Hi all, hoping to get some advice. My grandson, who was recently diagnosed with autism, was sent home from his public pre-K because he was ‘excitable’ on the playground and threw some pea gravel. The school says he can’t come back until after a meeting with the principal. He’s in a state-funded pre-K, so I thought they had to accommodate him. Anyone know his rights in this situation?
Wow, that sounds frustrating! Sending him home like that doesn’t seem fair. Public schools are supposed to follow disability laws, even in pre-K.
Charlie said:
Wow, that sounds frustrating! Sending him home like that doesn’t seem fair. Public schools are supposed to follow disability laws, even in pre-K.
Exactly, that’s what I was thinking too. I’m going to the meeting to back up his parents and make sure they follow the rules.
Charlie said:
Wow, that sounds frustrating! Sending him home like that doesn’t seem fair. Public schools are supposed to follow disability laws, even in pre-K.
Good call! Sometimes just having someone knowledgeable in the room can keep them in line.
If an IEP meeting has already been requested, the school should be putting accommodations in place, not sending him home!
Grayer said:
If an IEP meeting has already been requested, the school should be putting accommodations in place, not sending him home!
Right? They know about his diagnosis, and they’re still just excluding him. Definitely going to bring that up at the meeting.
Grayer said:
If an IEP meeting has already been requested, the school should be putting accommodations in place, not sending him home!
If they keep giving excuses, you might want to consider filing a formal complaint. That can sometimes speed things up.
The school has to follow IDEA, which protects his right to an education in the least restrictive environment. Don’t let them get away with this.
Bailey said:
The school has to follow IDEA, which protects his right to an education in the least restrictive environment. Don’t let them get away with this.
Thanks for confirming that! I was pretty sure about it, but it’s good to hear from others. He deserves a fair chance.
Bailey said:
The school has to follow IDEA, which protects his right to an education in the least restrictive environment. Don’t let them get away with this.
Absolutely, you’re doing the right thing. Schools sometimes bank on parents not knowing their rights.
Did the school mention any type of interim support for him, like a para? Sometimes having an extra helper makes a big difference for kids with extra needs.
Jensen said:
Did the school mention any type of interim support for him, like a para? Sometimes having an extra helper makes a big difference for kids with extra needs.
Not yet, but we’ll definitely be asking for that. He needs someone who can help him manage in a busy classroom.
Hopefully the principal is understanding. But if they aren’t responsive, you can take this up with the district or even the state.
TriviaTalk3 said:
Hopefully the principal is understanding. But if they aren’t responsive, you can take this up with the district or even the state.
Thanks for the advice. We’re hoping to settle it at the school level, but it’s good to know we have options if needed.