I'm Number 1!

Well, at least I was this morning when I went to vote. It's hard for me to predict that I'll get out on time at the end of the day, so I always try to vote at the beginning. But I have to get there early, otherwise I don't get to work on time.

So I was in line at 0530 this morning, and was the first one to vote. The only thing of import on the ballot was a funding initiative for the school district. The rest of the ballot were unopposed local officials standing for re-election. Public school enrollment continues to swell in our district, and all of the primary and middle schools are going to have auxiliary classrooms in trailers next year. The new initiative would remodel the schools, and add some space. I hope it passes.

I was glad to get out of the polling place this morning. We vote in our local grammar school, which is the place that Buddy Boy went to school last year. The place that was conspiring to expel him (we withdrew him for homebound school before they were able to do this), and the place where they wanted him shipped to a separate school for emotionally disturbed kids. My stomach roils whenever I go in that building. I was waiting to vote outside the room where we used to have our IEP's. I know I should forgive and forget (or at least try to forget and move on), but it's difficult sometimes.

Perhaps it's worse because of some of the forms we were filling out for Sweet Pea last night. Sweet Pea will be starting Kindergarten next year. We got permission from the school district for her to attend the same school as Buddy Boy next year (it's in the same district, but is not our assigned school). This will make it much easier logistically for Liz for getting them to and from school, and much easier for both of us to be active in the Parent Teacher Organization.

One of the forms we had to sign said something like (and I paraphrase from memory) "I affirm that this child has never been expelled from school due to disciplinary action for the use or possession of drugs, dangerous weapons, or assault on another person". This is a form that we will have to be attest to each year for the next 12 years. If the school district had been successful last year in expelling Buddy Boy for his tantrums (throwing staplers, half hearted kicking at them) in Kindergarten, we would have had that following him throughout the next 12 years. The fact that the school district would do that to an autistic 5 year old kid who was having control issues that were part and parcel of his disability (as well as the fact that they were, IMO, purposely provoking him) really gets my goat. I touch on some of our dealings with the school district here, here, and here.

How dare they do that to my child, or any child for that matter. I know that they justify their actions because they have to "serve all the kids, not just the special needs ones", and "we have to have a single standard of punishment for everyone". Irrespective of the fact that both of those attitudes are addressed in the law, which states that disabilities are to be taken into account, and that if a student's actions are a part of their disability they are not to be disciplined for it, these kind of things happen all the time. I only hope that there is some kind of cosmic retribution waiting for those who would conspire to crush a child's spirit, and deny him an education and chance at success in life.