Help with Public Schools

[Guest guest]

Hi.

Ny name is Patsy Folen, I am the mother of an 18 year old daughter.

She was recently diganosed with Aspergers. Sinse 4 years old the Doctor

has said she had ADHD and was very Narciacistic. We only found out

August this year the real reason for her uncontrolable outbursts and

poor social skills. She was diganosed with Aspergers on August 16 this

year, 3 days before school started. She is a senior this year and has

been in Special Education from 2nd grade. She has always gotten into

trouble for her outburts which we now know are actually melt downs that

she has no control of. This year at registration I informed her

teachers that she had Aspergers. She has had several melt downs. They

seem to be increasing in frequency and length. It is taking her longer

to come out of one and sometimes she beats her fist on her desk. The

other day when she had a melt down at school the teacher called security

and they dragged her kicking and screaming to the office before anyone

ever called me. I was at the school in less than 5 minutes. I was

very upset when I saw my daughter still clearly in the meltdown and the

principal had made her sit in the office lobby. I felt like he had put

her on display and it made me very angry. Sometimes the teachers would

call me to come to the school and get her. However now they have

started to supend her when she has a melt down. They think she is

cursing at the teacher. No matter what I or her Doctor tell them the

principal continues to say she can control the melt downs and that she

will at ville High School.

My Question is: Is there any way I can stop her from being suspended

because of the melt down. Has anyone ever had a simlar problem. Does

anyone know of any laws that would prevent this type punishment. I read

the IDEA in which it says that they cannot punish a didabled child if

the behavior can be proven to be a direct result of or a manifestation

of the disability. Which the melt down clearly is. Does anyone have

any ideas on how to make the school follow IDEA. All I get from the IEP

team is that they have 10 days they can supend her a year. Maybe I am

reading it wrong this is what I need advice on. I am new to the entire

thing and tring to learn and do what is best for my daughter. Can anyone

help me? Thank you.