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Thursday, March 01, 2012

A Letter To The Editor 3-12-12

It seems as if the issues related to the Wicomico County Board of Education have calmed down quite a bit since the renewing of Dr. Fredericksens contract. It makes me question the validity of the concerns expressed. If there are problems, the problems exist even though the contract was renewed. I am a parent of children in the school system and I believe we are facing tough times ahead of us. Budget cuts, teacher exhaustion, children with behavior problems and ineffective leadership will continue the downward spiral. My family has suffered wrong doings at the hands of the leadership at the BOE and I am not stopping my fight until they are held accountable for what has been done. Students in special education are being left behind in spite of the wonderful NCLB implemented across the nation. IEP's are not being followed, parents are being lied to about services and teachers have no clue how to modify curriculum. If an IEP says services are to be provided twice a cycle, that is what it means. It does not mean the therapist walks in, looks at the child and walks out. Special education is crumbling before our eyes. Parents, we need to stand up for our children, no one else will. I think it would be in the best interest of this county to have a parent led support group. Or do we already have one in this county?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Some board members do not want to hear anything the superintendent has done that might cause them to have to do a search for a new one. Lawsuits are being filed.

Anonymous said...

Many special education teachers don't even know how to write an IEP, much less implement.

Anonymous said...

My child is in special education. We have a great teacher now. Our problem is with the directors. They dont give two hoots about my child.

Anonymous said...

Is there a parent led support group?

Anonymous said...

ha ha 6:02 shut everybody up

Anonymous said...

"It does not mean the therapist walks in.."

Where in the constitution does it say the people of this land have to pay for a 'therapist' for your child. This sounds like medical care to me.

There must be a line between education and medical care. This is public education, not government supplied health care.

Anonymous said...

Have you ever heard of speech therapy? Occupational and physical therapy? We have therapies in education. Providing service to my child is the law. This county needs to be ediucated, obviously.

Anonymous said...

I am a retired high school teacher, and I'm darn glad I am. I underatand the frustrations of parents who have special needs students, but the writer expects the classroom teacher to make "modifications" for his/her child. It would seem that, if a special education student is to be mainstreamed into the general classroom, it should be the role of the SPED teacher to modify the lesson, not the role of the regular classroom teacher. Does anyone have any idea the many things that an elementary "regular" classroom teacher is responsible for? To write, in effect, another lesson plan--that's essentially what modifying comes to--is a task that requires much more time that the teacher really has. Contrary to what one of the posters says, all Special Education teachers should certainly know how to write an IEP (Individual Lesson Plan). That person should also write "modified plans" for the general classroom teacher to follow.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Have you ever heard of speech therapy? Occupational and physical therapy? We have therapies in education. Providing service to my child is the law. This county needs to be ediucated, obviously.

March 1, 2012 9:04 PM

Now that you mention it I agree with 8:35 PM. I am sick of paying entitlements and for someone elses problems.

Anonymous said...

Take responsibility for your child's education in your own hands if you are dissatisfied -- home-school!

Anonymous said...

Home school is monitored by the school system. As a parent of a child with a disability, I am appalled at the attitude that my child is a "problem". Obviously you have no children or you are stupid to think that you are beyond having children or family members with special needs. It is the responsibility of the school system to provide services to my child just as it is the responsibility of the school system to provide services to your family, with or without disabilities.