Monterey  County Herald

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A recent article in The Huffington Post annoyed me. “When Elementary Schools Crush Your Child.”

     I find myself torn (again) between the pain/guilt a parent has and the realities of teaching, frosted over heavily with blaming schools (and teachers) for exceptionally harsh realities a child and his parents suffer. I’m irritated with another assault on public schools and teachers. Yes, I’m sorry that this one child has issues.  But it seems apparent to me from what the parent writes these issues are severe.  I dared to comment on the Huffington Post site and the parent was not pleased with me so here goes.

 

     The parent stated,” My son's impulsivity, hyperactivity, inability to read social cues, inability to attend to tasks, inability to make sense of auditory cues, had already worn out this special education staff.”  And she noted he has been in seven schools.

     To me, as a teacher of many years, the child’s listed behaviors make that child a very difficult addition to any class. That he has been denied access to private schools speaks to his difficulties. To be honest a child with Asperger’s or autism can not be fixed.  It is genetic. At best they can be given some tools to learn to function at some level in society – hopefully. The child was given a chance in classes and he couldn’t manage. Thus he was denied a spot repeatedly.

    My class already suffers with: gang involvement, family incarceration, death, under-employment, a word gap, no or little printed reading matter in homes, second-and *third language issues, trauma, immigration status issues, drug and alcohol issues, and unbelievable % of kid with special needs. Oh and throw in the school and teacher is evaluated on test-outcomes. 

    Their child was kicked out of a pre-school in Mill Valley, CA (mucho high socio-economic by the way). Then released from Catholic School, home schooled, placed in a special needs school which “he didn’t fit in.” The parents have now moved to Connecticut and the child dreads school.  Of course the poor thing does.

     We in public school teaching are incredibly over-whelmed. And yes, we teachers all know that special ed kids are by law “supposed to be taught in the least restrictive environment.  But least restricted for who – decided by who?”

     However, I will say for those of us in the thick, mucky trenches having those kids in our classes in addition to the host of other variables we face truly adds to conditions which are already nearly insurmountable. It is a huge factor in new teachers leaving the profession at a rate of nearly 50% by their 5th year.  And a reason veteran teachers are retiring by the herd.

      That this suffering kiddo was asked to leave or not allowed in a variety of different institutions means there is a base problem. And like police, teachers can NOT solve nor fix all of societies inequities, wretched injustices and genetics horrible rolls of the die.  That this unfortunate child and his family are suffering and worry what the future offers them cannot be in doubt. But for me I’m really, really tired of schools and teachers getting the blame.

     Sorry, truly, truly sorry for all the parents with kids with issues. Teachers try our very best. I try my best with my 10 year-olds who defecated in class daily. I tried when my class of ten-year olds had four dead parents one year. I tried when one of my kids hid under his desk and ate pencil shavings. I try when they go to prison years later.  (My favorite kiddo got a life sentence at age 14)  Just last week I received an email from a mom. I taught her child 5 years ago. So he’s fifteen now. She said, “Mr. Karrer, you are the best teacher my son ever had. He has to do a photography project and would like to film you.” Of course I spent the day with him flattered. The boy has Asperger’s syndrome.

     Therefore, I get really, really, really annoyed when I read articles complaining, blaming schools, and teachers. We do not have magic pixie dust. Remember a teachers job is to educate – to educate.

     I wish this family the best of luck. To me they need a very, very, small tight education setting for their child like the 1 – 8 ratio they now have their child in.  But don’t blame the seven schools he was in and The Huffington Post, shame on thee for running that header.

 

 

* Some kids coming from Mexico speak native languages: Zapoteco, Mixteco – NOT Spanish.

 

 

Paul Karrer teaches in Castroville, California and was subpoenaed to testify at the trial of James Holmes - the Colorado Aurora theater shooter - his fifth-grade student.

 

    

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He has taught in Samoa, Korea, England, Connecticut, and California. And was the 2009 LULAC Teacher of the Year.