The most horrible woman I have ever met.

***WARNING ANGRY POST AHEAD ***
Today I met with the most callous, insensitive, careless woman. I am hoping most of what we call “supervisors” within the school district are not so out of touch with students and parents as Ms. Barton is. She is the Speech Language Coordinator for the Southeast Region of the school district. Big title, I know. She thinks so too. Unfortunately, she is someone who will be deciding what is best for my son.
We met today to discuss placement for Owen next year. He is not developmentally delayed. WE ALL KNOW THIS. The boy is smart, quick witted, strong willed but he can’t talk. After 45 minutes of speech therapy we rushed to the school to meet this woman to discuss our game plan. She was LATE!! How do you get lost going to a school you supervise? Doesn’t make much sense to me. But that is not the point. She was supposed to observe him in his classroom, with his teacher, within his comfort zone. That so did not happen. We were taken into the small speech office with a student speech therapist (his real one is on vacation) another total stranger and was supposed to perform for them. Owen performs for NO ONE! She barely looked over his file, did not ask about his diagnosis or any of his tests he has been through and proceeded to give me my option(s) for him. He can go to the all phonology program at Walker Elementary. I cannot go and observe the class she continued, because that is “Program Shopping.” Yeah’ that is what I am doing. I am shopping for somewhere to ship my child out of our comfort zone and away from me, just for the heck of it. I want this trial in life for him. (She has no clue) I can go and meet the teacher after Owen is enrolled in the new program. I DON’T THINK SO!!!! She then told me that if I didn’t like that my other option was to exit him from the program but continue speech therapy at the school for the ninety minutes a week. (It’s sounding better and better.) I knew what my options were going into the meeting but her telling me I cannot contact Walker or observe the other class is absolutely absurd. It is a public school, I am a tax payer. I can take a tour at anytime. Needless to say I was livid. As we exited the office, she then let me know I might want to think about putting all of Owen’s paper work in a three ring binder… I have all of his paperwork in a manila envelope that can be filed and found very easily. I simply smiled and told her “You can’t file a three ring binder.” WHAT SNOT!!
After I calmed down I asked our Assistant Principal what my options for viewing the school was. She was appalled. She let me know that I need to just call the school and ask when a good time to come out and look around is. If they say I cannot come and see the school I am to tell her and she will handle the situation. She also let me know that before any IEPs are done I need to meet the teacher because if Owen is not compatible it is pointless to send him. (Pretty funny, even she knows what a strong personality he has.)
So this is what I am up against. An out of touch woman who thinks she has power. I have a feeling things are going to get REALLY UGLY!!! And we wonder what is wrong with our schools. District Supervisors who don’t have a clue on what the best thing for a student is.

By the way if any one knows her, send her the link to my blog.