Weymouth Mother Wants Son Out of Middle School Before He Hurts Someone
A Weymouth mom is worried about the safety of others while her child attends school.
Weymouth: A South Shore mother wants her mentally-ill child taken out of the Abigail Adams Middle School and placed in a specialized school.
Sethany Griffin of Weymouth is worried about the safety of others if her 12-year-old son remains at the middle school, according to Boston.com.
“When something happens, and my child hurts himself, a peer, a teacher, or a family member, I just want to ensure that people were aware of the risk ahead of time,” she told the Globe.
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Her actions to transfer her son to a more specialized school comes months after Lori Kettell pulled her autistic son out of the sixth grade for being bullied. Kettell also wants the Weymouth Public School system to send her son to a school that can handle the situations, the Globe reported.
Superintendent Kenneth Salim would not comment on the specific cases but said the school is committed to ensuring the safety of every student. The administration has rejected both students’ requests to leave the district and said they can handle the situations at the Abigail Adams Middle School.
Read the full story on Boston.com.
Cindy Halpern
2:30 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Please listen to this mother before it's too late. She knows her son best and if she is saying there is a risk here, her words must be heard.
Judith Kenny
2:55 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
So this school would rather leave self open for a major lawsuit if and when this child hurts someone else gets hurt himself? I think the mother has a legal right to take her son from the school and if not bshe needs to get a lawyer to help her on this. SHe knows if her son can be violent and they better listen to her., My grand daughter has her masters in Special Ed and is a teacher and she has seen many students in SP ED that can bedangerous. They do not belong in wiht other students where they can get hurt or harm someone else. Our kids should be able to go to school and be safe.
Carol Galvin
5:24 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Yes, my husband was a Hearing Officer for many educational issues under the 766 Program. I think years ago the school systems made the Mainstream Program and integrated many special needs children into the regular classrooms.
I don't know how the classroom teachers cope with all the demands made on them.
Bryan Harrison
7:56 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
" My grand daughter has her masters in Special Ed and is a teacher and has seen many students in SP ED that can bedangerous. Our kids should be able to go to school and be safe."
I also have a Masters in Special Ed . , and the father of a Special Ed. student . And I have to sat that I really don't appreciate the generalization that is made of kids in the Sp.Ed. program . Many , if not most , of these kids are on the Autism Spectrum , and are of no danger to anyone . Some are , however , the targets of bullies and other such ignorant individuals who know nothing of A.S.D., and will " act out " when they feel they are being threatend . What about them ? " Our " kids ( that are on the ' Spectrum ' ) " should be able to go to school and be safe " as well . And speaking of such , there is no link to the Autism Spectrum and violence . You may want to ask your " grand-daughter " about that , Judith . And please leave the " diagnosing " to those of us that know better than you. Just because your grand daughter has a Masters in the field doesn't give you that knowledge .
" They do not belong in wiht other students where they can get hurt or harm someone else. "
Utterly ignorant and prejudicial statement . Who are YOU to say where " they " do and don't belong ?!
Heidi
5:06 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
As long as she will pay for it its no problem, if she isn't then it is a problem, then she should home school him.
Janie
6:58 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Under Title four of Federal Ed Act, the school MUST transfer any child not learning in a specific school due to learning disabilities or special needs. The school must pay for this just as childless homeowner must pay school levies as do homeowners whose children have grown up and moved away. No one can be required to home school a child because they have expensive special needs. We also pay for fire depts and police, even though most of us will be among those who never need the fire or police dept. She needs a lawyer to enable her son to be tested and force the school to transfer her son if warranted and to document her concerns for his & others safety if he is left where he is.
Meg Smith
7:21 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
What a moronic reply! I'm sure she pays taxes just as everyone else. Taxes that cover her child's educational needs regardless of the extent of those needs! Not what's cheapest and most convenient for the school. I have a daughter with Downs Syndrome who couldn't walk until she was almost four and whose language is still difficult to understand 11. I had to fight for her rite to get her educational needs met for 3 years while my tax dollars were paying for Metco to bus black children to our school system from Boston because of the color of their skin! How is that fair??? It sounds to me like she’s being discriminated against!
Sandi Mcdonnell
4:43 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013
You have no idea Heidi!!! I can not believe that you would rather have this young man be in danger or be dangerous to others just because of funding!! Under Title four of Federal Ed Act, the school MUST transfer any child not learning in a specific school due to learning disabilities or special needs.
I am truly apalled at your response! The School system gets 60% additional funding from the Government to assist in the placement of children in these circumstances!! These funds are specific to the Special Education department and geared for the the individual children. The Government funds are suppose to be held in a seperate fund to allow the school system to be able to assist in the placement of the children. in hearing that Weymouth has used most of the budget and that there are not only this child but others that are not getting the services is an outrage!!
Private fundraising will be done to hire any Attorney and Advocate necessary to ensure that this child receives the education that he deserves. However it is the duty of the local Shool System in this case Weymouth to ensure that the child is placed in the correct program.
How would you feel if this was your child and they were not getting the support and education provided to them that they are entitled to? Not good I'll bet!! Medical and therapist costs as well as the costs for all the testing is very expensive and the family has to pay for those. The school system needs to step up and do their job.
shygirl
7:43 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
pa is the same way I have a daughter who is M.R and autistic and gets bullied by normal kids call crazy nuts Waco ect her older brother and sister stand up for her daily and she also needs p.t o.t. and speech she is 9 with a mind of a 3 and all they can do is give her 120 mins a month for o.t and speech I wanted her to go to special school where she can get more time and kids her own way and school say no then that would make school look like they cant handle her and regardless if they can or not they will not sign off on moving her making school look unequipped
Sharon Schwartz
8:20 pm on Saturday, March 2, 2013
I have a son who is a high functioning autistic, he's also bipolar and he has ADHD and epilepsy (very, very mild). He graduated from high school in 2008 and I know all about the situation that this mother is in. I made it my business to know what the school could and could not legally do. This mother needs to familiarize herself with the "Individuals with Disabilities Act". It sounds like this school may not be following the guidelines in the act. Another idea would be to get a lawyer, draw up a paper saying that the school recognizes the risk but chooses to do nothing and then insist that the school sign it.
PAMELA
12:27 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
wow keep a child in school that the mother even admits could be dangerous to others ,wow. But when something happens to one of his peers,staff what the heck are the staff school admisterators going to do then ,I know,I know BLame the student and his family so that they will not have to take any of the blame.THIS MOTHER IS BEING A RESPONSIBLE MOTHER.
PAMELA
12:39 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Judith,
you comment really bothers me because NOT all special education students are danagerous,some just need a little extra help with school because they are delayed not because they are normal and in the end ,end up going to college and getting decent jobs working in the public.some are never going to work in the public but either way who are you or your granddaughter to judge anyone.The boston school or any school for that matter should allow the students to be moved if the parents feel it is in their kids best interest.sadly to many school from elementry/middle to high schools allow for their special needs children to be bullied,abuse NOT ONLY BY OTHER STUDENTS BUT BY STAFF AS WELL.
Bryan Harrison
12:43 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Amen .
Momof3
1:15 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
The biggest problem is that the Federal Government pays a certain amount for every student. Average students get around $10,000 but special needs children generate a lot more money for the school. The more severe the needs the more the public schools get. I am the mother of 3 special needs children and have had foster children that were special needs. I have fought with the schools for the services these children need to no avail. My children are very fortunate to be able to go to a private school that helps them. I got no where with the public school system in Baltimore.
Tiffany Ferrier
8:36 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Judith, not all special education children are dangerous. Also the ones who may show violent tendencies are feeling trapped and trying to express themselves in a world that refuses to listen. I have an Augustus son and he has his difficulties but by no means would I consider him dangerous. Do I consider modular classrooms for him dangerous ? Yes at times because he gets landless by teachers and harassed by students! You should not be commenting on a subject you have no hands on experience with!!!
Robert Bastille
9:27 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013
Okay first let me 'qualify'... I've worked in 'mainstream,' special Ed., and I have also worked in violent extreme classroom settings when I served on Penikese Island... I have a masters degree in Ed... etc, etc... I find it sad that the adults in this child's life are at odds over where he should be. I will say from experience that 'teachers' (and I belong to that group) sometimes put their egos ahead of what is best for the child. In short, they can fall into the trap of believing they 'know better.' In this case (and I don't know all the facts, but I do know there's friction...), you have a mother, who probably knows her son better than any mortal soul on this planet, she gave birth to this child... she changed his diapers... she fed him and nurtured him to the age of 12... she obviously cares enough to be concerned for both him and his classmates... this mother believes there is a better place for her son... I'm sorry, but when have we stopped listening to mothers? As an 'educator' with tons of education and experience and all that happy horse *bleep*.... even in this modern world.... I still say that mothers know best... and any educator who doesn't put aside their ego to strongly consider a concerned mom's suggestions and input is either insane or a complete ass...
jan
10:46 am on Monday, March 4, 2013
I have experience in education(along with the degrees) as well as many years working with the special education department. Many students who qualify for special education do well in the integrated classroom. Integrated means all levels of achievement in this case,Meg,we're not referring to race here : / As much as I want to believe ALL parents and schools have the child's best interests at heart. Sadly, I know better than that. Schools purposefully do not rush to a major decision based on just the parent's request.She may be right about this, but it takes time to evaluate all factors : (
Annemarie Wheeler
12:19 am on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
I hate the word "Learning difficulties". The better languages "learning differences". My child has "learning differences". I know that's not the complete subject here. I think we all learn at a different rate No matter who you are. I also have learning differences. I just got tested a couple years ago At the age of 50. And sure enough, yes, I do have them. I don't know why I decided to get tested so late, but I did. I also have add. Anyway, My child Went through the whole school system on an IEP. Which is fine by me. But they wasted so much time on the MCAS That he didn't get to Take a lot of the extra classes, not academic. I was really ticked off by that. And in the end he just about passed MCAS to graduate. he thinks he's stupid at times. And I told him he's not stupid he just learns in a different way and you just have 2. find out what your good at. I am a very visual leaner, so is he. SHOW ME HOW TO DO IT... Photography is my thing. Very visual & you can learn yourself. They take my son off his IEP the last semester I've his senior year
Annemarie Wheeler
12:23 am on Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The last semester of his senior year. Why bother at that point. Now if he decides to go to college, that IEP, would have followed him as I heard. Is that correct?? Does anyone know??
Deb
12:11 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Thank you all for your support. I am the child's aunt and I can tell you that the entire family has been fighting for the correct services/placement/settingfor years. It was a hard decision for his Mom to go to the newspaper, but finally decided there was no other choice. This is not the first time the family has brought up their concerns. He has been repeatedly hospitalized and the family has documentation from his outpatient providers and his inpatient providers stating the immediate need for placement for his safey and those around him, which they have shared with the school.