Comments on: We won.

By: krlr

krlr — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:45:24 +0000

wow – that was a long comment. Sorry!

By: krlr

krlr — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:44:22 +0000

Amy – I’ve struggled with what to say here because I’m so worked up over my own girl’s testing tomorrow & her (first!) IEP two weeks later. She’s not even 3 & she’s going into the early pre-K special ed program so intellectually I don’t anticipate any conflicts. The whole program is JUST for kids like her and then they made it inclusive w/random typical neighborhood kids – so bonus for us.

But it’s been crushing watching you struggle to get just a little extra help. That you had to hire counsel -just to get an aide- is gut wrenching. But also inspiring. That we live in a country where we have the legal right to pursue a full education for our kids is tremendous, but that we still have to hire someone to make sure it’s granted is, well, it sends me to a dark place so I can’t imagine what it does for you, as Sophie’s mom.

I don’t want to just be grateful for what we have, especially when doled out grudgingly. I don’t want you, or me, or my neighbor to have to think about what that aide will cost, what else that money could buy for the schools, or what the differential is for the town’s property taxes.

I’m thrilled you got what you were looking for. I wish it were not one skirmish in a longer (not war – struggle?). I wish more people thought like Noan & Cate. But lest this be too dour I do want to stress the CONGRATULATIONS bit! Hope your champagne is extra bubbly this weekend.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 01:22:15 +0000

I know life isn’t fair and all that but I really hate that for something as fundamental as the education of a child compromises have to be made. Sophie and every kid who needs some help to make their school experience a success should get it, without a fight and without a lawyer. I wish we lived in that world. Instead of the one where people spend their time arguing about where our president was born or funding NPR.

You shouldn’t have an ounce of guilt for ensuring that your child gets what she SHOULD have.

By: Suzanne Whitaker

Suzanne Whitaker — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 03:22:11 +0000

Amy,
I’m so happy for you. What a hard, long struggle. I’m sending healing and positivity your way — she WILL get the help she needs!

By: Yolande

Yolande — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:11:14 +0000

Amy, yay, yay and tripple yay!

It’s never about winning or losing. I love your ponderings and maybe Sophie (and her team) will be educated through this imperfect system and grow up to be the one to give back and innovate and re-invent the system to make it better for all. This is only a step towards a win/win.

Keep pondering. Keep visualizing. Sophie is so lucky to have chosen you as her mommy!

By: jonashpdx

jonashpdx — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:49:34 +0000

yay! Thank you so much for sharing all of this (so far). It’s really helpful and sanity-retaining to know that other people are going through these things. And not only that, but supremely educational to those of us who are a little farther behind on this path.

now go celebrate!

By: cate

cate — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:45:31 +0000

Woohoo! or, as Abby says, YayHoo!

seriously, awesome news.

I agree with you about the unfairness. My best thought is that the people who can throw money/time/effort at this stuff, do, and maybe the systems will change. The schools get sick of people bringing lawyers and just offer the damn help in the first place. Eventually. Rising tide lifting all ships, etc etc. Right?

most of the time, though, it really, really sucks.

but today – victory! yayhoo!

By: Tricia

Tricia — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:07:40 +0000

I agree with Noan (and so many of the comments on your previous post), but don’t know that I could have earlier in my teaching career when I was so focused on some crazy kind of hyper equality in the classroom (“When we know better we do better”). Just last week in a meeting a colleague suggested that something wasn’t “fair to the other students,” and I shot back that the other students don’t have to live at home with this particular kid’s parents. There is no fair — in the you get six and I get half a dozen sense. There’s what we need as individuals and what we can offer as institutions, which become much more gracious with a lawyer present. Brava!

By: Michelle Martinez

Michelle Martinez — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:04:11 +0000

Hooray for Sophie. So glad she will get the help. It is infuriating that it takes having a lawyer to get her needs met. I have a 16 year old sister on the Autism spectrum and it seems every semester, my mom has to rally and prepare as if she were a lawyer to make sure Emily has the support she needs at school. Glad you are able to breathe, now that someone has your back.

By: Noan

Noan — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:27:44 +0000

“Someone somewhere will lose out on something because of the money the district will spend on that parttime classroom aide.” O.K., you are killing me. Are you serious ??? I absolutely believe that we all benefit from having a population that is educated and living to its fullest potential. No apologizing needed.

Congrats !