Today I sent off two family members to high school and university.
Yeah whatever, you say, don’t you do that EVERY DAMN DAY?
Technically yes.
NORMALLY, I send MPS off to work in the IT department at a higher education institution and send Too off to high school to mock and practice her eye rolling while taking note of every spelling and grammatical mistake made by her English teacher.
Today though, Too is off to university to play with DNA and bacteria and apparently they are going to let my Damn Emo hell bent on WORLD DOMINATION play with the DNA of bacteria in the hopes of making an antibiotic resistant super bug.
And Boo is off to the local high school.
A high school that most of his friends will attend.
A high school that he will NOT be able to attend.
Because unless I can pull a miracle outta my nicely defrosted arse there is NO HIGH SCHOOL that he can attend. IQ too high for the specialist schools, the same stupid motherfucking number stopping him from getting support at a mainstream school. Despite the fact he needs one on one supervision at all times.
But that is a rant for another day.
Boo is really excited about going to high school.
I am freaking the fuck out that he will get it into his head that he WILL be going there and not stuck home with Mum, both of us bitter and angry that his uniqueness doesn’t fit in that checkbox.
And wondering if I can secure a hazmat shower before Too gets home covered in mutant killer bacteria.
So what do I do when I am freaking the fuck out?
I clean.
Boo is gunna be pissed when he comes home to find I have removed FOUR GARBAGE BAGS of shit loved treasures shit from his room.
I might scrub the walls. But no windows.
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It’s called ‘unpackratting’. My word … but you’re allowed to use it.
.-= lceel´s last blog ..If it wasnt so trying- it would be funny =-.
Oh Lou, it is WAAAAAAY more than that. More like decrapifying with a side of fumigation.
Blech.
Excuse me, Victorian system? You suck.
.-= Fiona´s last blog ..The Del Delany Hotel- Darby St =-.
Oh totally. I could go on for DAYS about how fucking pissed off I am with this system. I mean SERIOUSLY, a naked three year old running around the house while a psych follows him giving him stickers for every answer resulting in an IQ score of ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR is going to fuck up his whole life.
Dumb. Whatever happened to okay, you have a diagnosis of something we believe in (because every state has different disorders) and now we’ll see how well you actually function and how much support it takes to get you there? No? Okay, let’s just remove all supports and send you into a new environment, so you have no chance of realising what potential you have.
And he was tests at 3 and given 144? Didn’t realise you could give numbers that young… and surprised he hasn’t been retested since.
.-= Fiona´s last blog ..The Del Delany Hotel- Darby St =-.
he has been retested, the initial one still stands apparently. The original psych was a fucking loon. Ooooh, I can feel my blood pressure rising just thinking about her.
{{HUGS}}
Pity Boo couldn’t pretend to be dumb when he takes the IQ tests…
.-= Gnometree´s last blog ..SWF4-51 The Lunar Eclipse =-.
Heh. Pity they don’t take anything else but the number into account.
Darls, if you lived in suburbia I know of a special school that looks the other way when it comes to the IQ number (it’s our get-out-of-gaol-free-card when things get too hard).
(((hugs)))
.-= Jayne´s last blog ..Historic blatherings around the traps =-.
Alas his initial IQ score is so fucking ridiculously high that it prevents any of the schools ‘looking the other way’ even the ones that you are referring to. The names escape me, Western Autistic school is one?
Talk to the local high school about part-time homeschooling – Boo can attend just for certain subjects like LOTE, PE, etc, while you teach him the rest at home.
He’d be able to cope with single study periods at school like that, yeah?
Gives you both a break and some time with his school friends.
.-= Ro´s last blog ..Gluten- dairy and sugar free Chocolate Peach Cupcakes =-.
we are looking into it all now. In Grade 5. Which is unusual but shows how concerned his primary school is about his future. I pink puffy heart them.
Homeschooling?!?
Holy hell… I’m a teacher and I wouldn’t want to be doing that. I can’t believe that there’s no place for him in a school somewhere.
That’s seriously fucked.
seriously fucked.
I don’t WANNA homeschool! I would lose my mind!
Oh shit. shit shit shit. I didn’t realsie that the Victorian system is so fucked that it can’t accomodate Boo. Perhaps that’s a question for your local MP before the election …. we are after all, heading towards the national curriculum so technically the “system” should be similar across all states. So *technically* Boo should be able to have access to quality education. Note that I qualified that with “technically”.
(PS – tell Too that I can’t spell for shit, but know my science shite fairly well. My little bro is one of those super-brains that make the other scientists go “huh”…. and yet he writes like English is his third language.)
In other news, why don’t ‘comments’ sections have a “spell check” option??? I need spell check. I NEED it.
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Dear Darl- it’s July 19 =-.
spelling – firefox and chrome have spellcheck plugin things that check your spelling and put nice little underlines under the gabble 🙂
.-= Fiona´s last blog ..The Del Delany Hotel- Darby St =-.
yeah, what she said.
Feel your pain and frustration.My sister went through exactly the same shit with her daughter.Had to virtually negotiate at the start of each school year to plan which,and how many subjects she could take.Despite this,come parent/teacher night,some dumbarse teachers would say “I didn’t realise….” Fuck,less than 5 minutes with her,and it is obvious she is different.Other teachers were quite ignorant of the fact that some concepts she is never going to grasp.Anyway,on a cheery note,she has now got a job at a community radio station.Doing “all sorts of stuff auntie kerf” She is happy,and that,after is the main thing.
That is so awesome! Boo came home and told me that he wants to be a screenwriter and director. I wonder if there are community movie studios? LOL
At the radio station they have a small television studio set up.She is boing taught to make short films on a handicam(not exactly high art).Just simple stuff like film people walking down the main street,film the boats in the bay etc.
homeschooling? rather you than me. I wouldn’t have half the patience for that. I bow down to your awesomeness.
.-= Gilz´s last blog ..A tub of Vaseline- a Large Cucumber and a few Clothes Pegs =-.
Hellz no. I did the whole therapy thing when Boo was little cause I KNEW THAT SHIT, he will surpass me within a year methinks.
WHAT?? Isn’t it THE LAW that kids get to go to school? Hello? Okay, you need a petition. Put all our names on it. Or SOMETHING.
Are there trade schools? That might be an option, he could learn to edit film, or program something, or make cartoon animation… There has to be something.
.-= Nan´s last blog ..Heres an Idea =-.
those schools are not available until he is 15. AND they provide better support for special needs kids.
Nan,that’s the sort of stuff my neice is doing.She records interviews etc and is now doing some filming,which she is thrilled about. And this is in Victoria.
Awesome! See, there are humane people out there. My middle boy is doing cartoon animation through the university, because there are a few awesome teachers out there who don’t mind working with weird kids.
You just have to FIND them. I had to move countries…
.-= Nan´s last blog ..Heres an Idea =-.
I remember one of the worst days of my life was seeing all my daughter’s little 4 y.o mates file in to enrol in preprimary, and she was staying down. She didn’t mind. But I did.
Aren’t there behavioural needs-based assistants* available in High School in Vic? That sucks.
He needs one to help him with his extension drama and media studies :p
Oh yeah * Must speak Japanese.
Set up the videocam of a normal/worst day, hopefully including a meltdown. Supply smell-o-vision props from the 4 garbage-bags. Use it for ammunition in your application, or in case of rejection you could throw it at them?
Keep pluggin Kelley…(i know, I know, you’re exhausted, don’t blame ya)
.-= Laura Jane´s last blog .. =-.
They are not interested in all that. They just care about the cut off IQ number. Hopefully we will find a way around it all. It just sucks that I have to fucking FIGHT for everything all the damn time. I am too tired for this shit.
The High School situation really sucks. Boo is making great progress and would do really well there, I’m sure.
There has to be something that can be done. Write a constant stream of letters to your MP. That system has to change.
Amanda, forget spellcheck, just use the dictionary as your bedtime story book.
.-= river´s last blog ..literacy vs illiteracy =-.
*sigh* yeah, I know. Seriously WHY do I have to fight them though? Don’t they see that providing him with the supports he needs not only allows me to continue being a freaking taxpayer AND give Boo the potential to become one too?
SEE – that’s why i don’t want to have another kid – because i don’t think i can go through the heartbreak of more than one kid growing up and leaving home and making his way out into the world.
it’s making me anxious just thinking about it – can i come clean with you, please?
.-= ExMi´s last blog ..Making Lists Makes Me Look Busy =-.
anytime you wanna clean with me you are more than welcome. Bring chocolate, I will supply the Margaritas.
They seriously base if someone needs support on their IQ only?? What the hell ever happened to doing a behavioural assessment and looking at a kid’s strengths & weaknesses? This crap could only happen in the Australian education system.
.-= Riayn´s last blog ..Suddenly Single =-.
Oh they do do other assessments but because of the Autism label and it is such a wide spectrum they base it heavily on the IQ component.
OK could you please come over here? The hubby has made the most god awful mess 😛
P.S. my email replies to you keep getting returned?
Only if that means you will cook for me. One of each of everything you have made for the last month. K?
Seriously chick, if I ever get to Sydney I will be totally stalking your arse and making you cook for me.
So, are they expecting him to be able to attend a main stream school?
Are they complete fucking morons?
Are they sadists who enjoy seeing kids struggle when they are out of their depth?
Kel, WTF are you going to do? Have you written to your local member? Newspaper? Bullshit TV Show?
.-= goaldeebug´s last blog ..Happy Birthday- Malia! =-.
not yet. To be honest I have just been too damn busy surviving.
I can’t believe that there isn’t somewhere and somehow you can get him funded….it is absolutely disgraceful. And I am joining in the chorus to say start something to get noticed and drag all of us in for support!
will do. What good are minions if you can’t get them to join you in a revolt against the man?
And then out for drinks afterwards. 🙂
Fuck that sucks. We are still fighting just to get Heidi an integration aide for prep. I keep thinking things will get easier as the girls get older. Seems somethings do but the lines shift and change and new battles come up. You want letters written to politicians, petitions signed let me know. I will add my voice.
.-= Marita´s last blog ..Awwww Nuts =-.
ditto to you what I said above.
And girl, OMG you are in for a ride. Kinder and prep were a fucking cakewalk. 🙁
Madness. Just madness. And I’m hoping things are slightly less stupid in NSW for kids with autism.
And yes, I also cannot believe an IQ test done at age 3 would still be considered valid, let alone sufficient to disqualify someone from assistance. (I wonder if the provisions for gifted education would net you help, come to think of it! But I guess you might have tried that already.)
.-= Chookie´s last blog ..Cowan Creek Bushwalk =-.
Provisions for gifted children? Where? I got NOTHING for The Damn Emos, I was just damn lucky there was a SEAL program within an hours drive from here!
So you’re saying that even though Boo has a diagnosis, none of the schools will support him? Here when a student has specialy needs the public schools are required to provide them the support and resources needed to help them learn. Parents often have to fight to get those resources, but at least the system acknowledges that some kids need a little extra help/attention. I’m sorry Boo won’t go to HS. What are you going to do?
Dunno. Gotta get up my strength and fight I guess.
You need to give us the email addy of the school admin, MP, and any other fucker who won’t help Boo and we will bombard them with emails!
Also, can he get re-tested for IQ? I’m having a hard time believing they would stick forever with a number given at age three, not to say he isn’t smart as a whip.
.-= Gina´s last blog ..Well =-.
he has been retested but it is still double what the cutoff is for the specialist programs. He is allowed to attend high school but they will not provide him with one on one aiding which he needs for his (and to be honest the other kids) safety.
Of course the Victorian system is different, but in NSW there is a GATS policy which says, “All government schools in New South Wales are responsible for identifying their gifted and talented students and providing for their educational needs.” Not that it’s necessarily straightforward after that… but at least parents have something to point to.
Apparently the eligibility criteria for the ASD category of the Program for Students with Disability was revised earlier this year, and you have an Autism State Plan — they might be worth a call.
.-= Chookie´s last blog ..Cowan Creek Bushwalk =-.
Can you get Boo reassessed for funding under the categories of either Autism Spectrum Disorder or Severe Behavioural Disorder? Alex scraped into the Intellectual Disability category by 1 IQ point thanks to a sympathetic assessor, eating colored lollies (who left those lying around for him to find I wonder?) and a very late night the night before (what a mean mother to do that to him?). Autism Spectrum Disorder was not a category when we were applying and despite the severity of his Fragile X Syndrome he would not have been eligible for any help at all otherwise.
.-= Sueblimely´s last blog ..The Blog rises from its Sick Bed =-.
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