..I finally got to throw away all those decorations.

My guess is this teacher's aide wasn't aware of rule one, don't get close enough for them to get you.
She will get sued, no doubt...and the school, and the PCSO, etc.. if these kids are our future, we are screwed.

Hi --

That boy was my son 13 years ago. He did those same things. It was horrible. I had to quit my full-time job to be available when the school called for me to come pick him up for whatever he did next.

One very important thing that may make a huge difference in the Pasco County child's future is whether his parents are involved in every aspect of his day to day activities, including behavioral treatment. It is not the school's or society's responsibility to raise a problem child, but unfortunately often that's what happens and the story's end is a sad one.

Our family went through years of pure *&^@!, but we managed to hang in there with counseling for our son AND for us, medication, etc. We also were as involved as possible in his school activities, going on field trips to ensure there was extra help for the teachers in case our son got out of hand, and cooperating with the schools in every way possible to ensure our son was given the best opportunity to learn AND that he faced the consequences for his bad behavior (which was often).

Today he's a high-school graduate who will begin his freshman year in college this month. He's a gifted musician and writer and has matured into a beautiful, loving adult. I look at him and cannot believe he is the same little boy who walked into his kindergarten class back in the early 1990s with a frown on his face and a major attitude up his sleeve.

God is good.

that sounds like a true success story... Unfortunately, the vast majority of ESE children that I have run across (aside from those who are post a)accidental near drowning b)surgically intervened spina bifida c) Down's syndrome ) have been placed inappropriately into the program.

As you stated, these are children who need the loving and guiding hand of involved parents, family, etc. Before my wife quit, she did teach for a while
in a private school (where my daughters attend) and came home crying the first day..exclaiming, "I actually got to teach today!" , UNLIKE the years
she spent trying to discipline children in the public school system- where there is no discipline.

She risked her job and career by praying with children who's parental figures were..well, I remember her calling me and asking me what to do about a kid who quietly asked her what to do about a dead crackhead in the bathroom at home.

I guess I am a little peeved at the system. I have to pay out the nose so my children are held accountable for learning, yet I also pay out the nose so we can shuffle kids through the public schools.

In the public system, her kids...the ones in the ESE programs (she has the big certificates) flat told her, they didn't have to do anything..PROVING
they were 'exceptional learners'.

The assistant principal caught her 'making a child sit down' once. She walked a thinline for too many years, I am glad she quit. BTW, I rolled my daughter into many, many ESE classrooms prior to her passing, so I figure I have a little glimpse
into the whole thing.

I would venture to say that 50% of the ESE and Excetionality's kids are inappropriately placed. I can't remember what the plannng sessions are called..but for some they should be called 'POL meeting'.

ESE kids are not necessarily behavior problems. Neither are all regular-ed kids well behaved.
Learning ability and behavior are separated issues.
Behavior problems have many sources. Some are environmental causes and some are just wired that way. No fault of anyones.
What causes ADD or ADDH? ...don't know.
What was once called emoitionally hadicapped is now labeled "supportive behavior". I think that is a better term because the former implies mental illness.
ESE is not that often misdiagnosed. The ESE part is easily recognized: The IQ is greater than the actual performace.
When the ESE kid needs a "supportive behavior" classroom, or when the regular ed kid needs the extra "support" that's when things gets crossed.
What I hate the most is when I have to do the paper work on a kid that is like the one in the article, but because of a really shity life/parents, or both, the little monster has been created.
I have a duty to do so because I have 26 other kids ( and FCAT) that can't be held hostage to one child's outrageous behavior.

yuk.. We are trying to remember what those damn planning sessions are called, not IEP's or Care Plans.. I guess I should be grateful I don't remember..Ha !

Not only was I probably ADD, ADHD, etc... I think
schyzoid might have been apropos. But my Dad, thank
God, was an expert in dealing with that kind of behavior.

I found out later that it is so much easier to parent by not diciplining, or having any expectations of the child. I also learned that there is no self esteem to preserve at birth.

are you thinking of BIPs: Behavior Improvement Plans
in 04-05 school year I did five, five from one grade level!
one screamed and threw tantrums (11 yrs. old still doing that?) because as a small child he never had his basic needs met. Mom was single, drunk, and did her own thing. (remember the baby monkey who went to the wire mommy with the cloth, rather than the wire mommy with the food?)
The second, never was controlled in any way at all. He was my 4th grade student also, so I knew him as a 9 yr. old, even then he would talk as nasty and surly as never I'd heard any grown man talk before. "What @#^ing page,...I ain't #@*&* any @#$* book, M#@ther%er"
the third,.. parents at war, the fouth mom's lesbian lover..., the fifth, OMG, mom was aressted for having sex and smoking crack with the boy's 13 yr. friend.
these are white kids...cracker white kids. Parents and grandparents went to this school.
Whenever I watched Jerry Springer I wondered how their kids behaved at school.
Probably in "Supportive" behavior schools by now.
After all that, we are told 93% of men in prison are kinesthic learners, and schools by in large teach through audio and visual methods. Like we are to blame in some way.
But don't get me wrong, I do love my job :)

Nancy, did you watch the video at the 'previous postings' link? It's amazing.