Due to the emotional disabilities of #1 and #2 sons, they are not in a standard 6th grade class. They are in a school which is basically only Special Education classes for children with emotional and behavior disabilities. This has advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages: only 6 children in each classroom
three teachers in each classroom
shortened school day (the boys like this one the most)
individually tailored instruction plans
Disadvantages: All the children have varying degrees of problems
Their classrooms are adjacent to each other
In one of the classes there is a child who is known for being an instigator. This child has a reputation for harrassing and tormenting other children into violent behavior.
My children have problems controlling their anger.
Can you see where this is going?
On Fridays, for the kids that have maintained a certain level of behavior for the week, there is a bowling trip for the kids from both classes. Last week, my boys and this other boy all earned the trip.
Starting first thing Friday morning, this other child started tormenting the boys. He pushed all the buttons he knew of then started looking for new buttons. All of the teachers witnessed this. For WHATEVER reason, this child was NOT separated from my boys. #1 and #2 were having more and more problems controlling their tempers and anger. On more than one occasion the teachers tell me that #2 "tattled on" the other child. By the time they got to the bowling alley this other child had basically latched onto #2 delivering random insults and jibes. At least one of the other teachers admits witnessed this, but still did not separate them. After about 30 minutes, #2 lost it and threatened the other child if he did not leave him alone. #2 was sent back to the school.
As soon as he left, this child went over to #1 and took up where he left off with #2. Again one of the teachers witnessed it, but did not intervene. #1 tells us, and the teachers confirm it, that he asked them for help with this child, but he was put off by the teachers. #1 finally lost it and after repeated requests for this kid to "knock it off!" he kicked the other child.
My children have been suspended for 10 days. The other child has not been disciplined at all and according to the school his parents have indicated that they are pressing charges against both of my children.
Can ANYONE explain this to me?
If a child asks for help and does not receive it, why is he then punished when an incident occurs?
I am almost to the point, if I thought it would work, of taking a restraining order out against this child to not speak or get within 5 feet of my children.
This was not the first incident. These type of things have been happening with this child since my boys first day at this school. All of the teachers have admitted to seeing it go on, yet NO ONE HAS TAKEN ANY ACTION TO PREVENT IT. They claim that "there is nothing they can do" to prevent it.
HELLO! There are 6 adults to 12 children in two rather large classrooms, and they can't find a way to separate my kids from this child?
While I freely admit that my children do need to learn to control their anger better, and we are taking actions to hopefully get them to where they can, it seems that there should have been something that the educators could have done to help or prevent this incident.