Thursday, September 13, 2007

This is the way we learn

This is the way we learn.
This is a photo that was sent to me last year, proudly taken by a teacher who wanted to show me how my child was using a smart board in school to learn.

While I appreciated, that efforts were being made to help my child, what do you think as a mother I saw, I saw how my child was presented in school in front of his peers, with his underwear showing and his backside showing. As Sammy's mother this is not something I would ever let him be presented to the world like..when we go places together, and he gets out of the cars..if his clothes are shifted..the first thing I do is prompt him to fix them..Sammy can dress himself but because he can't use his left hand and struggles with dressing his left side ..he frequently needs to be reminded of that side of his body.

My child had not gone into a regular classroom with his peers for 4 years now..since when he was in gym...another student pulled his pants down leaving him naked in front of the whole class..the student who did this..did it to see if Sammy had shit in his pants. Sammy only has the use of one hand to defend himself..Sammy was never offered any counselling to heal from this assault on him.

He has never returned to a normal classroom environment since. The school has had 4 years to get him integrated back into the classroom...and still have not succeeded in doing it..How traumatic was this event on this child..Do any one have any suggestions as to how traumatic it was.

Sammy needs help with toileting still...although he is 11 he has problems with wiping himself..from the time he entered school, despite letters, visiting specialist, doctors and rehab teams writing and telling the school the child needs help in the bathroom, he still do not receive it..and has come to a point now..where he will not let them help him..because it was made an object of ridicule and pain for him..it damaged his self esteem...the other children teased him when he came from the bathroom smelling like feces..and when it burn his little bum...he scratched at it..and his hands would smell from it and make the smell of him worst for the other children...Am I right in thinking my child deserves better then this.

Can you understand as a mother how I must feel..about this..

I have made application to home school Sammy..Please wish success and pray that it will be approved..I can no longer put my child in a place...that do not care for him or his basic personal care needs or has such little respect for him...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What has happened to todays "caring" society, I thought if you worked with children it was because you love and care for all children, wanting to help them move forward in life, do we not have the time to care anymore?
I know children can be cruel, it is a learning process, for when they don't understand, but adults should know better, and should teach and nurture kindness into todays children.
i hope you find peace at mind and have the opportunity in having Sammy taught at home.
mym love to you and your family
Louise

Anonymous said...

Oh hun, you just can't can't can't let him go back there. I am at a loss for words............ xxxx