This letter is hateful.  But it basically comes down to the I-don't-want-my-kids-growing-up-next-to-your-weird-kid attitude.  Which, ironically, I heard again and again today, in less vitriolic ways.  The first was in a district meeting where we learned of several parents pulling their children from an integrated special needs classroom in the first week of school because their kids "could not learn" in such an environment.   The second was from a group of special education teachers who believe we need to develop more self-contained programs because it's not fair to have the "normal" kids in with the kids with special needs.  The last was from an adult education teacher in an elite special program, who was incredulous that a person with a mental illness could pass medical clearance for entrance to her program.  These parents and teachers are not hateful people.  They are dedicated and hard working people who love their children and students.  It just goes to show how the whole everyone-in-their-place attitude permeates society.  

Parents, keep thy child's records

The first week of school is always a stressful time for this school psychologist.  In our smallish, lower-SES district, there are a lot of new enrollments at the beginning of the year.  Families from within the district move from one home, mobile home park, or apartment complex to another; kids with high needs are "encouraged" to return to their home school from charter schools; new students move in from surrounding communities; and parents move their children across the country to join extended families.  Figuring out which kids have special needs and receiving those kids' records in a timely manner is a struggle.  We start school at the beginning of August.  Some of the surrounding charter schools don't start for a few weeks.  Some states don't start until after Labor Day!   Our struggle is more difficult when parents are less than honest, knowledgeable, or forthcoming about their children's needs.  Some parents neglect to tell us their child had special services.  Others insist the kids have all sorts of maladies, none of which were ever documented in their previous school(s).  Even when parents know their child received special education, they rarely have their own copies of IEPs or evaluations to share with us.  So here is my plea to parents.  You know that 15-page document we give to you after every annual 2-hour meeting?  Yeah, that's kinda important.  Put it with your kids' immunization records.  When you move to a new school, that document will help the new school give your kiddo exactly what is needed from the first day.  Don't pretend your child never had an IEP just to give him a "fresh start."  And don't yell at us when we haven't provided your east coast kiddo speech therapy before Labor Day, especially when you left the "Does your child have an IEP, receive special therapies, or participate in remedial classes" question blank on the enrollment form.  I'm a psychologist, not a psychic. And if you are a parent who keeps records and registers your child prior to the first day of school, bravo.  I love you.