Hey everyone, I’ve been having issues with my son’s school not following through on his 504 Plan. They labeled his ADHD behavior as ‘physical aggression,’ and we’re stuck in this loop of mislabeling and not getting the right support. Any advice on how to handle this? I just want the school to listen and help, not escalate things too much.
Ugh, I’ve been there too. Have you tried sending a formal letter? That’s what worked for me when my son’s school was dragging their feet on his 504 Plan.
Sky said:
Ugh, I’ve been there too. Have you tried sending a formal letter? That’s what worked for me when my son’s school was dragging their feet on his 504 Plan.
Yeah, I sent a formal letter with our meeting minutes and asked for a timeline, but all I got was a vague response that they’d ‘review it.’ Super frustrating.
@Zeek
That’s annoying. You might need to get a lawyer involved at this point. Have you looked into any special education attorneys in your area?
@Zeek
I went through something similar. I found a lawyer through my state’s Lawyer Referral Service. It’s a good way to find someone who knows education law.
Same thing happened to my nephew’s school. We ended up contacting the district’s 504 coordinator, and they helped push things along. Maybe try that?
Vero said:
Same thing happened to my nephew’s school. We ended up contacting the district’s 504 coordinator, and they helped push things along. Maybe try that?
Good idea, I hadn’t thought about reaching out to the district. I just don’t want this to get ugly… he’s only 8, and I don’t want to make things worse.
@Zeek
Totally get that. It’s a fine line, but sometimes a little pressure helps without making it too confrontational.
Just curious, did they give you a specific reason for calling it ‘physical aggression’? That seems like a weird stretch for ADHD behavior.
Sage said:
Just curious, did they give you a specific reason for calling it ‘physical aggression’? That seems like a weird stretch for ADHD behavior.
Yeah, they said because he joked around with saliva on his arm, it’s considered physical aggression. The teacher even agreed during the meeting that it wasn’t a threat, but then the director relabeled it. It’s just so frustrating.
@Zeek
Wow, that’s rough. They’re really overreacting. Sounds like they need a better understanding of ADHD.
@Zeek
For real. They should be working with you, not making things harder. Maybe ask for a mediator before taking it further?
Have you thought about switching schools? I know it’s a big decision, but sometimes a fresh start helps.
Joss said:
Have you thought about switching schools? I know it’s a big decision, but sometimes a fresh start helps.
Yeah, that’s my backup plan. I just wish we could work things out here before it gets to that point. He was doing so well last year with the old staff.
If you’ve got legal insurance, it might be worth getting a lawyer involved just to have them talk to the school. Sometimes just knowing you’ve got representation makes them take things more seriously.
Ashby said:
If you’ve got legal insurance, it might be worth getting a lawyer involved just to have them talk to the school. Sometimes just knowing you’ve got representation makes them take things more seriously.
Good point. I’ve been worried about the cost, but since I have the insurance, it might be worth looking into.