If you do anything today; print out the news story at the end of this post. I thank Tonya Sweat for sharing it.
I am livid.
While reading it, ask yourself the following; “How would I want this situation to play out for my child?”
Print out the news story and bring it with you when it comes time to discuss your child’s 504 plan at their school. Be ready to show this story to your school officials when they say, “common sense” will prevail. Be ready to ask your school officials what would they do in this instance? Be ready to show this story when they give you a bullet-point one-sheeter and tell you this is what a 504 plan will be.
If you have discussed it already, go back and make sure this is covered.
Be ready.
I have said a thousand times, and said it to school officials at the schools for our kids over the years; the 504 plan IS NOT for just the obvious; it is for the unexpected.
Learn from this story. Blame does no good here and people will do what they need to do to discuss and take action on this specific incident. For us who are not involved: LEARN!
What is the answer? That is for you and your school officials to work out but there are solutions. I cannot comment as to what is right and what is wrong in this particular instance in a broad sense; although I do have personal opinions on this which I will not share because I’m too angry. What I will say is that you can bet your last dollar that this was not listed in the student’s 504 plan. And some sort of provision should have been. And if it was, this WAS NOT the course of action agreed upon.
How do I know? In reality I don’t. But seeing the choices given the student, it is clear there was no plan.
I have stated before that lock downs and evacuation plans need to be discussed. In today’s world these MUST be considered. Not only this instance mentioned in this story, but running low, missing lunch periods, need for administering glucagon, emergency needs during these times of crisis (which includes drills), checking blood sugars, a meeting point out of the building where the nurse can monitor, terms for good weather, bad weather, and anything else you can think of in-between. If you have never thought of this….START NOW.
Let this story be a lesson for everyone. Print it, carry it, and be ready to ask…..”…what should we do to make sure there is a provision for this type thing for my child?”
Get it in the plan. Accept nothing less. Period!
Read, learn, print.
http://www.kcra.com/news/student-teacher-made-me-urinate-in-trash-can/-/11797728/21560892/-/item/0/-/89g7nw/-/index.html
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5 replies on “A True Story that will Make Your Blood Boil…..We ALL MUST LEARN from this Story.”
I’m mad!
Wow. I’m not sure what to think or feel about this. In a post Columbine-world, how do we balance all of this? What IF gunshots were actually heard, and that person took refuge in the school – just as this girl and an administrator were walking to or from a restroom? Sure, you NEVER want this type of embarrassing thing to happen. But at what cost do you overlook safety for what is or isn’t in a 504 plan? We have the benefit of hindsight in this case, as it’s reported and analyzed now. But at the time this happened in that classroom, that wasn’t something this teacher had. Even if a call to the front office had been made, I’m not sure what the answer would be given what was known (or unknown) at the time. Tough one…
It IS tough, but there should be a discussion; a dialogue. That is the point. At no time should a child be placed in danger. But many parents I have discussed this with; do not even think about these incidents or including fire drills in their 504 plans. Discussed and heard that full lunch periods were practically missed sometimes. We will always not cover EVERY situation.
There was an alternative here, or an ultimatum given according to the story. Pee on yourself or in the garbage pail.
I am not angry, so much, at the situation as this always tends to be easier in hindsight. As I stated, “Clearly blame does no good here…..”
I am angry because my heart aches for the shame this student now must feel and will feel.
There should have been choices; there were only ultimatums as per the story reads.
Thanks Mike—-always honored when you chime in.
I kinda have to side with Mike on this one. While I don’t know the specifics of this particular lockdown (or the protocols, as I went to school before they even existed), if there is an imminent threat of danger, protection of the students physical well-being is paramount. Safety should not be compromised for the sake of physical or emotional comfort. If kids and teacher are squeezed into a locked closet, close enough to one another whereby bodies are touching each other, and that’s what needs to be done to keep them away from harm, then that’s what SHOULD be done.
For a parent of a T1D, yes – things get more complicated, but if the special accommodations contradict the objectives of a lockdown in-progress, then the school staff should be able to exercise judgment on whether or not to allow those accommodations at that particular time.
This said, I feel for the girl and hope this doesn’t leave long-lasting effects on her with her peers. It’s an unfortunate situation, but the cause of the threat are to blame, not the response of the teacher dealing with it.
No one is stating. nor ever said or implied, that the child’s safety should ever be placed in jeopardy to allow her to go to the bathroom. The purpose was to take a point and use it as a ‘teachable moment’ for any instance not thought of for people’s 504 plan. When children are hidding under their desks for safety is clearly not for anyone to judge an action. That said, there are drills and voluntary actions taken that should be included for consideration in a 504 plan. You are absolutely correct that nothing should contradict the objectives of a lockdown…..if everyone takes a step back and realizes WHAT CAN BE DONE in a 504 plan for consideration that does not jeopardize anything; the article would have accomplished the goal. Second guess? Absolutely note. Plan for possible future scenarios? Absolutely.
Thanks for writing—-as always. 🙂