Parenting

We have 4 boys ages 4-26! I consider myself to have always been in healthy relationships with the educators for my children and enjoy being involved in classroom activities. I have also homeschooled two of my boys for one year which gave me tremendous insight to some of their individual needs that I was able to share with their public school teachers. 

Two of my 4 boys are in the Autism spectrum, but one required an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). I have seen the school systems range in providing excellent services for him, to adequate services to being sub par. Sometimes this can look like kids being sent to detention frequently, IEP plans completely removing services (speech/OT), or a decline in classwork performance. 

WHY? 

Our schools are being underfunded. Staff to accommodate our special needs students has been reduced. It will be important that we have school board representatives that work with the County Commissioners and repetitively ask for an increase in school funding to meet basic needs for all our kids. As a parent, I relate to having a child that depends on the schools to help. While I feel blessed to have a son who is not neurotypical, it should not mean that he has a subpar learning experience. 

Our schools must be staffed properly and paid adequately. Our kids deserve that; our community deserves that!