Being a parent of an autistic student comes with a variety of challenges regarding their education depending on the autism’s severity. Just ask my mom and all the challenges she went through during my education. We fought, both individually and together, school administrators and school policies multiple times so we could get what I needed from my teachers. Thankfully, a majority of them listened. To those who didn’t, nice knowing ya, but you weren’t the right fit for me. To all of them, thanks for making me an advocate. Without your “no” when we started, I wouldn’t have learned to speak up for myself, or valued the opportunities as much if I hadn’t fought for them. One Kentucky mom is going through her own challenges with her own autistic student. Let’s hear her story.
Rebecca Riggs of Munfordville, Kentucky in Hart County decided to take things into her own hands after dealing with “few school resources and her son with autism being bullied”. Her son, Isaac, will be a sophomore at Hart County High School next school year, and to date, his experience there and at previous schools was less than ideal than what he and his mother had hoped. Munfordville Elementary told Rebecca they didn’t have the resources to keep Isaac there; Cub Run Elementary told her they didn’t have the resources for them, but they dealt with it and tried to get through it the best they could. She got told the same thing at Hart County High School: that they didn’t have the resources to put him in a smaller classroom setting or get him an extra teacher. Understandably, she’s quite frustrated with the high school about all of this and doesn’t feel listened to, and I don’t blame her. My family went through a lot of the same experiences when I was in school, and we struggled to find a school that would have the resources needed for me.
She had multiple ARC (Admissions and Release Committee) meetings, and according to special education advocate Brandi Lemay, the meetings are made to design an IEP (individual education program). Rebecca encourages people to educate themselves because she didn’t have anybody whenever she went into these meetings. She’s Isaac’s number one advocate, as all parents are for their own kids. She says parents should do what’s best for their kid and if anyone tries to tell, manipulate, or force you to move your child or force you to do something you don’t want to do in an IEP meeting, don’t do it. All too often, this is easier said than done. She wants people to specifically become knowledgeable about FERPA rights, HIPPA laws, civil rights, and procedural safeguards (parent rights).
Ever since Isaac enrolled at the school, Rebecca says he’s also been dealing with bullies. Two instances described are one where students threw their boots at him from the top bleacher and another where they deliberately threw a football into his back. It got to the point he was so devastated that he didn’t want to go to school. He didn’t think the bullying would lessen over time when asked to comment. He claims he got used to it by now, but wishes it could change. I’ve never dealt with bullies in any of the schools I went to, because I went to private Catholic schools run by strong administrators until going to college, but I’m sure it’s hard for anyone who does experience bullying at school and don’t know if they have anyone to turn to.
When the school was asked to comment by TV station WBKO, they couldn’t comment on a specific case, but they did release a statement about their special education services:
“Hart County Schools is committed to providing a strong and supportive learning environment for all students, and especially for students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
IEPs are developed collaboratively by each student’s Admissions and Release Committee (ARC) consisting of a team of educators, parents, and often the students themselves. The IEP is written to determine the specific instruction and related services needed for the student to thrive and succeed.
IEPs are data-driven and regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to address each student’s specific learning goals. Student progress is tracked to help the ARC make informed decisions about IEP goals and services. Transition planning occurs through the ARC when a student moves from middle school to the high school and then again while the student is attending high school to plan for their future by addressing their postsecondary goals.”
Donna LeFevre, Director of Special Education for Hart County Schools, also provided a statement to WBKO:
“In Hart County Schools, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.
IEPs are essential to our commitment to inclusive education. They allow us to tailor learning experiences to meet the unique needs of each student.”
Riggs decided to take another route after struggling with the school system for many years. She stresses the importance of getting a child advocate, saying you won’t feel alone, and they can actually advocate for you and your autistic child. Lemay isn’t specifically working for the Riggs family, but she does add that child advocates work to empower and teach families affected by autism. She says they help the situation and their job is to make the IEP team more efficient. They help train parents in their rights, what those rights are, and what services they should be getting. When they think about kids with special needs or special education, they really have to individualize. I think that bit is the most important because not everybody learns the same way and some students with autism need more help than others. I think it’s also important to listen to the individual needs and wants of that particular student so that a clear education plan for them can be properly developed. Lemay also says advocates help families understand and work through these situations, adding when parents feel they’re not being heard, that’s when they start to feel like they’re being bullied. This adds to my own emphasis on the importance of communication between families affected by autism and the people who are supposed to help and serve them.
Lemay describes the emotional and defensive response as “a parent going into momma bear mode”, citing it as another reason to have a child advocate by your side. My family has a saying called “releasing the Kraken” whenever my mom needs to get involved in something, as she’s a retired lawyer and doesn’t care if people like her – she would rather get what her kids need than be popular. Lemay adds that parents of autistic students need somebody to walk alongside them in their journey. It shouldn’t be an attack on somebody, but rather an opportunity for everyone to collaborate as a team. Most school districts aren’t out to get parents, but when things are going wrong, it’s often a lack of knowledge on one side or the other.
On a heartwarming note, Riggs doesn’t think Isaac would’ve made it through school without a number of the teachers he had. She wanted to thank in particular Mrs. Avery, Mrs. Jessica, Mrs. Chelly, Mrs. Jill, Mrs. Martha, Mrs. Kissler, Mrs. Sexton, Mrs. Gibson, and Mrs. Ellis. I also had an amazing group of teachers who worked hard to understand my mind and celebrated my successes. Thanks especially to Sister Vivan Gomez, Mr. Nick Valdejulli, Deb Forrester, and Ms. Ana Garcia. And to the teachers who were not helpful: I hope your Kraken bites heal well.
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