Daddy, why can’t I go to MY School?

Through her tears, my daughter was crying, “Daddy, I want to go to my school!, I want to go the school with my friends, I want to go to my brother’s school!”

Life is confusing enough for a child with autism. These children have trouble seeing, hearing and understanding the world around them. Routines are important. Relationships are important. Trust is important.

We had to tell our daughter that we can’t let her go to the school in our neighborhood, the school that is ten houses away, the school her older brothers attended, her few friends attend, the middle school that the familiar faces from elementary school attend.

She would now have to take the bus to another School District. I imagine the feelings:

“I don’t understand”, “What did I do wrong?”, “I am afraid, lonely”, “I knew I was different, now I am really different”, “I don’t know anybody”

What I couldn’t explain or wouldn’t even want to try to explain is what was really happening, I can’t explain it to my neighbors, friends, other taxpayers, State Legislators - so how could I explain it to a child with autism.

That Troy School District - a District that prides itself on Excellence - has chosen not to be excellent in the support of children with autism. Actually the situation is pretty far from excellent.

Why would a District that promotes excellence in so many areas, that posts its Points of Pride on it’s website and one that has a Mission that says “ensure learning for all members of the Community” -not pursue excellence in the area of Autism?  Is it Philosophy? Money? Training? Priorities?

My daughter, a seventh grader recently asked, “Mom, can I go to Troy High when I grow up”. Unfortunately, we had to tell her no. While Troy might put resources into creating an Autistically Impaired (AI) program, we have no indication that the District plans to do that. So — unfortunately —— we have to tell her, “No you can’t go to your High School”

We will explore this area more deeply in future posts.