School Restricting Communication With My Son's Teachers ...

[vja4Him]

School Restricting Communication With My Son's Teachers ...
Yesterday my son started summer school. He just finished 7th grade (failed, but was allowed to pass on to 8th grade). My son came home from summer school yesterday excited! He told me lots of things that happened at school, stories his teachers told the class.

I had sent e-mails to each of the three summer school teachers, reminding them that my son has a 504 Plan, and requesting that they review my son's 504 Plan, and make any necessary accommodations.

Received two e-mails from one of my son's teachers. Both messages were very positive and the teacher told me to stay in contact with him via e-mail, and also told me that e-mail is a great way to communicate. He also told me some strategies that he was already using for my son in the classroom.

This morning I received an e-mail from the summer school principal (whose regular position is the Learning Director, and also was present at the meeting we had last week, going over my son's existing 504 Plan, and talking about evaluating my son for an IEP, rather trying to talk me out of the evaluation and IEP).

Here is her message to me this morning:

Please send all communication, including emails, through the principal *** or the summer school principal ***. Please send emails to both principals and they will communicate with the teachers should you have a question or concern.

 

[slsh]

You might look through your district's policies. I know in our district, the "communication chain" is listed on every newsletter we get from them. It's teacher then asst. principal/principal then asst. supt/supt then board of ed.

If you cannot find the policies, you might ask for a copy. Once you've verified that they are changing the rules and going against district policy, then you can ask why (certified letter).

Sounds like they're circling wagons.

 

[vja4Him]

I sent a complaint to the California Department of Education today. Meanwhile, I will continue to stay in contact with my son's teachers via e-mail. I plan on visiting my son's summer school classes soon anyways. I can always ask each teacher for their phone number, so we can communicate by phone. I've done that before with many of my boys' teachers.

 

[KTMom91]

You can always pretend you didn't understand exactly what they meant, and since they want the principals in the loop, cc everything to both principals as well as the teachers (and the superintendent). Heck with their policies...when I didn't get the action I wanted at my daughter's schools, I emailed the superintendent. It's amazing how quickly I was listened to after that! It did take a while to get the high school on board, but my reputation preceded Miss KT to junior high.

 

[vja4Him]

You can always pretend you didn't understand exactly what they meant, and since they want the principals in the loop, cc everything to both principals as well as the teachers (and the superintendent). Heck with their policies...when I didn't get the action I wanted at my daughter's schools, I emailed the superintendent. It's amazing how quickly I was listened to after that! It did take a while to get the high school on board, but my reputation preceded Miss KT to junior high.

I e-mailed several superintendents today. This evening I received a call from one of the administrators who mediated for us. He told me that I can e-mail my son's teachers again. I've never had problems like this before at any of my boys' previous schools!

 

[BusynMember]

I'd CALL the Dept of Education. You get an instant response. It's much faster than e-mail.
Also, I don't know what type of letters you are writing or how often, but if you are demanding they do this or that, they aren't going to want to hear it. People tend to push back when they are attacked. You son has no diagnosis that renders a lot of help...he needs to get one. And after a while, I've learned from my own experience, if you contact them too much, they tend to stop taking you seriously and don't even care what you write. That's why I have an advocate do all that stuff for me. They know how to handle the schools and how to get things done. I let them be the bad guy. If it hasn't helped so far to write a lot, I'd lay off and get an advocate pronto.
Good luck.

 

[vja4Him]

I'd CALL the Dept of Education. You get an instant response. It's much faster than e-mail.
Also, I don't know what type of letters you are writing or how often, but if you are demanding they do this or that, they aren't going to want to hear it. People tend to push back when they are attacked. You son has no diagnosis that renders a lot of help...he needs to get one. And after a while, I've learned from my own experience, if you contact them too much, they tend to stop taking you seriously and don't even care what you write. That's why I have an advocate do all that stuff for me. They know how to handle the schools and how to get things done. I let them be the bad guy. If it hasn't helped so far to write a lot, I'd lay off and get an advocate pronto.
Good luck.

I got a call from one of the administrators yesterday evening. He has been mediating, and told me that I can contact my son's teachers! Also, I've contacted an agency that said they will provide an advocate for me. Still waiting to hear back from them ....