Mahouston69, it would help me enormously if I understood WHY the school objects to David's presence. (As I said above, I feel the opposite: his presence in the classroom is a great lesson in diversity--tolerance of which our public schools should be teaching.) After all, you are supplying the supervising nurse, if I understand correctly.
I realize it isn't entirely fair to ask you to speak for the school system, so I'm only asking what they have said. If you think there is a hidden agenda, I'd be happy to hear that, too.
So I guess I'm asking, "Why do they SAY they are willing to pay $86K to keep David out of a room?" And what do you believe their real motivation is?
It would also help me to understand better if we knew what the official reason is why the school wants to stop providing extended services until the age of 22 for this young man? There are 2 sides to every disputeand to fight a good fight, you have to understand your enemy.
Is the right to extended services to age 22 universal, or are there certain criteria or contingencies written into law for services beyond age 20?
Was there a new situation that arose, or was discovered, where the district was no longer required to provide services to age 22 for this student?
I guess I would see the whole situation much differently if the child was under age 18, and not a young man of 22. In fact, when I read the headline, I assumed it was a young child that was being denied servicesthat is what caught my attention. This young man certainly has very extensive needs that will continue throughout his life, and that he should have. But at age 22, it seems to me he has aged out, and that the school district has provided about 17 (or more) years of services for this young man. There has to be an official reason that the school district would offer money to the family. Schools dont have thousands of extra dollars in their budgets.
Im wondering if there is a law or policy that allows the school to stop extended services in certain situations, and the money offered was within a policy that allows the districts to pay out the last year or so? I really would be interested in hearing more about how the money offer came aboutthe schools rationale.
This young man should be eligible for lots of services outside of the school district that should be more appropriate for a young man of 22. Such as potential vocational training, social services, group home living, etc. And it sounds like he is thriving at home, and that it may not be a good situation to return him to the school district for only a couple of weeks or months.
Believe me, I understand the anger and indignationI have been there with a learning disability issue for one of my daughters, though not in a situation as complex as this.
Im trying to understand all of the issues, from both sides.