How Cruel.

I just read the first sentence of this story and it sent me running back to cuttingschool. I may need time to process. Perhaps I'll have something passionate and vitriolic to say. But for now I want to say that these children require and deserve the kind of love, patience, and understanding that is a rarity in this world, for they didn't ask to be different or difficult, and how sad it makes me that his young classmates were taught such an inhuman lesson by somebody they were supposed to trust.

Here's the petition.

Here's more thoughts on the matter. I think all of these children need an aid to help them, and this aid must be fully trained. For that child's sake and the other children in the classroom.

Here's the report from the school's police officer. So many things in this report remind me of things Josie did while she was in school. Laying under the desk, chewing shoelaces (she chewed her shirt), calling out. Damn teachers always thought she was doing it to get attention, they had no clue about sensory needs, and when I tried to explain it, I was treated as if I was coddling her. They refused to be educated about her particular triggers. When things would blow up in the classroom, or gym, or music, the principal would call me to come and get her. Usually she was in a situation I had advised them would be trouble for her, and suggested they give her an alternate activity. What a frustrating mess!

Wow. I think I'll make a sweeping and irrational declaration: I hate public school.