On February 18th, 2012, I had the opportunity to speak before the Terrell County ISD Board Members.
I wish to again thank them in allowing me a few minutes of their time.
I was not there with any hopes of anything changing, nor was I there due to some personal agenda or personality conflict I might have had with anyone within the school system. I know for a fact that the problems that I and a fellow parent addressed are historical in nature: The parental withdrawal of children in 4rth and 5th grade to be home schooled until their 6th grade year, as well as the removal of Learning Disabled children to be home schooled or enrolled in other school districts until they graduate, has been a necessity and frequent practice of far too many residents of this county for years. I was there simply because I was asked to bring my grievance before the board and to give my child, and others like him, a voice.
The fact is, a Terrell County ISD teacher and the Terrell County ISD Superintendent failed my child. They were negligent in their duties to complete necessary paperwork to have my child tested by 588 Co-Op for learning disabilities, recommendations and placement in a prompt and timely manner. The teacher knew he had problems; his grades proved it and her own aide admitted that he had learning disabilities before the board. While I know that the process of completing those papers and forms is long and arduous, and must pass through many hands before anything can be done, I also know that from late October to February 5th significant strides should have been made. They were not and this is the reason that I withdrew my child from school on that date.
Enough was enough. He had struggled and suffered enough, and I wanted my happy, confident, outgoing child back.
As to the two women who stood up and defended the teacher, let me clarify a few things since I was not allowed the opportunity at the time.
I had absolutely no personality conflict with the teacher. Anyone who has ever known me can and will state that I am easy to get along with and do not actively seek out trouble. However, they will also tell you that if you mistreat my children or grandchildren, and treat them unfairly in any way, I will bring you trouble and I will be anything but easy to get along with. So the assumption that I might have had a personality conflict with the teacher was not only wrong, but totally based in ignorance of who I am.
My husband and I have had children in the public school system since 1986 and to date, not a single time have we failed to keep a parent teacher conference. We have always maintained an open, consistent and frequent line of communication with all of our 5 children’s teachers from the time they each entered school in Kindergarten and through the senior years of the older children. If anything, I have been more of a habitual annoyance than an absentee parent. Unfortunately, this line of communication failed during this present school year as I have had many calls in to the teacher that were never acknowledged or returned. I, dear ladies, was not the one who was not communicating.
As for the mention before the board of mid day and after school tutorials that are offered to students who are struggling? I was led to believe that my child was ’sometimes’ taking part in mid-day tutorials, but not once was an after school tutorial ever mentioned to me. One would think that the teacher would have mentioned this in light of the pitiful grades my child was making and my inquiries as to if any such tutorials existed. There was never, to me, a mention of such.
Addressing the defense that the teacher is very strict and this upsets some parents: all I can say is…Give me a break! I bought into that defense at first, because I am a strong believer in discipline in a classroom. However, I have observed that there is a marked difference between being strict and being tyrannical. Being strict produces organization, strengthens character and causes a person to accept responsibility for his/her own actions. Being tyrannical tears a person’s self esteem apart, leads to a loss of self confidence and causes a person to grasp as coping mechanisms that may not always be positive. I have witnessed the latter in my child.
To the parent’s of the second child I mentioned: I offer my most sincere apologies for doing so. My only excuse is that in my state of nervousness and emotion, I simply did not think before I spoke and I regret that slip of my tongue. As the mother of your child, as well as being a teacher within this district, you absolutely know your child much better than anyone else, especially someone whom you have never met before and who does not know your child. I had no right to mention him or make a single observation that you deemed ludicrous and shocking. Again, I offer my apologies. By the way, just in case you are wondering who I am, I have been working as a scout leader of your son’s pack weekly since right after school started. But, didn‘t you already know that?
In conclusion, I want to say that I have met many wonderful, dedicated and devoted teachers and faculty with the Terrell County ISD. As a resident of this county I wish to extend my thanks and appreciation to all of these fine and hardworking people. You are a blessing and a marked asset to this community and in the lives of our children. While I have lost faith in the public school system as a whole and within a single teacher and superintendent, I have not lost faith in the majority of Terrell County educators. For this reason, it causes me great sadness that my child will not be able to experience your instruction, your guidance and your care in the years to come. Because of the failure of a system as a whole and the negligence of two individuals who hold power within that system, not only will my child miss out on benefiting from you positive influence in his life, but you will miss out ever knowing this brilliant, funny and wonderful young man that I call my son.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Chandler
Sanderson & Dryden, Texas
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