Janet, I am appalled that a kid would be suspended (and offered homebound) and then they say "We WON'T call in the truancy people if you stop hassling us for what we are supposed to have provided."
How can a school call the truant officer on a kid that has been suspended?
"I can't go to school because I've been suspended. So how does that make me a truant?"
I do understand the feeling that it is easier to walk away, though. I have seen it happen many times and frankly, it is what too many incompetent schools are counting on. The aim here for you, Shari, is to suddenly make it clear that you are the parent who will NOT shut up, will NOT walk away.
I really do agree, this school THINKS they can slide by and sort of get it (but would rather not have to) but really, they have no clue at all.
I've had to leave the room while they all talked about him...
Did they ask you to leave? Or did you choose to leave because what they were saying was upsetting you? AT NO TIME should you ever be asked to leave a Learning Team Meeting that is about YOUR child. YOU are a vital member of the learning team (so is the child, especially as they get older - they have to have input as well) and the school MUST accept this.
This makes me so angry for you and Wee, Shari. It should not be your job to fight for this, they should be coming to you and saying, "We can do this, this or this. What would you like to see happen this year for Wee?"
I'm not sure if I have already told you of a friend I was talking to on Saturday. Her son has been attending the SpEd drama class difficult child 3 goes to (extra-curricular). This kid has recently been diagnosed Aspie, is about 10 yo. Very hyperactive also, a handful now doing a lot better on medications. The mum told me that now he's doing better her son is being transitioned back to school, will be on half days this term. I asked if he is on Distance Ed (what we probably have instead of homebound - you guys should have this, it's brilliant) and the mum said no, he's at a behaviour school for the hours he's not in mainstream with aide. And the school transports with supervision between the two placements. The school's aim is to get him transitioned full-time into mainstream.
Is this sort of placement possible? Because apparently for us, it's common.
I've mentioned about Distance Education before - this is a state-based school. Students can only access it if they meet certain criteria (so you can't decided, "I'm fed up with attending school, I want to study Distance Ed"). Students are eligible for Distance Ed if they have school phobia; school avoidance; have had serious social issues at mainstream; or are vocational students (such as the tennis brats, performing arts kids, sports prodigies) or travelling or in some other way living too remotely. Documentation is needed (from specialists, if it's a medical enrolment). I campaigned for another option which has been set up in a couple of schools - students attending mainstream, but with a Special Education class that they can 'retreat' to, for subjects where they are struggling. So an Aspie kid gifted in Maths & Science can go to the mainstream classes, but for subjects where they need more support, its back to the home room and their Distance Ed bookwork.
Distance Ed is physically located within another government-based school, but it's mostly offices. Teachers are available over the phone or by email, work is all on paper (or online) and had copy is posted out. Students do the work and the parent or supervisor signs off on it and posts it back. The work doesn't go away like it can in mainstream (a very unhealthy lesson - procrastinate in mainstream and the subject moves on). The down side of Distance ed is especially with a younger child, you need to be home to keep their nose to the grindstone. The up side - it's a lot easier for a distractible or anxious child to get the work done all during school hours, so when other kids are getting home from school, your child is available to go play. What we had in mainstream, was difficult child 3 bringing home all the work he hadn't finished in mainstream, so he never had time to go play after school. He has had much more and healthier social interaction when studying at home.
Anyway, that is what we have and how it works. When I saw "homebound" that is what I thought you meant. If that is NOT what "homebound" is, then it should be.
Shari, when you've got something in place for Wee that you're happy with, maybe getting the Dept of Ed in your state to set up a Distance Ed program could be your next project? Because it takes parents like you and me to get things happening.
Do not forget, in your meetings at the school, that in those meetings you and Wee are the most important people there. Never let them make you feel that you are in the way, or an inconvenience, or a nuisance.
Go get 'em!
Marg