Battle For Special Needs Student Funds Continues At Jenks, Union

This is a bad bill! Private Special education teachers are trained at the same universities that public special education teachers are trained at. The parents of special needs students are most likely in a disagreement with an IEP about their student and want to pull them out. Some parents may be want the prestige of a private school and making the public school pay for it!

This is stupid. If you want your kid in private school pay for it yourself. These people want the public to pay for their childs private education. Good for the schools who are standing up to this crap.

These parents are nothing but free loaders. The public schools already spend a ton of money on special ed. programs so let the parents send their kids to public schools. If they want to send them to private schools, by all means, do so but they should pay for it THEMSELVES!!!!!

The schools put retarded kids into public school because there was an outcry that they should go to "normal" school and shouldn't be treated different; they have at times caused chaos in the classroom which has to be waited out.

Now, they want to reverse this idea because they are not learning?

I would like the schools to use public funds to pay for my child to go to a private school where there are no disruptions by the slower learners.

Interesting....kids that need special help really need it. Very often the schools do a great job at the elementary level but the kids get less attention in middle and high school. When they need help so they can be contributing members of society.
The lack of compassion shown by others is disturbing.

This is basically trying to get taxpayers to pay for private therapies for kids.

They should exempt these "free loaders" from paying property taxes and having to fund public education for other people's kids, then they could use that money to pay for their children's private education.

FancyOne wrote:

The schools put **** kids into public school because there was an outcry that they should go to "normal" school and shouldn't be treated different; they have at times caused chaos in the classroom which has to be waited out.
Now, they want to reverse this idea because they are not learning?
I would like the schools to use public funds to pay for my child to go to a private school where there are no disruptions by the slower learners.

YES! I agree. The public school spends more money per special needs child than any one else. I've even known some to have their own tutor/helper follow them around all day at school. Is this fair to the other child that is just a little slow but who's IQ is too high for the special needs class? I say not! If public school funds are made available to special needs children to go to a private school because their needs are not being met. Then ANY CHILD should have that same opportunity. Sounds like the makings of a good lawsuit to me!

you all make me SICK get in your b m w and go to any hospital here in tulsa . and go to the i c u and look in that young couples face and tell them that their child is not fit to live. its called birth defect it is no ones fault that this happens .one more thing you all do not get to close to the heater this winter because the ICE in your veins will melt . have a nice day .

wire to wire wrote:

<quoted text>
YES! I agree. The public school spends more money per special needs child than any one else. I've even known some to have their own tutor/helper follow them around all day at school. Is this fair to the other child that is just a little slow but who's IQ is too high for the special needs class? I say not! If public school funds are made available to special needs children to go to a private school because their needs are not being met. Then ANY CHILD should have that same opportunity. Sounds like the makings of a good lawsuit to me!

It is not a tutor/helper you idiot it is a paraprofessional and before you guys go making claims about special needs students I would love to see anyone of you walk a mile in the shoes of a special needs child so all of you can see what it really feels like to these kids.......You also havent got the slightest idea as to what it takes to be a parent of a special needs child so until you know how it feels on either spectrum don't say anything.

thank you top hat.. You know exactly what I am talking about.

I can certainly understand why these parents would want a private school for their child. But here is the bottom line. If this law is upheld, our schools already serious budget crisis will get that much worse. We are talking about millions and millions of dollars it would cost a year for just a small number of students.

Well, nobody else is taking care of our massive, AND GROWING, autistic population. God knows insurance companies and the OK legislature won't lift a finger to help. So what else are these parents supposed to do?
Do you know how much it costs to have a child with autism? We spend $20k a year just keeping him healthy. Not to mention the co-morbid conditions that go along with autism? Like astham, allergies, therapies- all out of pocket.
And I work for one of these large districts and I can PROMISE you that these special needs students are NOT being serviced in the classroom. These districts are already breaking so many laws (FAPE, IDEA) trying to save a penny.
My autistic son will not be enrolled in public school, but Lord knows on my tiny Oklahoma teacher salary I can't pay for private help.
I guess this is social Darwinism at it's best. Let's keep Oklahoma in the Dark Ages. Really?! Hopefully, none of you will ever have a child with special needs- sounds like you'd throw them off a cliff.

Most posts I read here are clueless how this law works. It is simply redirecting money. One of my three children has medical issues that cause learning disabilities. She goes to Broken Arrow Public Schools, it appears that the teachers are not trained how to deal with this. I posted before when this came out the other day. As a parent in this situation "outsiders" have no clue how it feels to be trapped by a counselor and teacher saying make the dr put your child on more medication so she can learn the way i teach all the other kids. It is sickening. People think medicine will fix it all, or that the parents just want some special treatment. We want our child to learn, in my situation the issue my daughter has actually makes her very intellecutal and intelligent. She is like a little rain man with information. The issue is getting her to learn it and repeat it to show she understands. Her last two teachers found ways to get in her head and help her without it causing any disruption with your "normal" children, or taking time away from your "normal" child. Her teacher this year, the new counselor, and new principal wont do that.

I dont wany my child in private school, unless they leave me with absolutely no other option. If they want to give me back property tax money to pay for it then fine. Other than that they need to use resources and training to ensure these children get a fair and equal education they are entitled to. What happened to no child left behind? That is exactly what you are doing if you cant fix your school system but refuse to give someone the funds to go elsewhere.

Try being in the situation daily where you have a wonderful child, but she doesn't live up to the standards all your "normal" children have set and come home crying cause she isnt "one of them" and upset at themselves for something they cant help. What would you do at that moment? You would do what all of us other parents with these disabilities have done and call the school and try to work with them. That only gets you so far in some districts.

Either get teachers the proper training or let them go somewhere else.

Wait! THIS headline says "Jenks & Union". What happened to "Jenks & Broken Arrow " (yesterday's headlines)??
You mean...it's growing....?

Another Known Fact wrote:

Most posts I read here are clueless how this law works. It is simply redirecting money. One of my three children has medical issues that cause learning disabilities. She goes to Broken Arrow Public Schools, it appears that the teachers are not trained how to deal with this. I posted before when this came out the other day. As a parent in this situation "outsiders" have no clue how it feels to be trapped by a counselor and teacher saying make the dr put your child on more medication so she can learn the way i teach all the other kids. It is sickening. People think medicine will fix it all, or that the parents just want some special treatment. We want our child to learn, in my situation the issue my daughter has actually makes her very intellecutal and intelligent. She is like a little rain man with information. The issue is getting her to learn it and repeat it to show she understands. Her last two teachers found ways to get in her head and help her without it causing any disruption with your "normal" children, or taking time away from your "normal" child. Her teacher this year, the new counselor, and new principal wont do that.
I dont wany my child in private school, unless they leave me with absolutely no other option. If they want to give me back property tax money to pay for it then fine. Other than that they need to use resources and training to ensure these children get a fair and equal education they are entitled to. What happened to no child left behind? That is exactly what you are doing if you cant fix your school system but refuse to give someone the funds to go elsewhere.
Try being in the situation daily where you have a wonderful child, but she doesn't live up to the standards all your "normal" children have set and come home crying cause she isnt "one of them" and upset at themselves for something they cant help. What would you do at that moment? You would do what all of us other parents with these disabilities have done and call the school and try to work with them. That only gets you so far in some districts.
Either get teachers the proper training or let them go somewhere else.

No child left behind...LOL. Ol' W sold you that snake oil...hows that working out for ya? It was unfunded to begin with.
It is not redirecting money. It is taking funds from public schools and giving it to private (usually religious) schools. What happens because your kid is getting bullied...do we give you vouchers for that too? You can see where this leads. Basically the Oklahoma government (remember all those get government off your back people)is using your special needs child to push through a voucher program. If any of those morons in Oklahoma City actually cared about your kids they would fund programs to help you and not cut programs and give the money to the wealthy and corporations. The solution is not to publicly fund private (either for profit or religious) schools but it is to adequately fund special needs education in this state, either in existing schools or in.
and not just answering your post, but someone suggested they tax exempt the parents so they don't have to pay taxes for public schools and can send their kid to a private school. Two issues there...first, I have not called the fire department, so should I not have to pay for that? Secondly, look at your property tax bill...is that enough to pay for private education? Come on, the way we can all pay for free public education is that we ALL chip in.
Finally, how much of the complaining by special needs parents is that they do not like the way it is going at their school? What makes you think they will like it at a different school. What they are really looking for, in my opinion, is the option to do it exactly the way they want to. Fine, give them a tax credit, but not an exemption nor take away money from the public schools.

BA spectator wrote:

They should exempt these "free loaders" from paying property taxes and having to fund public education for other people's kids, then they could use that money to pay for their children's private education.

They should continue to pay property taxes like the rest of us (not all that money goes to schools) and pay for the private education themselves. They have education for free....not my fault if they choose not to use it. It is for the benefit of all society for all kids to have a quality education...think about this...if they don't get a good education you are going to be paying for their jail cell or crimes. And lets not forget, these "other peoples kids" are going to be running things one day...

Another Known Fact wrote:

Most posts I read here are clueless how this law works. It is simply redirecting money. One of my three children has medical issues that cause learning disabilities. She goes to Broken Arrow Public Schools, it appears that the teachers are not trained how to deal with this. I posted before when this came out the other day. As a parent in this situation "outsiders" have no clue how it feels to be trapped by a counselor and teacher saying make the dr put your child on more medication so she can learn the way i teach all the other kids. It is sickening. People think medicine will fix it all, or that the parents just want some special treatment. We want our child to learn, in my situation the issue my daughter has actually makes her very intellecutal and intelligent. She is like a little rain man with information. The issue is getting her to learn it and repeat it to show she understands. Her last two teachers found ways to get in her head and help her without it causing any disruption with your "normal" children, or taking time away from your "normal" child. Her teacher this year, the new counselor, and new principal wont do that.
I dont wany my child in private school, unless they leave me with absolutely no other option. If they want to give me back property tax money to pay for it then fine. Other than that they need to use resources and training to ensure these children get a fair and equal education they are entitled to. What happened to no child left behind? That is exactly what you are doing if you cant fix your school system but refuse to give someone the funds to go elsewhere.
Try being in the situation daily where you have a wonderful child, but she doesn't live up to the standards all your "normal" children have set and come home crying cause she isnt "one of them" and upset at themselves for something they cant help. What would you do at that moment? You would do what all of us other parents with these disabilities have done and call the school and try to work with them. That only gets you so far in some districts.
Either get teachers the proper training or let them go somewhere else.

If your property tax bill is high enough to pay the $10k or so a year for a private school (and I bet special needs will be much more) then you can afford to send them there anyway on your own dime.

Herbert Rogers wrote:

Wait! THIS headline says "Jenks & Union". What happened to "Jenks & Broken Arrow " (yesterday's headlines)??
You mean...it's growing....?

You bet it is...this law is unconstitutional like most of the idiotic laws the micropublicans pass in this state...supreme court here we come!

KAZ wrote:

Well, nobody else is taking care of our massive, AND GROWING, autistic population. God knows insurance companies and the OK legislature won't lift a finger to help. So what else are these parents supposed to do?
Do you know how much it costs to have a child with autism? We spend $20k a year just keeping him healthy. Not to mention the co-morbid conditions that go along with autism? Like astham, allergies, therapies- all out of pocket.
And I work for one of these large districts and I can PROMISE you that these special needs students are NOT being serviced in the classroom. These districts are already breaking so many laws (FAPE, IDEA) trying to save a penny.
My autistic son will not be enrolled in public school, but Lord knows on my tiny Oklahoma teacher salary I can't pay for private help.
I guess this is social Darwinism at it's best. Let's keep Oklahoma in the Dark Ages. Really?! Hopefully, none of you will ever have a child with special needs- sounds like you'd throw them off a cliff.

It is no wonder they are cutting corners to save pennies...the budget for schools was cut almost 8% this year. Another example of Oklahoma not wanting to fund something and then complaining because it doesn't work. Wait until after this election...after Fallin and some more "tea baggers" get in office....you "ain't seen nothing yet". Thank God my child is graduating this year....out of here!