Aidans school hmmmmmm Where do I start...Okay they told us the other day they did not think a dull time program was working for Aidan that they were interested in Looking at hree days a week for him and 2 days of work experience...We spoke to Aidan and he thought this would be a good idea as well as we did as the stress of school was getting him down and we were getting a bit of school refusal from him...We went to a motorbike shop and talked to them about getting him some work experience wrking with small motors and things and they seemed keen so told us to write a cover letter and send it to the boss etc....Aidan went to school on Friday all excited about the whole thing spent the whole day there working things out and waiting for the final things to be done with this etc...Anyway got a call wednesday from the deputy and he told us that this arrangement was no longer on the table for Aidan...He was cancelling his enrollment dor non pariticpation in the schooling system... I was in shock WHAT THE...I rang the education department and spoke with them and was told some things that this can not be done so easily...I then had talks and talks to them about following their compaints policy along from their own website and the education department told me to organise a meeting with the headmaster...I try to do this and am given the run around...When We rang for the fourth time...My husband did it...His words were You tell Mr ...... that we want an appointmet with him and aidans pasch and us on thursday 3.30 or I will be there on Friday with the media...Within a half an hour the phone rang...The Headmaster started to talk and I was saying things and I thought to myself hmmm...I said to him am I on speaker phone...He siad yes...I said hello Mr.........To the deputy As I knew he was in there...I asked for the appointment with him and aidans psych etc and he told me there was no need for Aidans psych to be there etc....I have a right to a support person of my choice...WHo the hell was he...I then said so and I would be having her there...I was rpetty much told it all was all to bad etc.. And i should live with their decision...And was spoken to pretty badly...I hung up from them and called the ducation department....i also rang the Xomplaints against schools number and told them of my dramas and the way things had gone etc....At 4 yesterday afternoon I recieved the weirdest call...It was from the headmaster again...there was no mention of no psych etc...He organised a meeting with me for 3.30 this afternoon with her and no deputy...isnt it weird....I will go to that appointment this afternoon and I will state my case...The education department sees there to be no reason why a child with speial needs can not have the program that was first offered....I sadi to the Education department yesterday which got me the answer I told them most people would feel....If Aidan had cancer or a psysical sickness that could be seen we would not be having this conversation about hi enrollment would we...His answer to me you ask??? NO we wouldn't....Just because mental illness can not be seen in psysical symptoms that does not mean it does not exist... I will fight this all the way and will do the best for my 16 year old son to complete his grade 12 to the best of his ability at this time...So if things dont work you will be seeing me in the media...Not just for Aidan but also for the fact that there are alot of kids out there that have just fallen to the wayside because of the stigma surrounding mental illness....I think it is way overdue that the ecucation department puts something in place for kids in this situation...There are no clauses in there policy to recognise mental illness exists...So where is the stigma surrounding it coming from then?????I wonder hey Maybe our goverment shoud get up and have a look at that???? I will keep you all posted with what goes on with this all.....
Until then take care
Mwah
Angie