How do I get a teacher fired? PLEASE HELP?

My autistic son has been mainstreamed in a reg ed classroom. Until this year it has been a working set up for him. The difference this year is his reg ed teacher treats him like he's nothing but a pest. I have been to the classroom several times and each time she runs it like he doesn't exist. I also heard her request that a "toy box" be placed in her room filled with things to keep him occupied quietly so she doesn't have to deal with him, keep him out of her hair. I've been told that they've sent her to conferences about autistic children but its like in one ear and out the other. She's been reprimanded by my son's case manager several times already. She's been reprimanded by my son's teacher from last year. And now I think she got my son's para (the one who stays with him all day to monitor him and basically be his teacher) fired or taken off the case because she's complained and she genuinely cares about my son. Please help... who should I go to and with what?

I am amazed at some of these responses. I wish people would not respond and give advice to a subject they know nothing about. Oh, and pssssst, Mike M, it's principal, not principle.

But anyway, I apologize for being a smart aleck.

This teacher is the General Education teacher. It is the child's Special Education Teacher of Record's responsibility to ensure that all of the accommodations laid out in the child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) are being put in place.

The first thing to do is to call for a Case Conference. If you feel that the child's need are not being met, or ignored, it would be of a great advantage to contact a parent advocate to attend the conference with you. This advocate is more aware of the laws and will make sure that everything is in the IEP that needs to be.

If, after these things have been done and you are not satisfied with the way things are going then go up the ladder in the Special Education department. In the school corporation that I work in each school has a Special Ed Department Head or leader. After that the district should have a Special Ed Director that oversees all of the special ed departments in the corporation.

Like the others say, you CAN go to the school board or to the superintendent, but they are just going to go straight to the head of the department. (which is where I am telling you to go)


Please do not hesitate to contact me for further advice.


As far as getting the teacher fired, this is HIGHLY unlikely. Unless of cousre this is a repeat offender)

I would suggest reporting (in writing) to the principal your experience so that it can be added to the teacher's personnel file. That way if this happens again or if it has happened their is a record of your complaint.

Go to the superintendent and the school board.

You can contact a mob guy named Vinnie. There's nothing like a baseball bat to the knees to motivate a teacher to do her job.

You need to contact the school superintendent if you have already spoken with the principal and he/she has done nothing.

go to the school board, if this doesn't help. find yourself a lawyer that practices handicapped law. good luck

Have you talked to the school board? Principal? Whoever is in charge? If they ignore you, go to the media! The media is awesome in stuff like that.

I'd go all the way to the super intendent of schools with your complaint. That really stinks. She's a professional trained to deal with all sorts of children. You'd think she would care about him as a child if not as a student. Good luck to you. I'll say a prayer for you.

You should try to get your child in a school that specializes with autistic children.

The teachers Union make it hard to fire a teacher. But attacking someone who you want to help your child is not the best idea.

Well I don't think that you could get her fired although she needs to be. Did you try going to the school principal or the school board and bring your concerns to them? I don't know how big the school is but if there is another teacher that teaches his grade maybe try getting the school to switch his teachers. Good Luck

I would go to the School Board and tell them your situation. You can start by going with the people that work under them, but usually to get things done, you go up in front of the school board and tell them this is happening, and they usually will do something for you!

The next step I'd take is to go to the principal and request a change of classrooms. If that doesn't work, go to the school board and challenge them about it in an open meeting -- nothing like airing the dirty laundry in public to get results! If they don't respond, then file a lawsuit -- the ACLU or some such might take the case as a violation of your son's rights. Schools are required to provide appropriate accommodations for diasbilities -- this does not sound at all appropriate.

private education. Regular teachers do not get into education to teach autistic children, you might want him mainstreamed but it isn't her responsibility. Why not advocate that the have more special ex classes so that the children are placed in a class that matches their needs and the responsiblities they are capable of handling, instead of thinking that a perfectly good teacher for a normal classroom is a horrid person because this was put on her plate without her permission.

FYI, my ex is a teacher, I know a lot of them. Some choose special education...they have their complaints, the system isn't perfect. I also have a close friend who is a paraeducator.

First, I would lodge a compliant with the Board of Education, then I would talk to your elected representative - both at the city and the provincial/state level. I would assume that you are a member of a "autistic" organization - look to them for guidance.(do so even if your not a member)

Before you start your campaign - document everyone of your complaints - you'll need that to show everyone you ask for help. Good Luck.

Take the teacher to court for whatever reason!

Contact your state's board of education. Search your state name board of edu. Even the state's attourney general. good luck.

Honestly this is horrible and she will get hers meanwhile it is very hard to get a teacher fired now a days believe me unless you have solid physical proof my suggestion to you is hire a lawyer even if you cannot afford one there are places that provide one for you. As sad as it may be sweety the Board of Ed covers eachothers a$$es so you can go complain to directors,managers,counselors etc... but in the end you will see you will get right back were you started just as you stated in your question that is why you have to get a attorney involved your son has rights just like everyother person that attends that school and just because he has autism does not mean she has the right to deny him his education or any less treatment that she gives to her other students some people as sad as it may be do not care or understand how hard it is to have a autistic child I know of a family whos son is and i see how hard it is on them and on him that teacher obviously does not we both know if it were her child she would be totally different so please take my advice at least call a lawyer and tell him/her your situation and one thing that is for sure is that once the Board of Ed finds out that you are taking legal action they WILL take you seriously first go to your sons school and tell them what you said in ur ?? and how you feel say i have brought to so and so's attention and nothing has been done so far my next step will be to take legal action against you this school and the board of ed that runs it and then when you are asked why nothing has been done i wanna hear you explain why you let a teacher treat my son this way it is totally uncalled for and unrpofessional he is here to learn and get a education just like every other student enrolled in this school so how dare you not take action against this teacher tell them also if nothing is done i will go to all of the newpapers and make sure that people know that you guys are prejudice towards disabled children.They will then take you more seriouslty trust me good luck =)

What does it mean he was mainstreemed in a reg ed class? How does your son like it and how does he interract with the other kids?

As for that teacher..I am sorry that she's being so unresponsive to your needs. Has she even tried (in the beginning) to teach your son but maybe didn't know how or failed? Did she ever tell you what the specific problems are that she doesn't know how to deal with? Please don't forget that she's a PERSON too, with ups, downs, limitations, talents, emotions...Is she very young or inexperienced?

Maybe talking to her again in a calm, professional way and asking exactly what her problem is would help. Remind her of the "autism" conferences she had to attentd (I assume she did?). Remind her that if doctors think your son is able to attend regular classes, then she should believe them too and give your son a chance. Try this "nice" approach before escalating it to another level, just my 2 -cents opinion.

I wish you and your son the best!

Does your son have an Individualized Education Program (IEP)? This is a document that would have been created in a committee of teachers, the school principal, you (parents), and possibly other (speech pathologist, OT, etc.) that lists your son's testing results, goals for the year, any needed curriculum modifications, etc. The teacher is legally responsible for following the IEP; it is part of the federal special education law (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - aka IDEA). Make sure that the school has given you a copy of it, and ask for progress reports on his annual goals.

Also, please keep in mind that, although this teacher sounds very unprofessional, that teachers are expected to do a lot, and are not paid very well. You have 20 or 30 students, all with different needs and personalities, that you need to teach a ton of knowledge and skills to in less than a year. It is very hard when parents are upset, because (at least most teachers) are trying to do their best for kids. Sadly, many good teachers leave the profession due to the stress. As you have figured out, you need to be constantly monitoring this teacher, but please approach her from a team perspective: let's get together and help eachother create the best educational experience for the student.

Many general education teachers have not had many college classes about special education, so they may not have much knowledge or experience with a child with autism. Share with her your favorite books, websites or other resources about autism, and, if you are available, volunteer to help her use these resources in the classroom (you can make materials, make copies, etc.).

If you have tried this, there is nothing wrong with speaking with the principal, school board, or superintendent. Make sure that you have as much documentation as you can about what has been going on. Write down notes during parent-teacher conferences, things that the teacher has said and done, and make sure you have copies of his IEP and any progress reports about his IEP goals.

Best of luck to you and your family!

Also, here are some additional autism resources:

Websites:

"Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" by Ellen Notbohm - http://www.southflorida.com/sfparenting/...

Website of Paula Kluth, Ph.D. - http://www.paulakluth.com/autism.html

Positively Autism (free online magazine, includes free lessons/activities) - http://www.positivelyautism.com

Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism by Temple Grandin, Ph.D. - http://www.autism.org/temple/tips.html


Books:

"Your Life is Not a Label: A Guide to Living Fully with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome" by Jerry Newport

"You're Going to Love This Kid!: Teaching Students With Autism in the Inclusive Classroom" By Paula Kluth

"Not Even Wrong: Adventures in Autism" By Paul Collins

Any book by Temple Grandin

File a lawsuit against her and the school. Or go talk to the superintendent and principal. It is wrong for her to do that to him and she needs to be talked too.

be a better dad

What does your son's IEP say? That IEP is a Federal document and must be followed by every teacher your son has. Is she following the IEP? I am sure it does not say to let him "play with toys". If it says he is to have a para, then he MUST have a para. If this document is not being followed, then the Committee on Special Education must be contacted.

You need to request an IEP meeting with the site administrator, case manager, Special Ed administrator and regular ed teacher for the purpose of reviewing the services for your child and to express your concerns about the support in the regular classroom. Do not accept excuses. Be assertive until action is proposed that you are satisfied with. You may also consider bringing an advocate if you don't feel comfortable dealing with the situation by yourself. You have the right to request an IEP meeting at any time to discuss your son's progress and services.

special e and allen have it right, all the stuff I would type.

I have two kids with autism, and work for the state autism society. I know what a pita it is, we hear this story every day. And to be honest, lived it until I finally came to the conclusion that since i was teaching my kids all of their academics and all their functional behavior stuff, might as well cut out the middle man and just homeschool.

Every teacher is different, and you can't force her to care. You might read 'From Emotions to Advocacy', by Pete Wright (found at www.wrightslaw.com) It is a very succint plan for connecting with your IEP team and getting things done properly.

My daughter was also doing very well mainstreamed, and the fact is, it is the schools responsibility to provide the least restrictive environment. You don't say how old your son is, but there are several grades where the ante is upped, so to speak socially and academically. Going in to first grade, and fourth grade are both big changes.

The special education coordinator in charge of his program should be working with the teacher to help create a modified school work, and the para is the one who is helping him do his classwork. However, the regular education teacher, whether she planned it or not, has a special needs child in her room. She knew, while in college, that this was possible, which is why you have to take classes on teaching special needs, and why schools pay for training. I've also seen the teachers blow in and out of the trainings complaining about what a waste of time. I've been in several panels at them, and am always amazed at how little some care to know. Then there are other teachers who really care and try. That's why I would second having another IEP meeting, trying to figure out how to get your kid learning, and barring that, transfering him to another classroom after holiday break.

What are you looking for here, revenge or a better situation for your child? The fact that you are dissatisfied with what you have observed does not mean that there are any grounds to fire the teacher! Get a grip here! Throughout any child's educational career, whether or not the child has special needs, there will be occasions when the teacher is not a good fit for the child's particular personality. My kids had any number of teachers who did not especially like them or relate to them, as well as many more who loved having them in class & drew the best out of them. It's a fact of life that we will all have to be in situations that are less than optimal; having special needs or an IEP doesn't give you an exemption from that.

I will assume that what you really want is a better situation for your son. So what you need to do is to write a letter, documenting the specifics about your dissatisfaction. Address the letter to the teacher, with copies care of the case manager, principal, and director of special education or student services for the district. Be very clear on what you are reporting; "treating him like he is a pest" and "like he doesn't exist" is very subjective. You need to write down what she specifically said or did that made you draw those conclusions. Then write down very specifically what remedies you are requesting, whether it is a transfer to another class, particular instructional strategies, or whatever you think will improve the situation. Also state that you want to have a meeting scheduled within 10 working days to resolve the issues. When you meet, get everything in writing.

I have to warn you that your current approach is going to be counterproductive. Asking for the teacher to be fired is way over the top. Focus on what you feels needs to be done for you son, not on your personal dislike for the teacher.

I would also encourage you to consider the big picture here. You did not say what grade your son is in, but I can tell you from personal experience that the full inclusion experience tends to become less successful as the child ages. School is not like it was even 10 or 15 years ago; due in large part to No Child Left Behind, teachers have the pressure of preparing the students to perform well on standardized testing. As a result, there is very little time for things like art, music, physical education, etc. Academics, particularly language arts, take a large part of the school day even in the earliest grades. It may well be that your child is no longer really benefiting from the social aspects of being included, because the other kids are working on more and more advanced academics and just don't have that much opportunity to interact with your son. Your child is one of 20 or 30 in the class; the teacher needs to focus her attention on the needs of the majority of the kids, because that is what she is really evaluated on.

I doubt that my answer is what you wanted to hear, but I hope that you are willing to consider other points of view. If we look for someone who just agrees with us and tells us we are right, we don't learn nearly as much as when we listen to someone who has a different opinion. So please try to move past your anger and personal dislike of the teacher, think about what your son really needs, and participate as part of a team to find some solutions.

I'm so sorry you and your son have to go through this. I've thankfully only had one or two teachers in my 15 years of working with autistic kids who have been so inconsiderate and uncaring. You probably won't be able to get her fired. I'm sure she has a contract. You should probably go another route.

Call an IEP meeting. The school will have 10 days to reconvene the IEP team. Present your concerns to the team and bring any documentation that you have to prove she has not been following the IEPs specially designed instruction. This would be technically illegal. Petition that you want a change in classroom or that you want an outside consultant to observe your child's placement in her classroom.

Be aware that getting the rest of the team to gang up on her might be difficult because that would be a breach of their union contract. Only their supervisor can make a determination of her teaching abilities and follow up with a formal reprimand. One teacher can make a recommendation to another as your case manager has already, but that doesn't ensure the regular ed. teacher will listen. You have to PROVE she is not following the specially designed instruction and that her methods are preventing your child from FAPE (free and appropriate education) in the LRE (least restrictive environment). She must follow the specially designed instruction (SDI). She is responsible for your child's education...not a para professional!

Problems between teachers and paraprofessionals can always occur. Some paraprofessionals have a hard time drawing the line between education and baby sitting. I'm not saying this was the case but no one can be fired for caring about a student. It might have been a professional conflict. If you feel she was fired unfairly, then she needs to file a complaint as well.

Try to remain calm. I know it will be hard. I know you want her fired but that might insight more resentment. Make your point clearly and simply....you want your child's regular education placement re-evaluated to determine if his needs could be better met in another teacher's classroom. (I'm assuming the school has more than one of each grade).

If they do not come up with a decision that is to your satisfaction, then you have every right to file a due process. If you can prove this teacher compromised your child's education and denied him access to his appropriate educational placement by keeping him busy with toys instead of academics that are appropriate then you will probably be able to change his placement. Unfortunately for you, that can be a lengthy process.

Another alternative is an approved private school placement or home schooling until the issue is resolved. I've had many families do this until the issue is resolved. I don't really recommend this because the main reason for inclusion is socialization.

Good luck to you and to your son.

You need to have lots of documentation to prove or back up your assertions just like you would in court. You also need to have the other people that are involved write and sin and date their observations and opinion. You could add a doctor or psychologist's opinion also. I would document very specific actions by the teacher from visits. You should go through the chain of command first and then to the school board. They are your elected representatives and need to visit the classroom. You also have the right to a case manager to be an advocate for you. Then sign up for a chance to speak at the board meetings, send letters and gather support. I must tell you that after retiring from education, I am sorry to say that the usual method of schools handling failing teachers is to transfer them within or outside the district, perhaps to avoid suits.

First, I want to commend you for advocating for your child. It is essential that you do so.

I understand your frustration with this teacher and with the harm she is doing your child. However, I would like you to reconsider your focus in a way that conserves your energy and most effectively benefits your child.

Getting a teacher fired is almost impossible. There is a teacher's union (usually), and at best it is a process which takes considerable time and energy. Furthermore, your son will be going on to a new teacher, and you may have a similar problem with the new teacher.

It is unfortunate that this teacher is ignorant and unwilling to improve her skills in dealing with your son, but I must let you know that she is a regular education teacher, and most likely does not have adequate training to help your son. Most people dealing with autistic kids have a Master's Degree in Special Education and study and work with students for many years to do so. A conference or training session would be an improvement, but hardly adequate to give her the skills to truly help your son.

Also, teachers (the good, the bad, and the in-between) are under considerable pressure to meet multiple needs with inadequate resources. When another pressure is added, especially one which seems overwhelming, often the teacher will just try to "get by" for sheer survival.

There is also, as I am sure you know, much stigma and misunderstanding about children with special needs.

The SCHOOL is required to provide those services written into the IEP (Individual Education Plan). Since the teacher is unable to provide these services, I would suggest directing your energies into insisting your son be provided the necessary services, such as changing his classroom teacher.

As a parent of a child who has a disability and who was mistreated by a number of teachers, I understand your anger. One of the things I learned in the process, however, was to stay out of power struggles and use my energy to get informed and more focused in obtaining services for her needs. Soon as it gets personal, people take sides, get polarized, and the focus is on the fight instead of the child's needs.

Reconvene the IEP. Forget about getting the teacher fired. It's not going to happen. Sorry that your kid's teacher is a jerk. There's nothing you can do about it. You can however request a new teacher after you follow the correct path - hold an IEP, hold the teachers both special ed and regular ed accountable for your child's goals, get an advocate.

you should contact the special education department. if nothing changes, notify the school district that you have hired an attorney. your son is a protected individual, by the federal government and IDEA, individuals with disabilities in education act. school districts dont like to hear that they are being sued and sometimes, that is what it takes. take my word for it. you have all the power in your hands. if nothing changes at your school site after you complain, go over their heads. he is your son and you have to fight for him. school districts are scared s******* that they will be sued. also, there are advocates for autism and they can be darn militant! get yourself one, i am sure if you look in the yellow pages or internet, you will find one in your area.

You need to go to the school superintendent and to the schoolboard and they will handle it

I am a paraprofessional (for two and a half years now) and I have seen a situation that you are talking about in a regular classroom I worked in. That teacher happened to be an excellent teacher but in observing the autistic student she could not keep pace nor relate very well and she spent almost the entire day working on a side table with another aide on work she was capable of doing. She couldn't do any of the usual schoolwork and she seemed to be out of place in that respect and it looked to me as if a class setting geared to her such as Special Ed would have been a better fit. Anyway, that is what I saw there; your options would to me be to move your child to a room where the teacher is more sensitive to a student with a disability that is mainstreaming or move your child to a Special Ed class specializing in autiism.

I suggest you direct your anger in some other venue and not toward the teacher your child has now. Instead, work in positive ways to make changes for the best interests of your child.