a little background

hi, my name is mandy and I have two amazing little boys. My oldest son, Ty, has been diagnosed with autism (which is what you will read most about in this blog); I also have Tripp, who is an amazing little brother to Ty (who you will also hear alot about). I was encouraged to start this blog to document our journey through life and life with autism... my world has been rocked in last few years and i have responded in good ways and bad ... but Jesus has gotten me through all of it...





i hope i can be an encouragement to you, and for the friends and family that will read this - maybe this will keep you posted indepth on what Ty is learning! :) and the adventures of Tripp too





thank you for reading, and if you have any questions, comments or smart remarks; feel free to post them.



Friday, June 26, 2015

fight

I knew from the first day I had to write my request to be released from one county and approved for another that there would come a day that I would have to fight. I knew that one day someone would say "no" and I dreaded this day. Especially now, because you see right now, my little boy who is 7 years old and non-verbal; he loves his teacher, he loves his therapists, he knows his school, he knows his classroom, he knows the teachers, he knows his routine, he knows his friends and they all know him. They all know how to talk to him, they know what each grunt and gesture means, they speak his minion type language they laugh with him and know how to discipline him. To take him out of this environment would not only hinder his education, it would devastate him. The part that kills me the most is that he won't be able to tell me that. He won't be able to say "mom this pisses me off" instead he will act out in behavior and he will appear to be a "bad kid" when in all actuality it's all because someone somewhere claims that they want the best for students and schools and education and that they "understand" why I am fighting, their concern stops right there. The words are spoken from the people who have the power to do something about this but it stops there. Their hands are tied because it all comes down to money and that's really the bottom line. Why not require a small transfer tuition like other districts do, if it's all about the money? I know schools can only hold so many people, but how can you move students who have done everything right, who have gone through all the right channels to be in the schools that have the best for their kids, and you know there are those who are cheating the system and using loopholes or just blatantly lying about their residency... but instead we go after those who do it right ...
 I am on the agenda to meet with the board on July 2nd and plead my case... I hope I keep my cool, I hope they understand, I hope they see his need... and it would be icing on the cake if they would allow Tripp to attend too, he was so excited to get to go to NP with his big brother. To walk him to class and see him in the hall....
Before school was out I had one of the best IEP meetings I had ever had about Ty's education and the plan that we have in place to help him reach his goals... I know I am all over the place with this and I know I probably haven't explained exactly what is going on so here's the short of it.

We are a transfer student from a different county. In Mississippi a student is allowed to be released from their home district if the bus route is over 30 miles and then can transfer to another adjacent closer district. In section 37-15-29 it says "No child shall be required to be transported in excess of 30 miles on a school bus from his or her home to school, or in excess of 30 miles from school to his or her home., if there is another school in an adjacent school district located on a shorter bus transportation route by the nearest traveled road. Those children residing in such geographical situations may, at the discretion of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), enroll and attend the nearer school, regardless of the residence of the child"
So we have no problem being released from our home district, but we are having a problem being accepted into the school Ty has been attending in the special education program for the last two years. According to them we have to attend the closest school from a direct route from my house to the school. From all the research and all the phone calls I have made (MDE, state reps, school districts, superintendent, etc) and from reading the law, my interpretation is based off of school bus route not distance from home to school? So my hope is that they will agree with me. My hope is that I come across professional and polite .... we will see.... I don't really know how to end this other than to ask for prayers. There are so many other families effected too and I would ask that you pray for them as well. thanks for reading.