Thursday, September 13, 2007

Did It Hurt!


Did it hurt?
What do you think...tell me...
If you were his mother and he came home from school and you were undressing him from his school clothes and were lifting his arm out of his sleeve and he told you owey..which is how he spoke back then for hurt..and you discovered this..
Each of his ribs were bruised inside.
I was upset and took the photo and emailed the principle..asking how did this happen..?
on his inquiry I found out that he was being tested by the school educational psychologist, and was fidgeting in his chair tucking his feet under him and out from under him trying to get comfortable on the slippery metal chair and he fell...Apparently he cried but she gave him and ice cream and he stopped..no one examined him...no one called home and said your child is hurt..she returned him to his homeroom class and told the teacher he fell but was fine..
Sammy has no reflex defense movements on his left side...not one soul reached out to keep him from falling..okay..so they did not catch him falling..but any mother..the first thing she does is check to see if the child is injured even if the child says I am okay..we look..don't we..
This is another one of the reasons, my child fears going to school, no one cares if he is safe.
now we are only going to sightly get into..my child going missing from school part..of it all
when he was supposed to be on the special needs bus..but was found at 7 years of age..on the North West River Bridge..and that is a big bridge..trying to find his way to his mommas work..
That was only one of three times he went missing from school that year..
okay lets talk about a little 7 year old child who can't zip his own coat yet with one hand..and the parents who called me saying he was left outside alone with his coat not zipped waiting for the special needs bus..to come..now how much trouble is it for a student aid..to bend down and zip up a one handed child's coat..and put his mittens on..
Tip of the Ice burg
9 year old child with cerebral palsy found frozen on path leading to Grand Lake, North West River.
This could have been what could have happened.
I am sitting at my place of work..I get a phone call...your child has gone missing from school...mom..well where is he we don't know..he ran away from school and is missing..mom..well how come you don't know where he is..
He is off school premises so he is no longer our responsibility...????????
Mom..what..he could die out there ..it is 28 below zero..he has no coat, no mitts, no boots on...and you did not go after him because it is not your responsibility?
Well what do you want us to do ms. vanderMeij..call the RCMP...?
mom..no by the time they arrive here from Goose Bay he could be dead from hypothermia or lost up grand lake...
must go and arrange a search party..for him..bye
We were lucky and we did find Sammy quickly ..and he was at the head of the path leading up Grand Lake..he was exposed to - 28 winter weather for over 1o minutes..his tears was frozen in his face and clothes..and he had the beginnings of frost bite on his cheek..he was shivering...like mad..but his daddy..held him close to his body until his body warmed up...
You know..what seems so wrong in all this..is that if..I as a mother..was the one that these things that has happened to Sammy..happened in my care..he would taken away from me ...
so why..is this allowed to happen in a school..?
I have been as high as the child advocates office in Newfoundland..with no success in improving things for my child..I have talked to as many outside the school as I can..but still nothing changes...
So do you think this has had an effect..and may be the reason..my child..hates school..

5 comments:

Lois B said...

I have just spent the better part of the morning reading all of your site. Tears run down my cheeks as I feel so helpless. You are an angel. Your compassion for others is awesome. Being able to forgive as you have forgiven others, particularly your Mom, is most precious.

How I wish I could help with all the trials you have had to endure with the school system as you fight for Sammy. My daughter is a Music Therapy Specialist, and I know this type of specialist would be wonderful for Sammy. If you are ever able to find one, please try it out - it is abosolutely amazing how music can help a child or anyone with learning disabilities. Here in Manitoba many of the schools now have Music Therapy Specialists working with children like Sammy.

My heart and prayers go out to you and your family. Keep fighting for Sammy, he is an angel here too.

God Bless

Anonymous said...

my heart breaks for you. ((((hugs))))))))

Lynn said...

I just finished reading this & the previous post. I am so angry for you & your son, but I'm thankful that he is blessed with you.
Continue being his eyes, his ears, his voice, momma.
I will keep you in my prayers. May God bless you,
Lynn
P.S. Thank you for the QPes. The colors are so vibrant

Anonymous said...

If Sammy was my child I would pull him out of school, I know this is easier said than done.

I know of a child who hated school so much she was thinking of ending her life, she isn't a special needs child but the poor girl was bullied so much that she felt that was the only option. Teachers didn't care and the mother my co-worker pulled her out of grade 12 and she was home schooled her final year, she went years having teachers and students treat her like a nobody.

I don't want to frighten you and Sammy is a delightful young boy, my prayers are with you both, goodluck getting through to the teachers.

I love reading your blog. God Bless.

Anonymous said...

My heart goes out to you with Sammy. My nephew has an arm that is disabled from Erb Duchenne Palsey and has limited movement but he attends regular school. I can only imagine some of what his classmates have done and said to him about him limitations. He is "mostly normal'. It makes me absolutely sick how society tends to treat anyone that is in any way a little different from everyone else in any way. I am soooo sorry for all that your son went through. You also. It only makes me realize that the end of the world is closer than we can imagine. Have you though about a Christian school??? My sister in law home schooled her children for their youngest years and did a wonderful job and most of the Christian parents that I know prefer to keep their children from the mainstream of society these days anyway. It makes you wonder what the world is coming to. It totally breaks my heart all that happened to your Sammy. What a joyeous child I am sure he is. I would love to get to know him. I am sure his heart is HUGE. God bless you for all you are doing.
sarah.tait@cox.net. If I can help in ant way please let me know. My sister in law knows a lot about home schooling and might be able to help some. Sarah