Parents make a leap of faith when they agree to a diagnosis and special education intervention plan to help their child improve academic progress. For many their faith is rewarded and thus well-founded. For others, intervention programs are sadly lacking, as the following parent attests.

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Dear Beth,

I was very interested in your recent article concerning labeling of children for special education services. As a special education teacher myself, when my son began having more and more difficulties in middle school I was torn with the question of whether to label him or continue to work intensely at home in order to help him succeed.

After much heartache, I agreed to the label. Initially it was Other Health Impaired (OHI) due to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but later changed to Learning Disability (LD)—(nonverbal type).

Diagnostic test results showed a 28-point discrepancy between his Verbal and Performance IQ. That result led me to believe that supports within the system would be better at tracking and providing interventions throughout the day, rather than having me play constant catch-up at home.

After three years of service, I have now changed my mind. My son has yet to learn any coping strategies and is no more independent in his organizational skills than he was three years ago. As he has grown older, his teachers seem to view his difficulties as lack of motivation and/or lack of ownership and responsibility for his learning.

My son is certainly no angel; he is a typical eighth grader who pushes limits with the best of them. However, the description I continue to receive from his supposed support staff is quite alarming. It was evident at his most recent Planning and Placement Team (PPT), and with speaking with him, that he too feels this attitude from his teachers. All appeared stunned when I shared my thoughts of discontinuation of services. When asked for any suggestions or recommendations for other options, the room was quiet.

Beth, we live in an affluent district, which has a reputation of having a wonderful education system. As a special education teacher myself, I am appalled at the apathy that was shown at that PPT. I keep telling myself that it is an attitude that develops as students become older. I have vowed that if I ever begin acting like that, I will leave the profession.

Labeling children can be a wonderful way to finally provide necessary assistance in order to meet the various needs of children. This is only true when "teams" (including the parents) work together to provide the best programming that they can for the children. Teachers, many of them my colleagues, understand and respect that children do indeed act differently at home than at school. However, parents generally know their children better than most and are eager to join in the work needed to help their child succeed.

Thank you for allowing me to vent. My husband always said I was fortunate to have the information concerning laws, etc., when dealing with our system. I'm not so sure if that was the truth. I am a disheartened parent and teacher.

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