NeedLegalAdvice
New Member
Just a brief history of the situation Im seeking legal advice on. I've always known my child was different but wasn't aware how it would effect her in school until she started head start, During head start she was evaluated by the occupational therapist employed by the school board. He recommended I take her to be evaluated by a psychologist . I did and she was diagnosed with autism, adhd and sensory integration disorder. The psychologist & her family physician wrote the school board a recommendation for my child to be provided with 'special education' services like speech, occupational therapy and other services. I hand delivered the letters to the school board and her school on 2 occasions. The recommendation was ignored. When she started kindergarten, I again supplied the school with the same letters and nothing was done. After discussing my situation with a family friend who works at a different school I was told a evaluation for special education should have been requested. So I spoke to the director of special education at the school board & in February of 2012 was when the evaluation was initially started. Basically The school ignored the psychologist & the family physician recommendations plus failed to tell me that I could request it myself.
August of this year, my child was found eligible for services.
The issue Im seeking advice on is because of my child's learning disability she is obviously behind other children her age. The school recommended I retain her in kindergarten last year & after speaking to her psychologist about this and I felt like that wouldn't benefit her. I told them I wanted her to go on to first grade. Before school started in August I went in to speak to the principal about the situation because I was unclear of what their plan was , and the principal said that my child would be in first grade. However they had placed her in a Kindergarten teacher's room. When I asked why my child had a kindergarten teacher since she was in first grade and the principal told me that it was actually a k-1 class and that my child was in indeed in first grade. At open house I met my child's teacher and she confirmed that she was a k-1 teacher for a k-1 class. The principal resigned from her position a few days later & is now working at the school board.
I was led to believe that my child was in first grade until 3 days ago. I had received my child's progress report for 'kindergarten', so I wrote a note in the comment section asking why my child's progress report didn't state first grade instead of kindergarten & the teacher told me that she was in kindergarten. I immediately set up a meeting with the assistant principal ( the school doesn't have a 'new' prinicpal yet) and she 'apologized' for the lie & everything. The asst. principal also told me she had no idea where this 'k-1' idea came from. I told her It came straight from the principal & from the teacher. My child's teacher even started a facebook group for student's parents and its titled k-1.
The asst. principal felt my child needed to stay in kindergarten because going to the first grade this late in the year would do more harm than good and she would be way behind the other kids, and that shes struggling in kindergarten. She has a learning disability, she will struggle regardless. Its their place to accommodate her, and provide her 'help' to get caught up. They should be responsible to provide her even more help and assistance considering they've had her doing kindergarten work since school started when I & my child were led to believe she was in first grade, so its their fault why she would be further behind first graders if she was placed in an actual first grade room.
I want my child in first grade, Ive wanted that from the very start, and was lied too and led to believe she was in first grade. I know this can't be ethically right and Im thinking its probably not legally right either. This is why I need legal advice. What can I do legally or what should I do legally? I obviously don't know the laws or even if this situation requires a lawyer. I just don't know what to do. They lied to me about my child's education and caused more harm than good.
August of this year, my child was found eligible for services.
The issue Im seeking advice on is because of my child's learning disability she is obviously behind other children her age. The school recommended I retain her in kindergarten last year & after speaking to her psychologist about this and I felt like that wouldn't benefit her. I told them I wanted her to go on to first grade. Before school started in August I went in to speak to the principal about the situation because I was unclear of what their plan was , and the principal said that my child would be in first grade. However they had placed her in a Kindergarten teacher's room. When I asked why my child had a kindergarten teacher since she was in first grade and the principal told me that it was actually a k-1 class and that my child was in indeed in first grade. At open house I met my child's teacher and she confirmed that she was a k-1 teacher for a k-1 class. The principal resigned from her position a few days later & is now working at the school board.
I was led to believe that my child was in first grade until 3 days ago. I had received my child's progress report for 'kindergarten', so I wrote a note in the comment section asking why my child's progress report didn't state first grade instead of kindergarten & the teacher told me that she was in kindergarten. I immediately set up a meeting with the assistant principal ( the school doesn't have a 'new' prinicpal yet) and she 'apologized' for the lie & everything. The asst. principal also told me she had no idea where this 'k-1' idea came from. I told her It came straight from the principal & from the teacher. My child's teacher even started a facebook group for student's parents and its titled k-1.
The asst. principal felt my child needed to stay in kindergarten because going to the first grade this late in the year would do more harm than good and she would be way behind the other kids, and that shes struggling in kindergarten. She has a learning disability, she will struggle regardless. Its their place to accommodate her, and provide her 'help' to get caught up. They should be responsible to provide her even more help and assistance considering they've had her doing kindergarten work since school started when I & my child were led to believe she was in first grade, so its their fault why she would be further behind first graders if she was placed in an actual first grade room.
I want my child in first grade, Ive wanted that from the very start, and was lied too and led to believe she was in first grade. I know this can't be ethically right and Im thinking its probably not legally right either. This is why I need legal advice. What can I do legally or what should I do legally? I obviously don't know the laws or even if this situation requires a lawyer. I just don't know what to do. They lied to me about my child's education and caused more harm than good.
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