What's Going on in Public Schools

 What’s Going on in Public Schools?

Remember the great idea to have kids with disabilities placed in classes with general ed kids and with general ed teachers who were not trained to teach learners with challenges?  Well, all does not seem to be going well.  Two families in Prince George’s County are suing the County, claiming that their 1^stgraders, nonverbal with autism were bound to chairs with bungee cords.  One might begin by asking why non-verbal 1^st graders with autism were in a general ed class even with a dedicated 1:1 but that is a different story.   The school principal called the parents to inform them of the situation.  Child Protective Services was involved and the teacher was placed on paid administrative leave until the situation is resolved.  Parents aren’t satisfied with that solution and have filed suit.

The Individual Education Plan (IEP), required by State and federal law, is a contract for services between the family and the school district.  Some children require a 1:1 aide to access the general ed curriculum.

In Prince George’s County 434 children required such an aid.  But only 354 students actually had one.  That meant 80 children who required these services didn’t have them.  Prince George’s County says it has raised salaries (from the minimum wage) and even offered benefits in an attempt to fill vacancies.  These folks often have no higher education, yet alone training in managing kids with disabilities.  When better paying opportunities come along, they leave.  Can't blame them. 

In much praised Howard County, a special education paraeducator (read aide) has been arrested for having sex in his car with a 15-year old.  They met through a dating app.  The activities did not occur within the school.  The staff member has been placed on paid administrative leave while allegations are investigated.  Before being hired as a full-time aide, the staff member substituted at a number of Howard County schools.  Detectives are asking for information from the community of any other victims.

Public school systems in Maryland, by their very nature, are big and difficult to manage.  Looks like administrators need to work harder to keep track of wayward staff.

 

Taking Advice from Fools

 Taking Advice from Fools

Lately we have been advised by fools on both the causes of autism and ways to cure it once it has been diagnosed.

First Secretary of Health and Human Services and the President of the United States have advised that the cause of autism is acetaminophen, marketed mostly as Tylenol.  They advised that women who are pregnant should not take this fever and pain reducing drug.   Perhaps, instead, the women should bear the infection and the fever and let the fetus struggle along.  The there are the troublesome facts which these fools chose to ignore.  Autism was first identified in 1903 by Jean Pierre in France.  He noted certain behaviors in some children.  In 1943, psychiatrist Leo Kanner noted behaviors of babies that he defined as infantile autism.  One of the causes he cited, was what he called “refrigerator mothers”, mothers who were “cold” and didn’t give their babies enough affection.  Never mind that one of his own children had these characteristics.  (Got to be glad you weren’t married to this guy.).   However, Tylenol did not come along until 1955, a full 12 years AFTER, autism was identified in the U.S.  No, the folks touting Tylenol as the cause of autism offered no explanation.  AND, research has NOT linked Tylenol to autism.

Now that we have advanced the wrong reason for what causes autism, let’s move on to the wrong ways to treat it.  The American Academy of Pediatrics said that it does NOT recommend the use of leucovorin with kids on the autism spectrum because there is very limited research evidence to support its use.   How quaint is that?  Using solid research before making a recommendation.  But that hurdle doesn’t stop Health and Human services from making its recommendations.  It is their intent to authorize the use of the drug for kids on the autism spectrum.  Oddly, the Academy of Pediatrics believes that the use of a drug for, any condition, be thoroughly examined and researched before recommending its use and proper dosage.

The people making these recommendations that are not backed by research are neither physicians nor medical researchers.  They are just folks with opinions that happen to be foolish.  But not as foolish as the people who would believe them.