School fail our children over and over again!

Did I ever mention that as well as my son being on the Autistic spectrum with the condition Asperger’s, I also have a nephew with autism?

Alfie is nearly 8 years old. His mother who is my partners sister has known about Alfie’s autism since the age of 2. Alfie only lives around the corner from our home so he visits often, Alfie also attends the same school as my son does. I think many of you already know my felling towards the school are not great! There have been many times I was going to remove little man from the school, but he is not happy with this as there is a teacher he is very close to. Since this teacher has been helping little man he seems much happier with the whole school thing plus there is a new head and deputy head this year so I’m seeing how things go.

Alfie has also had problems at school. The thing is when his mother wanted him to receive more help within school from the SENCO team the main SENCO worker was not happy as in her twisted opinion Alfie had nothing wrong with him! This is what the problem with this school seems to boil down to. They stick there heads in the sand until things are too late. Alfie’s mum had to fight for his right for access to the right type of education for his level of special needs just as I have had to with little man. A few months later the school had contacted his mother saying they could no longer handle Alfie and his ways ( he was throwing himself on the floor, banging his head against walls, hitting and swearing at staff ) They wanted him statemented. OMG what a turn around. First there is nothing wrong with him the next thing you know they are asking for a statement and advice from his mother on ways to cope with his somewhat difficult behaviour. Last year they asked his mother if she minded if Alfie attended a special needs school for at least two out the five school days. This is what happened but then Alfie hated going so returned back to this school for the whole five-day school week. When Alfie is at school he is known to fall asleep with staff letting this happen as it means they no longer need to deal with his challenging behaviour. A number of times I have collected Alfie I have found him in a different classroom lying on the floor looking at the ceiling I have even visited the school about little man and his sister and found Alfie walking the corridor alone, then a few seconds later you see a teacher running up and down like a headless chicken screaming “ALFIE, ALFIE” Crazy I agree!

Well yesterday Alfie was excluded from school for five whole long days ( a whole school week ) What a cop-out!

What is even worse in my view is that Alfie is not allowed to enter the school or step foot near it for these five days. Basically he has been bared from all areas of the school. My god this child is 6 years old. His sister my niece Demi also attends the school and is in the last year before her big move to secondary school. Like myself Alfie and Demi only live  up the road from the school. When Alfie is not in its OK for Demi to walk home alone! But yesterday there were reports of two men hanging around the school’s in a black car. The same men have also been reported trying to pick up young girls (sickos) Many schools have given out letters to parents and are aware of the situation. Given this Nicky (Alfie and Demi’s ) mother needs to collect Demi from school! But how can she when Alfie is not allowed to step a foot near the place? You would think given the situation the school would have to allow Nicky to pick her up with Alfie in tow. No Nicky will have to wait with Alfie on the corner. This to me is so OTT.

Why is Alfie excluded? He run off from a teacher (Whats new there ) he was swearing, and he spat at the teacher. Yes not nice I agree but come on people this is a 6-year-old autistic child we happen to be talking about here. To me this seems yet another way of not having to deal with the child in question! Is Alfie going to learn anything from this? I don’t think so. Why? This is the second time they have excluded him from school, and Alfie is Autistic to him it’s simple-the school are bad as he is not allowed to go to school.

What is happening with our schools and teachers today. We need a greater understanding of autism, training needs to be given to these teachers. Why has this not happened yet ? As numbers rise in the amount of children being diagnosed as being on the spectrum of autism why is it that the number of educators being educated on autism and its related conditions are even lower than ever before. To me it makes pretty good sense if the number of autistic children is growing then the need for extra education for teachers and school staff should be given. By not doing this the education system is failing our children and why on earth should we as parents, grandparents,care givers be OK with this?

This is a wide spread problem all over the world just today I came across a post titled School security overact to behavior of autistic child. http://autismparentplan.wordpress.com All I’m saying is we are along way off seeing change in our schools when it comes the way they deal with autism.