UPDATE crunch time with our 504-Need advice/opinions

[maeve]

Sorry that has happened.  DD was thankfully assigned AM kindergarten (at our school children attending day care usually are) and attended a center-based day care.  The day care picked children up in a van or short bus.  We only had to transport her in the morning, which was our choice.

DD never rode the bus in elementary school and I'm glad she didn't for many reasons.  She will be riding the bus this year as she starts middle school.  After speaking with someone in transportation, I'm glad that I made the decision for her not to ride the bus when she was in younger.  When I spoke with the department in July, I was told that they did not know what the bus routes would be yet (to check the web site in August; checked today, which is 2 weeks before school starts and still nothing is posted), they won't know who the bus drivers are until about 2 weeks before school starts, and that the bus drivers will not have information about which students on their busses have LTFA or asthma until 2 weeks into the school year.  I was told the school nurse at the child's school will print out a list and provide it to the bus driver.  It was suggested to me that I go to the bus stop on the first day of school and introduce myself and DD to the bus driver; that is so not cool for a 6th grader and I'm sure will open her up to some teasing.  I was also told that while there is a no food policy on the bus and they do their best to enforce it, they cannot guarantee that there will be no food on the bus.  I'm glad that I didn't put DD into those conditions when she was younger.  She's always been good about speaking up about her allergies even when she was young but she's certainly more capable now at 11.

Good luck with your school year.  I know it's stressful and not an ideal situation, but it will go by quickly.

[MandCmama]

Yes..Most in our area do the daycare route as well.  Since our boys were booted out of daycare, that option is a no-go for us 

As I said, I really don't have the energy or wherewithal to fight this any further.  Not for what it's going to get us- a marginally safer situation and the bad will of some members of the district.  Surprisingly, DH, who has to work under these people, wants to persue it further.  He just feels it's wrong we're being denied this (I think b/c he sees some of the accommodations that ARE given that are much more costly and appear less necessary).  Our neighbor has offered the help of a lawyer he is friends with...DH wants to go for it.  Now that we've secured private transportation for M, I just feel ambivalent about it.

Guess I'm just feeling sorry for myself.  I think the amount of fighting/advocating I've already had to do for M BEFORE HE EVEN STARTS SCHOOL is just absurd.  What's wrong with people?  I guess they've never held their dying child in the back of a speeding ambulance 

[CMdeux]

 

I know that frustration very well.  You know that legally you're in the right, that MORALLY it's also right, and that your child's rights are being trampled...  but...

sometimes even when you win, you still lose.  :sighhhhh:

  It's incredibly galling, and guilt-inducing.  Please don't beat yourself up.  You have a solution that preserves some measure of goodwill, and you'll live to fight another day.  Sadly, there will be other days to fight.  Let go of the ones that get away, okay?? 

[maeve]

MandCmomma,
Again, I'm so sorry that you're dealing with this.  I completely understand your situation.  CM's post resonates with me.  I wish you all the best.  I'll be thinking of your little guy as school starts.

BTW, I'd forgotten about your day care situation.  That's awful.

[MandCmama]

Question...we did not persue this any further.  We sent a letter to the school requesting they clarify their reasons for denying the physician recommended accommodation and that these reasons be put in Michael's file.  The letter they sent back stated, "As we said in the last letter, we disagree that M needs a van to be safe.  We feel that a bus with a wiped down rail and front seat are enough to keep him safe".  Our physician sent a letter saying she DID NOT feel this was enough.

Is that adequate on their part?  They can just say "We disagree" with no real reason, other than, essentially, this has always worked...

[CMdeux]

Well, obviously, they have disagreed.

IMO?  The onus is probably upon your physician to demonstrate/explain why their solution is not adequate in his/her expert medical opinion.

(This is what we'd have to do to get College Board to put IN WRITING that DD must have accommodations as to location for her exams, too-- because they denied "individual testing" as an accommodation, just as we suspected they would.  Similar situation in that what we NEED is possible to meet without the specific accommodation, sure, but the liklihood of error/mistakes is higher.  )