Kevin, I think you should submit your posts, as articles, to Teacher Mag, EdWeek, etc. and get published... especially in those publications targeting regular education teachers.

You are an amazing person, and your students are lucky to have you.

As a fellow special educator in a poverty area, I can thoroughly sympathize with your situation.  People do not realize how dangerous special education is... and yes, kids are sent back to our classes that wouldn't be in the regular ed, because if special ed kids are suspended or expelled the districts still have to pay for special education services, in the home. This is much more expensive than just throwing them back in to our classrooms, and often difficult for them to staff. So they avoid it. At the elementary level, I am guarranteed at least one a year who is physically dangerous, and many of the kids new to program start unmotivated and defiant. At least mine are short, and too weak to do much damage. I couldn't dream of taking on similar issues with people bigger than me. Even once we have built the trust, and student motivation, to settle the behaviors, you always have to be on your guard.

I would like to point out, though, that autism is not equal to dangerous... it sounds like you are in a district without adequate autism programming at the lower grade levels and in your community, and so the high schoolers are coming in unmotivated and have learned to be aggressive and defensive to survive. In our district, the autistic students do very well ... it is the E/BD (e.g. anxiety, depression, dissociation, etc.) crowd that are often out of control.

That story about the young lady that was killed was very heart-rending. When you report kids showing abuse, human services rarely does anything, and then only a bare minimum. Between their own understaffing, lack of resources, and mandates to keep families together as much as possible, they're horribly ineffective... and so we watch kids hurting because of the abuse and there is nothing we can do. It is one of the hardest parts of the job.

And yes, I absolutely agree that for each hour of actual direct work with the kids, there is at least an hour and a half of paperwork.

I have data gains to show, kids who respond to me with hugs and thank yous, parents who thank me, and a district who is there for me... I am lucky, and Kevin, I don't know how you do it in a place like that. Bless you for being there for your students!

Hang in there Kevin, and enjoy your summer break!

We're working on "home archaeology." After a full school year, and a busy summer last summer, we have quite a bit of digging to do to get our home organized. The kids thought this was a rather stupid idea, until they started coming across "rare finds" -- toys, books, etc. they had forgotten they had.

My son is also making a play at getting his first job (he's 15), the kids are learning karate, and we're spending afternoons at the local pool.

We're actually having quite a good summer, right here at home.

Shine: The new Star Trek movie rocks!!!!

Dude! You are wonderful! We need your sense of humor in our classrooms... I hope you get the job.

My husband teaches high school English and Drama, and I'm an elementary special ed teacher. Looking over my shoulder, he and I were remembering and laughing as we read your excellent description of the fun and games played in the hiring process in education.

If we had something in language arts or history in our district, I'd be sending you the posting. We need people in the classroom who can think for themselves!

Stay strong, and may your final interview(s) be excellent and everything the interviewers are looking for!

Hello, hello!

Huggssss and a special box of extra-soft comfy tissues to those in tears today...

Hugs and hip, hip, hooray to those getting their groove on this fine afternoon!

While the twinges and twangs of arthritis and myasthenia gravis keep me lovin' them pills and celebrating naptime... special joy for some problems solved today and a great big bunch of time with my kids home for summer vacation (I know, I know... we'll see how I feel about that in a few weeks...lol!).

You sound very frustrated, and understandably so. 

A major key to success with this sort of situation is to keep the labels your family lives with, separate from the behaviors you want to see changed. It isn't the autism, TBI, diabetes, etc. that is causing the clutter in your home. No matter what we face, we prioritize tasks based on our needs and what we value most.

I'm in a situation similar to yours... I have myasthenia gravis (and so can relate to the fatigue you must be feeling), and the labels in my home include Aspergers, OCD, ADHD, PTSD, learning disabilities, and it continues for quite a bit from there.

One key rule is that we cannot excuse our actions based on a label we've been given, except for when it comes to physical health conditions (e.g. my myasthenia gravis, my son's pre-diabetes, and my husband's arthritis)... and then only in regards to actual physical requirements or interference due to extreme pain or fatigue. The moods, temperament issues, etc. from basic neurology and neurochemistry are not an excuse for not picking up one's socks.

In my family, we do also struggle with the need for a clean home. I had to find a value that meant something to my husband and children, to make them step up and do their share of the chores. In my case, I had to give my husband a choice between my presence, or his mess. If he couldn't do his part of the responsibilities of running a home, he would have to live by himself in a separate apartment and only join us for a weekend activity.  It was horribly difficult, but necessary... and he does his chores now. For my kids, their computer time is directly related to the cleanliness of their rooms and the completion of their chores. No exceptions.

Are your medical conditions to a point where you qualify for disability? Medicaid can provide in-home supports if you need help with daily living tasks that directly relate to your medical conditions.

The school sounds concerned, and their ONLY resource is to send you to human services... but human services can be a resource for you, rather than an "enemy." Our local service has provided such resources as running water, counseling supports, and respite care to a number of families that were initially referred by the schools. If you respond to the presence of human services with a demonstration of both your commitment to your family, and a request for connection to the resources you need to be effective as a family, that's what they're there for.

All these things are simple in words, and very difficult in practice. It is unfair that as mothers and wives, we must be the strength in the family no matter the difficulties we face. You are not alone, and my prayers are with you.

Heather, if your child has ADHD, the school CANNOT discriminate against him based on behaviors related to the diagnosis. Does he have an IEP? If not, then you should start things rolling on it by bringing in the diagnosis, your documentation of their issues with your son, and ask for them to set a date for a meeting. Bring a parent advocate with you (the sites below can help you learn your and your child's rights, and locate volunteer, or professional, Michigan advocates, depending on what you determine you want to do).

Even when homeschooling, the public schools still must provide therapy providers, Resource instruction, etc. depending on your child's individual needs. Schools don't like to, because they have to provide them to home and private school students but don't get any funding unless the child is enrolled as a public school student. Because those services are costly, they will resist and push for you to enroll him unless they know that you know your rights.

I would recommend the following sites to help you further with dealing with the schools:

http://www.causeonline.org/

http://www.wrightslaw.com/

http://mi.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=MISE_Support_Resources

http://www.michiganlegalaid.org/library_client/resource.2005-09-14.0775552668/html_view

http://www.childrensdisabilities.info/