Have you ever been sitting in an IEP meeting or some other school-related meeting when someone from the school staff says something so utterly ridiculous that you are left speechless?
I read an article in a local newspaper yesterday on the subject of advocates assisting parents in the special education process. One of the advocates featured in the story, Cheryl Poe, began her journey to advocacy because of one of those ridiculous comments made to her about her son. The quote from the newspaper was “For Poe, her activism was spurred by her own experience. About six years ago, while trying to get diagnosis and treatment for her son’s learning disability, she said a school speech pathologist told her she was the problem, that she must have been speaking black English to him at home.” Say WHAT????
Although I’ve heard many ridiculous comments at the IEP meetings for my children, the worst was when, following a triennial review, Ashley’s teacher announced to the team that Ashley was a “visual and auditory learner.” Say WHAT?? ASHLEY IS DEAFBLIND!!!
So, what inane comments have you heard? And more importantly, what do you do when you hear them?
Deborah can be found writing here at 5MFSN every Sunday and Wednesday, and can also be found at Pipecleaner Dreams.