What SHE Deserves

What does my stunning, red-headed, ornery, smart, strong-willed, funny special needs child deserve from EVERY educator that EVER is blessed enough to be a part of her educational journey?

She DESERVES to be treated with dignity
She DESERVES to be given respect
She DESERVES to have that educator be a role model to the other students on how she should be treated
She DESERVES to be pushed to succeed to the highest level of her ability
She DESERVES to feel safe

Does Emma deserve to have it announced in front of her entire class....and 5 minutes later in front of the entire school...that she was "naughty" today and maybe tomorrow she will choose not to be a "bad" girl?

Does she deserve to step off of the bus and come running to me with tears rolling down her face while she is saying, "I lost my sticker, but I'm not a bad girl...I'm a good girl"....and continue to cry about it until 10:00 at night? Only to have the same teacher the next day say, "Well, she doesn't look too traumatized from it!

Do Emma's parents deserve to open her communication notebook (the teacher writes what she did at school that day) to read the words, "Emma was VERY NASTY to me today".

Is it just me or does the "educator" need to be "educated" on how to be a professional.

I have gone through so many different emotions on this whole thing. This is just one of MANY incidents from this year that have happened. But, I am done.....I am turning it over to my husband for him to deal with.

This "teacher" used to be one of my best friends, and I think that makes this situation that much more difficult. She came to Denver (10 hour drive) for both of Em's major surgeries, she has watched Emma for us at times that no one else would......she used to really CARE about Emma.....but now it is quite apparent from her words and actions that she does not like her at all!! It makes me sad....it makes me mad....I do not understand....

And it makes me feel that throughout Emma's educational journey this is what we are constantly going to come up against....teachers who do not see Emma as someone who deserves dignity and respect....teachers who do not treat her as they would any other child....teachers who know that she cannot go home and fully communicate her thoughts about what happened at school that day so that her parents can decipher through it to know if she is being treated well.

I was out of the building the day that the above happened.....I heard it through the grapevine after I made some calls when Em was crying. I feel bad that others are talking about this teacher, but then again I don't!!!

I have taught in that school for 10 years, and I can honestly say that I cannot think of one incident where I said or did something that I would not want a child to go home and tell his/her parents about. So, if the teacher didn't want it to get back to me....she shouldn't have done it....and she shouldn't have written it in the notebook.

A meeting has been scheduled. A meeting between us, the teacher, and the principal. I have had 2 other conversations with this teacher this year about this same issue....apparently it is not going to change with just me. The principal has also already spoken to her (after 6 out of 8 of our staff went to talk to him about the way she was treating Emma). It's an issue that is bigger than I can make it sound on here. I don't know what will be done about it???

Yes, we could move Em to another school, but should we really have to do that when the school that she is in is best for her in every other way?? Should we really have to do that when the teacher is the problem???

Too many questions...too many issues....have I mentioned that I am tired???