Help I think my principal is using a special needs child for her own personal gain.?

Question

I have a special needs child in my class. I am trying to get her help and my principal is calling all the shots and standing in the way. My principal is deciding what will happen and when. I believe that she wants to make a film about our school and this child for her own personal gain. Please help! Laws anything to stop this dispicable person!

Answer 1

Have you thought about speaking to the parents?  If it was my child in this situation, I would want to put a stop to this possible exploitation, yet also want to not get you in trouble with the principal.  Is there a way you can "let them know what is going on" and then allow them to drive the opposition to this issue?  I would think to be a film, they would need the parents' consent at some point.  Unless you can get Mom and Dad on your side, I suspect your objections may be fruitless.

Answer 2

you need to go in speak with the childs parent if that is the case it is against the law to use a child with special needs at all in this person that is doing this for there own personal gain will get in big trouble we give are son about 2 are 3 dollars a day to eat on at school he is in 11th grade but has a 3rd are 4th grade level in for about a year are so he told us that his teacher was taking his money every day so that is like over 900 dollars are mors so we called the police in explained to them are son is in special ed in a 3rd grade are even a 4th grade education well we talked to the person that was in charge in they started to video tape are son where he was going all the time in even watching the teacher that was taking his money well it went on about 6 months in they came in in arrested this teacher in told him that he was on video taking a boys money in he denied it in they showed him the video in we got back every cent of are money back from the school you cant just take avanage of some one like this in think to your self in say i am going to get away with it crime dont pay i just dont care how good you think you are getting away with c**p like that in the teacher is in jail for 25 years cause he was so stupid for doing that to some one that is in special ed are even a person that has even special needs it is just plain wrong the way people treat every one like there better then the ones with a special need are evn special ed even

Answer 3

The parents drive the situation. They can ask for a child study to determine if the child can be assisted. An Academic Improvement Plan can be written. The school must follow the guidelines. If that doesn't work, they will meet again and try something else. If that is ineffective, then the child will be referred for testing.

If the child already has an IEP, make sure that it is being followed. Frequently principals divert special ed money to regular educating and then complain that they don't have enough money to offer services. If the child isn't getting enough help, ask the parent to call for a new IEP meeting.

I would not mention your concerns about your Principal's greed to the parent. This can get you in big trouble! Just tell the parent that their child is falling behind and explain the process for getting tested. Check with your school counselor to be sure of the steps your district takes.

The parent can also demand testing.

Answer 4

Can you give more specific examples so we can direct our replies to the right resources, pls.

Answer 5

I applaud your desire to help a child, and also warn you not to commit professional suicide along the way.  First, decide if your primary goal is to help the child, or get the principal whom you obviously despise.  Of course, we assume that the child is primary.   As a special ed teacher for 30+ years, here is my advice:

1. Document, document, document!  Document what the child is doing that indicates  special need.  What, when , where, how did you deal with it, you can even speculate why, as long as you cearly indicate that is a speculation, not a fact.   Also, document meetings with parents, other service providers such as speech therapists, yes, even the principal. Review the child's records and check with previous teachers , if possible.  Is this a new concern or long term condition? Using the information, plan and implement various interventions.  

2. Use the system . Educate yourself about district policy , state and federal law.  Also, what is your guess about the general nature of the child's problem:  behavior, academic, some special syndrome?  Do some detective work and start ruling things out.

If these don't work, see if your school has a teacher's assistance team ( they have various names).  The purpose of the team is to help a teacher collect data and implement internventions.  Meeting with this team can be a step towards formal assessment and identification. Do you have professional mentor who could give you advice?

3. Now if the  child has already been identified as having a special need, is  the IEP not being met, or needs to be revised?  Request from the case manager a meeting to review progress.  This meeting will include parents and a variety of staff, so the principal does not single you out.  Others may also be having concerns.

4. As far as the principal is concerned, keep separate documentation on that if you really feel this is an issue and not just a professional disagreement. Keep hard copies of all e-mails, memos, documents et. which may pertain to the situation.  Do NOT use the school computer to send e mails or compose documents about this situation unless you are aware that many states have held that anything you do on a school computer is considered a work product and can be archived, subpoenaed  and read by others.   If you must vent, do it through your home computer.

5. Finally, if you have checked and rechecked your information and feel strongly that the child is being damaged by lack of action or support, you may need to go over the principal's head to : the adminsitrator who evaluates the principal ( varies from district to district), the local special education director, the superintendent, or, my favorite, right to the state office of education, usually the department of exceptional children.   They are great at giving advice and suggestions.  ALso, if you belong to either NEA or AFT, they may have resources to help you , both information on how to help the child, and possibly legal support if it comes to that.

Also, there are parent support groups available throughout the country to help the parents understand and advocate for their child. Getting the parents on your side, or at least not in your way, is a big help.

I am including a link to wright's law, a must for child advocates, ldonline, and  a site with hundreds of books and materials for a variety of children's needs... take your pick.   If you an identify the specific need of the child, there may be resources catering to that need such as dyslexia, autism, hyperactivity, deafness etc.

Good luck, and thank you for being this child's advocate.