This year has been a very tough one with our son who is in first grade. He's been going to the same Christian school since he was in Pre-K, and up until this year it had been going very well, but this year things went downhill with the school in more ways than one, and we have decided he can't go there anymore.

The first thing was when his teacher told us he had ADHD, her reasoning, he son has it and she saw it in our son, and that our son needed medication. He had a 94 average, all A's in every class, but then his teacher told us he was just getting by. Not sure what doing well means to her, but if a 94 average is just getting by, things have changed from the 60's and 70s I got in school because my parents didn't care what I got as long as I didn't fail.

In the end we took him to see a child psychologist who was not happy with her diagnosis, he said he without a doubt doesn't have ADHD and said the teacher should stay out of the medical business and teach her class. His teacher still thinks he has ADHD despite the diagnosis.

Then one day we get him from school, I take him out and then get a look at his face, two black eyes and his nose is bruised up, how he didn't break his nose is beyond me. No note, no phonecall, nothing. Turns out, he fell in recess, same teacher. When confronted, she said she knew he fell, but thought he landed on his butt. To me, when a kid smashes his face like that, why would he be holding his butt?

Then the school seems to have an issue with putting down salt and sand so no one falls. Sand here is free, so I put it out every morning when I can. Salt the school is supposed to provide, can't seem to manage it. I have seen five kids fall this year, one I know was hurt. I saw one girl go down before I could get sand out. When I started sanding the doorman, who saw the girl fall, tells me not to sand, they don't want to have to vacuum it up. I did it anyway. I have had many conversations with the principal and vice principal, I keep hearing that there is a guy who does it. Never seen him. As I explained, I don't mind doing it, but the parents shouldn't be responsible for keeping the kids safe. Just had the conversation again with the Vice Principal last week, when I told him about it, he points out to me where the salt is. The entire supply for the school was maybe about 5 pounds of salt, and like I told him again, not the parents job to make it safe for the kids.

There was an incident this year where a parent whose kid was being tossed out of 1st grade, same grade as my son, threatened to hurt the teachers and everyone else. The cops were called and the woman had to be taken out of there. No note home, found out from one of the other teachers. None of the parents were made aware by the school officially. I asked where the security guard was for the school. He leaves everyday now 20 minutes after the school opens because they can't afford to have him there for the day. Not acceptable.

Over the past month or so, started having disciplinary issues with our son, he's no angel, but worse than normal. So we talked to his teacher, same one as before. She tells us that's he's been having issues, but she had never told us. Not a word. The teacher looks at me and says "I like to keep what happens in school, but since you want to know now I will tell you." So we don't know how long this has been going on for.

There have been other issues, our son lost a tooth a few months back and mentioned the tooth fairy in school, you know, he's 7, that's still a thing at their age. He was told that's not acceptable and not to mention it again.

We had brought some issues to both the principal and vice principal, but they are both resigning so they aren't even there most days. To be honest, most days we don't even know who to ask questions about anymore.

Today in church, the pastor where the school is mentioned that they were $75,000 in the hole, teachers were leaving, tuition was going up, which we knew, and that in order to stay viable they were going to have to stop having grades 9-12 and charge for pre-K and Kindergarten, something never done. It's obvious the school is not doing well.

So we decided that with everything, that our son isn't going next year. He would have the same teacher, and I think some of the same issues. We have been checking out the local public school more and more. He likes it there from what he's seen. Gym class is every day of the week, his school now the gym class was twice a week but that changed because some days there is no gym teacher at all. The art teacher at his school is leaving so my wife is going to help and volunteer, something she's done before, or else there's no art class.

All in all it wasn't a fun or easy decision to make, but our son isn't getting the education we think he needs and we don't feel he's safe there anymore. It's obvious the school is in deep trouble and we can't afford the cost anyway. What really irks me though is the backlash we're getting.

The other day my wife told a woman who she's been friends with for four years from the church and the school. Her oldest will have to find something for next year because he's in high school and there isn't a high school there now for the kid. When my wife told her our son wasn't going next year, this woman turned on my wife like an angry badger, glad I wasn't there because the conversation would have been very different.

This woman, who is supposedly a friend of my wife, told her that we need to "sacrifice" more to send our son there and that when he goes to public school he's going to end up a delinquent, swearing, and basically end up in jail later on. Like I told my wife, it's nice this woman thinks so highly of our parenting skills.

I think when more of the school teachers or members of the church find out, they're will be more of this, but heaven help the first one that says anything to my son or treats him badly because of it. I won't stand for any of it, and even though it's hard, I can see we made the right choice for our son.

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Vaya con Dios

That is a tough situation.

I'm going to carefully sidestep the ADHD issue without knowing your kid; that is a minefield . But quite apart from your son's specific issues, as a former educator I see tons of red flags just reading your description of the personnel, administrative, and money issues of that school. It may espouse the right values you share, but if the survival of the school rather than the well-being and best education for the kids becomes the main focus, it's the time for Plan B.

And I would have serious issues with that teacher's professionalism. In many ways she seems to be just winging it. And the situation with your kid's injuries? With a public school, you might be here complaining about a hysterical overreaction, which however, all things considered, is preferable to just ignoring it.

So I think you're moving toward the right decision. Your obligation is toward your son's education and safety, not keeping that school afloat or making the people at church happy.

The present school sounds like it isn't a good option to stay with. If my kid had two black eyes I sure would want to know what happened.
My little girl came home with red knuckles and she said the teacher hit her across the knuckles with a wood ruler. I can understand the kid was probably acting up but sorry I don't go with whacking her hand with a ruler. I was at the school the next day. I didn't get past the receptionist desk because I had no appointment. I let the receptionist know the story and for her to inform the principal that if it happened again I would be back with an appointment. I found out there had been several incidents concerning this teacher.
It seems so many kids these days are labeled with ADHD. I wonder how we got through school without having drugs pushed on us. Things sure have changed.
BTW Yes I did tell my little girl to quit acting up in class.

Yup. 7 YO "active" grandson here. He was in a "Christian" school for the first few months of 1st grade. All was well until it wasn't. The organizer of the school left, as did an administrator who was brought in to do a better job. The boy was (very reluctantly) put into the local public school, which is very anti-family.

To me the obvious solution is to home school the boy; but his parents are reluctant to try even thought I am willing to bankroll it and help out. Got to have those two incomes, you know.

What a contrast to my first few years of parochial school. Those sweet nuns gave me a wonderful start ( and NO rulers!) God bless them.

Nowdays kids just seem to be society's road kill. Heartbreaking.

Ditto, I was in the post-ruler/pre-Bravo Sierra era of parochial education. The lay teachers were...well, looking back on it, a few of them gals made a funny habit of wearing the same clothes two days in a row (*wink*) but I never noticed much odd. The youngest of them were real ditzes. And barely a looker among them!

High school wasn't bad--all-boys school. A few priests, no nuns, mostly lay teachers. The coaches that got hired to teach were the worst. You know I spent the better part of my young adult life thinking I was bad at math? I figured out I wasn't when I started doing gun work--amateur 'smithing and reloading and such. Plenty of complicated practical math, zero problem doing it.

I got lucky once and was slotted into a poetry class. The poetry teacher was 22, and this was senior year, so I was 18. It was the best class I ever hated. I don't remember much about poetry, I do remember a bit about her blouses, and how she was dating another young lady in the English department.

Also, come to think of it, it was drama. See what I mean? The non-co-ed atmosphere, I think, kept us focused...but when it failed, it did so in spectacular fashion.

For college, I went to a school with a big education program. And let me tell you--those kids are slow in the head. You could pick them out in any non-education class. None of them could write worth a damn, and most of the girls were pretty well hung over Thursday mornings (the local-big-skanky-party-bar-that-doesn't-card ran a special Wednesday nights). I was always sort of amazed that you could become a History/English/whatever teacher, and take less than a handful of History/English/whatever classes.

Which begs the question--what's in "Education", then? Well, apparently, pop diagnoses of vague childhood learning disabilities.

David, here is what I think: I recall your earlier post/thread about your son, and it seems to me, that, based on the info in that post, your son does not have ADHD.

What you describe about the school, the principal and assistant principal leaving, financial troubles, are all warning signs — dead giveways? — that it is best to pull your son out.

That you get no feedback on what happens to your son at school, or how he behaves, means, to me, that it is an incompetent (AKA bad) school.

It is clear to me that you are a good father with your son's best interests at heart.

I am guessing that you are a religious person who worries about bad influences and such, but, I assure you, a loving family, good parenting, mom and dad striving together to do their best for the little ones — as is our duty and our most fervent desire as parents — will overcome any outside negative influences.

You are on the right track, David.

God bless.

We had that same problem with our grandson he was going to a private school, straight A student, they told my son that he had ADHD and they didn't want him coming back n ext year, my son had him tested , they said he had nothing wrong with him, his only problem was he was board with school, my son put him in a public school that had a advanced study program, he loves it and is doing great, these private schools don't want to deal with any problems, getting rid of the student is the easiest way of dealing with it.

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Don

Say what you will about the public school system, but they have an entire bank of teachers and other resources dedicated to kids with special needs. Private schools at best contract with public schools to provide at least some of those services, and at worst, do nothing . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

We have two daughters one is a freshman in high school and the other is in 3rd grade. We checked out a private school and was amazed how poorly it was managed and how dirty it felt and looked. We then went to the public school and where amazed how clean it was, and ran like a precise clock. We get weekly updates, and my youngest has had a mentor every year one on one for 2 hours every Thursday. Our school district emphasizes parent enrollment with our child's education, we couldn't be happier with our public schools. Our oldest is on path to graduate high school and have two years of college credits. I believe living in a smaller conservative town makes a huge difference in public schooling. Yes it costs more to live we live, but the benefits pay for it by far........

Have you thought about home schooling? A viable option if you as parents can devote the time to supervise, instruct, etc. Perhaps there is someone in your church who is currectly home schooling you could talk to about it.
There are many options, including classroom video streaming from Abeka and Enlightium, and others.

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

I think Onomea has it exactly right. I'm no fan of the public school system but vigilant, caring, parents have an easy time countering negative influences.

Your post here and the older one show me that you'll have no trouble with a transition to public school. Good luck in whatever you decide.

Private schooling, religious or secular based, has its minefields. What matters is the educational model used. We know that the "sit down, keep your mouth shut, and listen to the teacher" model does not work. It's a relic of the Prussian/Dewey model, created to turn out conscript soldiers and assembly line workers. Putting children in "grades", and insuring they move from elementary to middle, to secondary education on date certain; and it's a sure way to insure failure.

Education arises from peer interaction. It's a bottom-up, evolutionary process. The teacher should be in a moderator role, keeping peace, and inspiring the students to teach each other.

When I was 65, I was diagnosed with ADD. When I asked the psychiatrist how I survived, she told me that like most other children, I adapted to my environment.

Children are amazingly adaptable, and those who are ADD or ADHD are probably as normal as normal can be.

Find a school (Montessori is a good place to start), and ask a lot of questions. Find out the education model. Do they nurture children, and do they work with children until they master what ever subject is at hand?

When I was in elementary school, our school had "fast" and "slow" learners mixed in certain classes. It allowed for slower learning students to move at a pace more attuned to their learning speed. They almost got it right.

My oldest son, born in 1972, wasn't diagnosed with autism until he was 17. Before that, autism was "Rainman", and a spectrum wasn't even suspected. His is mild, and we went through nightmares for years because even the Individual Education Plans (IEP) for "special ed" students, wasn't geared toward autism.

PS - Home schooling isn't a panacea either, because it runs counter sometimes, to the necessary socializing a child needs to merge into society, and it ignores the ideal education of peer-to-peer learning.

The Greeks, and their open air learning had it right, along with the Socratic method.

While I'm not a big fan of public school, my kids go to one. They haven't learned squat via the curriculum, but have learned how to manage in social situations. This is a valuable life skill not picked up from home schooling, and sometimes no too well in private school settings.

I try to teach my children what I believe is important for them to know.

I remember you posting about this school last year. You've handled it better than I would have. I'm glad to hear you didn't take their advice and drug your son.

Sue them, individually and as a school----the fact they are in financial trouble telegraphs that they are very poorly managed---if this happens to be your church too, find another church, (God help those who help themselves)
You could consider home schooling, if you and your wife both work, then perhaps an uncle or aunt or grandparent will step up to the task---but any child that has a 94 GPA isn't the problem to be addressed.
olcop

My son wouldn't want me home schooling my grandson, I would have him out fishing every day.

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Don

These are just my thoughts and opinions. Others will disagree, but I've been teaching since 1967, and as the commercial goes, "I know a thing or two because I've done a thing or two".

1. First grade is the first year of regimentation in the education process. It's not pre-k or k, it's the real deal. It's time for young students to get serious now about education. It becomes a lot tougher later. I was in the Ph. D program. I know. That is not a negative comment about your son, but the going is beginning to become a lot tougher.

2. The two most under-paid professions in our Nation are educators and law enforcement officers! If you look at all of the problems in our Nation, most if not all could be solved or improved with a far greater focus and priority on compensating and unparalleled public support for these two professions!

3. I can't speak for LEOs, but my colleagues have been warning me for the past several years that highly-motivated, dedicated educators (the ones that we had years ago) are leaving the profession en masse for better working conditions, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, etc.

4. Student behavior (or should I say mis-behavior) is so prevalent and so extensive in the classrooms that those educators who remain are relegated to just doing their best to maintain law-and-order in the classroom. Minimal education and learning. No time to really academically challenge and support both the best students and those students who are having a tough time learning.

5. I have seen the educators opinion far too many times now: If a student has a behavioral problem, then it has to be ADHD. Bovine excrement! As per the above, almost no educator has the knowledge and skills to make this determination.

6. Investigate the possibility that your son may be "gifted and talented". A student who is G-T will appear to misbehave because he/she is not being academically challenged and they are frustrated, angry, disappointed, etc.

7. I believe that a change of schools may provide you with the solutions that you and your son need. Go to several schools and meet with the administrators first. Explain your son's learning challenges to them. They may just have a first grade teacher who excels at motivating and encouraging students just like your son. He could then be easily assigned to that teacher's class.

8. Look for a school with pro-active parents. Pro active in this sense means both involvement and support of the teachers and educational process. We intentionally moved in to the Eanes ISD in Austin TX and our son received an excellent education throughout the K-12 stages of his education.

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That's what we do!

I'm going to sound off on this one, since I am a parent too. It has been my brutal experience that very often incompetent and worse administrators and teachers hide behind the description of " Christian School". If the first thing your educator tells you about their school is that they are "Christian", then leave; the first thing they need to tell you is that they are a GOOD school, and why. That's coming from someone who attends church every week, often twice or more, is active in it, and tries to exemplify my religion. It's like in a business deal; if the other person starts out telling you how good of a "Christian" they are, check and make sure you still have your wallet. You want to show you are a moral person, LIVE it, don't just talk it.
Bill S

You might as well give public school a try. You are paying for it anyway.

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Not in jail.

The original post has many red flags.

The indifference to student safety, medical diagnosis by incompetent, failure to report injury from a fall, etc.

If it were my problem:
1) Change schools.
2) Report situation as child neglect or possible abuse.

The financial problems and staff leaving seem to indicate poor management skills.

Good luck with your choice.

Bekeart

I don't know anything about your area, but don't dismiss public schools primarily because of the word 'public'. In this day and age, it is popular to bash anything and everything that is government run as incompetent.

I went to public school (admittedly many years ago), it was staffed by administrators and teachers who for the most part wanted to provide a good education. They were not mindless bureaucratic drones simply looking out for themselves.

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Common sense isn't so common.

...but, he shows some signs/symptoms. He's been tested thoroughly by professionals. He takes Adderal for concentration.

He's had terrific behavior problems. However, in public schools, with backing from the experts he is under a 504 plan that acknowledges that he has problems and gives allowances for that.

I think about any public school would be far better than the one he's been attending. You can continue to search for an acceptable school, but in the meantime he'll have his needs covered. If he has behavior problems, get the causes checked out and and if he needs it, get him under a 504.

Our son was in several school programs before starting first grade and, though not as bad as what you describe, were full of unqualified people and bully children that ran unchecked.

Raising kids has always been a minefield, but never moreso than now. We agonized and tried to do everything to help our son along the way and for several years we thought we had lost him to the street culture. However, he's almost 18 now and seeing things from the other side. He's motivated, has ambition, works, does great in school. So give yours all the love and support you can, because it can be a very rough ride.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

The most important thing a family can do is to "all" have dinner together around the same kitchen table. Then "talk" about what happened that day. We had a similar situation about 40 years ago with our son who the teacher thought had problems. After he was tested by the Psychologist we were informed he had a good intelligence, could be anything he wanted to be, but was bored with too much repetitious work and didn't see why he had to do the same stuff 2 or 3 times, he understood it the first time. Fortunately the teacher was honest and admitted she took his "attitude" incorrectly, and started to challenge him with more advanced work. By the end of his 3rd grade he was doing 5th grade math. To this day he thinks Trig & algebra are fun.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

"School shopping" is difficult. We reevaluate it year by year. Each school district is different public and private.
Where I grew up private schools sucked educationally and only existed because people did not want their kids going to school with minorities (who were majority in population in those areas.) This is still in effect today in this area to some degree.
We shop every school and are vigilant with our questions. We quiz parents whose children currently and formerly attended the particular schools. So far, our son has only gone to Catholic school. We are not Catholic, but in our area and in our case this school has small class size, great qualified teachers, and a genuine interest in our son. The school is not a "white flight" school and has children of all races, social and economic situations. The public school in our area was our second choice and we'd be satisfied with him there as well. The next closest alternative is a private Christian school that we would not send our son to at all due to quality of staff, but 5 years ago would have been fine - the administration turned over and it went down hill.
The conclusion we came to is shop them every year and do our best to make sure he gets in front of the person most qualified, motivated, and interested in his well being as we can afford. What type of school matters not.

Sorry to hear of what happened with your son.

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Straight shootin'
SWCA#2439

The key to a successful education for children revolves around parental involvement. OP seems on the right track. Today our U. S. society has evolved to a point where parents both work in an effort to survive financially, and that means often to support the lifestyle that they themselves desire. McMansions and Mercedes cloud the important issues of the family unit, and education is farmed out, in a sense, to the government (is your school funded by tax money? To what degree? Who dictates the curriculum? etc.). This is all convenient, but parental involvement in any school setting is critical to a successful, meaningful education. I work side by side with people who truly struggle financially to afford decent living conditions and a parent for the most part free of 'work' to be there for the kids. Christian and private schools are popular in my area as a way to 'do better' for the children, but as evidenced by the OP, not always successful. Raising children, if not done in a vacuum, still requires parental involvement, not a relinquishment of authority with the hopes that all will work out well. I raised a child with disabilities and had him educated in the public system. It was a part-time job, I assure you, to assure that he got what he needed. 'The system' tends not to deal well with the out-of-the-norm child. Some districts do much better than others, but that is a conscious decision they make to 'do it right'. That is expensive, and often not a welcome option, so if mom and dad don't get involved, the child gets pigeon-holed for the convenience of the system (its administrators). Suffice it to say that as parents my wife and I fought hard for the child. We learned the law, and at times educated the schools about their responsibilities. At other times we fought tooth and nail to force them to meet their responsibilities, as they would rather deny services and hope the parent didn't know what the law required them to provide. We became somewhat regular attendees at school board meetings; often not welcome because we were a thorn in their side. We accomplished a lot with respect to how services are delivered to special needs children in our area, but not without considerable sacrifice. What disappointed me most was two-fold: 1) many education administrators were ignorant of the law, or simply denied the facts to suit their own needs (flat out lied until confronted with the law), and 2) the vast majority of parents who should give a hoot chose not to do so because it complicated their lives. Keep in mind that 'special needs' kids can be on either end of the bulge in the bell curve that is said to be 'normal'. Those children with shortcomings, and those that are budding genius material (the tails on the bell curve) are both entitled to be accommodated. Parental involvement is the only way to make that happen. Do not rely on institutions to provide what only a parent can. Force the issue and work as a team with whatever mechanism you choose to use as an education for your children.
p.s. Drugs are a front line tool to mask what are in many cases other issues that need to be addressed, and perhaps not issues the child has. Drugged children pose much less of a challenge in a classroom. That is fodder for another post at a later time.

My best teaches in high school were teachers who were a bit "non traditional" in the sense that they had a full four year degree and had worked in their field before going back for an education degree. My sister teaches elementary school, but went much the same route with a degree in biology before going back for an education degree.

I teach a class called "Chemistry for Health Professionals" which I generally shorthand to "nursing chemistry" as pre-nursing majors account for ~95% of the class(balance dental hygiene and a few other fields). I've had former teachers in the class before, and often times when I get evaluations from them the former teachers use it as a grandstand to tell me that my teaching methods "don't work for everyone" and that I need to be sure I'm "teaching to a way that all types of learners understand." Yes, those are quotes I've received, usually buried in a pile of comments from students talking about how much they learned, thinking that they wouldn't enjoy chemistry but did, and other statements of the like. I'm not opposed to trying new techniques, but at the end of the day as an adult in college it's your responsibility to learn the material the professor presents to you. That's just my little snapshot of current K-12 education trends.

Sounds like that school is dead and buried but has yet to fall over. Do you have to wait until the next school year to get him out?

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Release the Kraken

IMHO, time for a change of venue.

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Isaiah 41:10

South Dakota public schools did fine by me, all the way through and including a degree from a state university. My dad taught and coached in a public school system for over 30 years before he retired. He passed in 2003, and several former students and athletes he coached attended his funeral service, or sent cards. I have several close friends who are public school teachers. All of them are first rate folks, who genuinely care about their students, and the education our kids receive. In many public school systems, highly effective, experienced teachers are leaving the profession because of low pay and ridiculous administrative policies thrust upon them.

My son once said to me about Ritalin: "Pops, you never gave it to me, but a lot of my friends got it. I got two thins to say about that. One, it is a form of child abuse. Two, it is a waste of a perfectly good recreational pharmaceutical."

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Not in jail.

Having switched from Catholic school to public in 4th grade....my experience was public was better for me. I got placed in remedial math at the public school because the curriculum was behind at the Catholic school. That was embarrassing. This was late '70's near Lincoln, NE.

Maybe the "ADHD" is just your son being bored, and needs challenged, or doesn't feel like he's fitting in, or... sometimes that takes a smarter more caring teacher.

And as for all those "christians" who turn their heads at you trying what's best for yours...uuhhmmm, I'll just say...nope, better not.

Good luck, thanks for sharing

In a nutshell, our middle son had the same issue and teacher diagnosis from his first grade teacher. We did the school meeting, child psychologist, etc. We were told by the Doc that he was probably smarter than the teacher and it was a personality conflict.

With that professional option, we went back to the school for another meeting with the principal. That time he agreed to try a class change. He blossomed under the different teacher, and in a couple months will graduate HS with around a 3.9 GPA as it stands now, and was accepted to VMI last week.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Dave

There are lots of decent and successful people who have attended public school, this is not the end of the world. I attended public school and I've been a pretty good person. My wife started school in a private Christian school and then had to change to a public school when her dad's job was threatened with lay offs. She remembers that she had a hard time for awhile because she was so far behind in many areas.
Everyone wants the best for their children but IMO the high school, and pre high school experience is way overrated. I know smart people who went to private school, I know smart people who went to public school, I know smart people who were home schooled and I know smart people who didn't graduate school. In the whole big picture of life, it won't matter where your boy goes to elementary school or middle school, or even high school. This is like asking, "should I give my kid generic or name brand vitamins". The ingredients are the same, but you think you have to get the expensive ones because that's how much you love him.

I have two grandchildren (ages 8 and 13) who go to a very exclusive and expensive religious-related school (not Catholic). Fortunately I am not paying the tab. I won't go into details, but I am not at all happy about how they are turning out. I think they would have been far better off going to the local public schools, which are very good in my area. And it would socialize them much better than being around only the "Rich Kids." But I can say nothing that their mother wants to hear.

I had a step son on Ritalin age 8 to 11 ('78 to'81). I don't know current medical recommendations but we were to give the boy the meds Mon thru Fri and he got a break from them on weekends. It was like stretching a rubber band all week and letting it snap on Friday night. Weekends were a nightmare. The kid liked to play with fire, literally.

I am a product of 12 years of Catholic school. My parents, also Catholic school grads, sacrificed a lot to put my brother and I through school, which we are both grateful for. Our local public school was bad news then, and it's only gotten worse. When I think of what I pay in property tax for kids to graduate functionally illiterate (if they graduate at all) it makes me want to scream. The parochial elementary school we went to wasn't that great, the quality varied year to year depending on who you got for a teacher. Most of them were really great, but a few were beyond incompetent. My high school was much better, I can think of only one teacher who was useless. I managed to graduate in the top third of my class, and eventually went on to get a college degree that I didn't really need.

The concern about leaving a faith based school is understandable, but shouldn't discourage a change in school. I went to Catholic school, but I learned my faith from my parents and grandparents. Most of the kids I went to school with don't practice the faith in spite of all those years of school. If the local public school is a good one then it's worth considering. Regardless of what school the kids go to the most important part of their education, religous and secular, is mom and dad. Who I am is in large part the result of all the love and support my parents gave me. Good parents are way more important than any school.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

I had a sort of similar situation years ago, I pulled my son and went the home school route.
Its not easy, and I was lucky as I was self employed and could have him sitting at a desk in my office.

It was the best decision I ever made...................I forced the state (with the help of my congress critter) to
GED him at age 14.
He blew them away, with 100%

I then enrolled him with a GED in the University of the unnamed state.....................he was driving to school with a learners permit at 14.

A year later he came to me and wanted to transfer all his credits to the university of Alaska, we did, moved him 4,000 mi and rented him an apartment, he excelled and after being head hunted by Chevron, PB, Conoco Phillips........

He is now running a plant on the north slope and knocking down just short of 200K a year.

Hes married, happy, beyond successful, and my pride and joy.

F..k the system, get them out of it, you can do so much better, granted it was a huge sacrifice in time and money.....but what I got out of it was priceless.

the government school system is not on your side.

Nuts up, whats more important? your kid? or what?

pull them, educate them, you can do so much better than the "school system"

this from a man who barely made it out of High School.

The fact that they are in financial trouble means there's nothing there to get from a tort action . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

An interesting thought to ponder about home schooling: A neighbor who home schools recently said to me "It's simply amazing what I have learned myself during this undertaking....."

Your snapshot of "current K-12 education trends" is an example taken from a college course for professionals?
Thanks ever so much!

ADHD is way over treated - even by the pro's. Drugs should be the last resort. Some kids are simply hyper active while others are the opposite. My wife cannot sit still. She always needs to be doing something. In 1st grade (mid 50's) they simply allowed her to stand in the back of the classroom and move around. She's a med school grad with honors.

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Dennis
SWCA #2409, SWHF #353

May I toss in my two cents?

I am a retired public school teacher that is experiencing comparable situation with my son (I started my family late in life). In the public school he attended, we were never notified when he was attacked by other students. In the current parochial school, he has been safe. I attribute his public school experience to poor administration.

My son has recently been diagnosed with ADHD, and possibly on the autism spectrum by medical professionals, but neither school. One of the things I noticed while teaching, was that many of my peers that felt threatened by students that challenged them were quick to label the offending students as discipline problems, and were quickly labeled ADD/ADHD.

A few points to keep in mind.
1. Neither private or parochial schools HAVE to employ certified teachers like public schools.
2. I was certified K-12 Social Studies, and I had minimal training in elementary education, in spite of my certification. I had negligible training in special education.
3. Teachers are only as good (as a whole) as their administrators. The administrator is the educational leader. They may focus on teaching a futile curriculum, maintaining a stalag to discourage discipline issues, or may actually focus on teaching a realistic curriculum. One of the leading tasks of an administrator is to keep his/her school in a positive public ligets.

Public schools have greater resources at hand and can address student needs better than most private schools, IFF they realistically identify the need. Sometimes, student needs can exceed the abilities of both parochial/private schools and home schoolers. As we all know, there is good and bad in everything. Diligent research is necessary in selecting schools. I would suggest that you speak with your pediatrician and have your son evaluated and hope for a negative diagnosis of ADHD, then speak with potential schools. Based on what you are seeing, I believe that your son would be best served by his removal from the offending school he is currently attending.

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Judge control not gun control!

I'm also a public school educator with 30+ years' experience in elementary schools. Here's my take. ADHD is a real, serious condition. Anyone who thinks it's made up by lazy teachers who can't handle discipline problems and just wants kids doped up so they're controllable doesn't have the slightest clue what they're talking about.
Are there abuses? No doubt about it, but consider this: What other recognized medical conditioncan you think of that is first identified by non-medical professionals? Anyone? Anyone? Maybe Alzheimer's when momma first notices dad putting the car keys in the freezer, but offhand I can't think of another, can you?
The vast majority of legitimate ADHD cases are first ID'd by educators. Parents will most often deny and ignore the symptoms. Nobody wants to admit that their kid may have it. It has taken the medical profession decades to develop a fair assessment to diagnose it. There is no blood test. Here's why the notion that there are legions of drugged normal kids mis-diagnosed with ADHD simply isn't true :A truly ADHD kid's system responds the exact opposite to stimulants; which is what virtually all ADHD meds are. Forms of good old Speed. Even caffeine will calm down an ADHD kid a bit and allow him to focus better, albeit not as good as Adderall or the other meds. A normal child who is just a behavior problem put on ADHD meds will become an uncontrollable, wall climbing maniac.
As a public educator, while I care for every single kid in my class, my focus has to be on the group as a whole. I won't sacrifice 24 other kids while having to deal with a bad ADHD kid whose parents refuse to seek proper medical care for him. Properly administered meds make not only a profound difference on an affected child's ability to focus and actually LEARN, they also make the classroom environment a much safer place for all who must be there. An unmedicated kid with a serious case of ADHD can take 90% or more of a classroom teacher's time; stealing it from the rest of his classmates.

I would get the kid out of there today.

If the Principal and Vice-Principal are resigning, and there is financial issues and children are coming home injured there is possibly more going south than you realize.

I would put my kids in public school and find another church.

Anytime people tell me what to do at church it is for their good not mine.