This really annoys

[teacher]

Hi,
I am the alternative school teacher who wrote that letter to the editor. I stumbled across this site by accident but had to register and tell you how much I appreciated your responses and support. To give you an update, Friday one of the parents from the Grad Night committee went on a local radio show defending their actions. The same banter quoted by the other previous parent with regards to losing grant money etc. She also went on to say that everything I stated in the letter was "false." Stopped short of calling me a liar.

Currently I am trying to get a copy of the grant and find out who holds the purse strings to this money. I hope to have a candid conversation with them before going public again. It's always good to make sure you have all the information. I liked the idea about 20/20, do you really think they would pick up on this story? I hope you guys keep this conversation going I may need some out of the area support in the near future. Thanks so much and keep talking.

 

[meowbunny]

Okay, I'm pretty weepy right now, anyway, but first, thank teacher for writing your letter and caring enough to keep on fighting for our kids.

Yes, our kids are different. They don't fit the mold but they work ten times harder to succeed than the kids who aren't different. Most kids at alternative schools are contending with language impediments (both foreign-based and speech and learning issues); home lives that no human should have to endure, let alone a child; single parenthood at an age when they are but children. Sure, there are some true punks at alternative schools, but most are not. Most are decent kids caught in a trap not of their making, one that makes mainstream school an impossible obstacle.

Students at alternative schools aren't stupid. They may have learning or physical disabilities. They be unable to focus for long periods of time. Worse yet, they may be so smart that your regular, mainstream school bores them to tears. For parents who think alternative means lazy and stupid, you should check out an alternative school. You might be surprised how many of the students there can make a college grad look incredibly dumb; who can out debate the best debaters in the country; who are willing to work when challenged.

To have these children be deprived a rite of high school is not just wrong, it is obscene. Shame on any parent who would deprive a child just because he or she doesn't fit your idea of what a "good" student is! It is up to adults to teach their children tolerance and acceptance. Instead, you have a group of parents showing a severe lack of knowledge and a flat-out bigotry that shouldn't be tolerated -- not by the school district; not by the educators, students and parents of those attending the alternative school; and, most importantly, not by the "silent majority" that is condoning this bigotry.

Personally, I hope that the $125 bag of goodies is tossed away next year and that money be used to buy every student at the alternative school a ticket to grad night so that grad night is truly a night of celebration for every teen who has managed to graduate. It is not an easy accomplishment in today's world.

The parents and school districts who either vocally ban alternative students from participating in school district events (whether planned by students, parents or schools), the school board members who allow this banning, the parents and students who stand on the sidelines and say nothing should all be apologizing to these students. There is no excuse!

Oh, and why shouldn't kids who are homeschooled be allowed at grad night? Haven't they earned the necessary credits to graduate? Do you really think the kids of these perfect parents with perfect children are that much better? ARGH!!!!!

 

[susiestar]

Teacher,

Thanks for writing in to us. This is a huge injustice, and I hope that by next year it is corrected. I hate the hypocrisy and lies that allow this sort of obscene abuse of kids who are different from the regular kids. I honestly think many of them, even the ones with learning disabilities, are smarter than most of the "regular" kids. And the kids at the alt school work so much harder to graduate.

While I know that prejudice and racism are alive and well in my town, I do know (because I checked) that kids from the alternative school ARE allowed to go to the graduation and to any school sponsored parties, proms, etc.... At least that is what the board of ed says. I refuse to talk to the principal of our alternative school - she is NOT a decent person and I know too much about her. But I also know kids in our alternative school. They ALL received invites to the festivities and parties, though many chose to do other things and they have their own parties and celebrations also.

It takes a LOT of guts to stand up against the school system you are teaching in, especially in such a public way. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.

Hugs,

Susie

ps. I am sending a private message to you.

 

[Sara PA]

"It became school POLICY for all ED students to be in their ED classroom during ALL parties when this stupid woman became principal. The Superintendent couldn't believe it - but several parentsbacked up the complaints."

Excluding Special Education students from school activities based on their being Special Education students is a violation of IDEA. If the situation hasn't been corrected, and it sounds like it has been, it should be reported to the state DOE because the district is out of compliance.

 

[Marguerite]

Totoro, you wrote, "This teacher at least stuck up for the parents a bit, he did not need to."

I was getting ready to write this reply even before I saw that teacher had joined our ranks. Also please be aware, in case I get things wrong - things are a little different in Australia, but I think I have got the gist of how it works for you, at least in this case.

Totoro, I think teacher's apparent support for the organising parents, at least in part, was darn good strategy. If you're going to go in criticising someone for their stand, going in with all guns blazing and giving absolutely no quarter can lower you to their level and to an outsider, it looks too much like a mirror image situation - both as bad as each other; why would I want to get involved?

But when you go in with the kindness and tact that was NOT displayed by the group you are criticising, you get more attention from people who value fair play.

What teacher was saying (and please correct me, teacher, if I've got you wrong) was that credit needs to be given to those who worked really hard, because to organise an event like this is a huge task; BUT (and I wish I could make that word bigger) that no amount of such hard work gives ANYONE the right to hold (and enforce) such a narrow-minded opinion.

In saying it this way, teacher is ensuring that the organisers can't come back with that argument of "you don't know how hard I worked on this - and to be told we have to share it with those lowlifes is just not fair to me and the other parents who all worked so hard!"
Teacher has already knocked those arguments on the head before they ever get the chance to be uttered.

It's a very effective way of negotiating and of registering your complaint in a public forum. If you can make it clear that you HAVE considered ALL points of view and you still cannot see how anybody could be so mean, then you will win far more otherwise impartial observers over to your point of view.

If you don't do this, you risk ending up looking like Hatfields vs McCoys, with anybody not involved not even wanting to know about the problem.


It sounds to me like there is plenty of scope for making a lot of trouble for the people who organised things in such a mean and thoughtless way. Go for it. I would be asking for an apology for the exclusion, as well as an apology from the people who publicly voiced such bigotry.

This isn't just about unfair exclusion, it's about removal of CHOICE.

And teacher - welcome. And good on you. You are a brave person as well as a master of diplomacy and effective negotiation. Well done. Are you available for cloning?

Marg

 

[teacher]

Hi Marge and thanks for your comments. Yes, I agree with you. I felt that the majority of the parents were just trying to do a good thing for their son or daughter. They didn't expect to find themselves in this public relations nightmare. Unfortunately, the jerks of this group are the most vocal and "people" who are not used to this type of thing, sit quietly. I'm sure they will come forward and voice their opinion as more letters are printed in the paper. Here is the latest letter which ran yesterday.

I attended and graduated from SHS. I also attended the long-anticipated Grad Nite along with volunteering for my two younger sister's Grad Nite as well.

I have been an at-risk teen counselor in our community and am appalled by the audacity of these supposed “community driven” folks.

Grad Nite is a celebration of completion of the long awaited four years of hard work. The students at LPO dually work just as hard as the rest of us to complete high school, the only difference is that they possibly have more demanding obstacles at home to overcome.

LPO is sometimes the only option for these at-risk teens to graduate, they should be commended that they “choose to continue.”

There is a saying “walk a mile in someone else's shoes before passing judgment.” I would love for these subjective individuals to take a minute to appreciate what they have and have compassion for those less fortunate before making asinine decisions such as to exclude LPO teens.

I have traveled many places and when I am asked “where are you from”, I think back to a place where people wave without knowing you, let you into traffic just because, and look out for one another, this recent event makes me embarrassed to claim XXXXXXXXX as my home.

Did anyone ask the parents or teachers of LPO students to donate their time? When did this town become so exclusive? If you want to refer to the goal of Grad Night, then I will refer to the statement “that all men are created equal,” who are you to judge?

Thanks, Teach

 

[Marguerite]

Wow. Good on this kid for writing the letter. And good on the paper for publishing it.

Unfortunately, the damage has been done for this year. Let's hope that next year some compassion and common sense can rule.

Marg