As a parent of an autistic child who has been attempting to obtain my child's "medically required and prescibed" ABA educational process within the kindergarten class for the past year now, I offer the following insights regarding the Vancouver School Board.
First surprise, surprise – under current legislation and various union agreements etc. the parent has only one right – that is to be consulted regarding their child's education. That is it, period.
The teacher has the legal right to direct the class (including any SEA.
The principal under BC set-up is really an administrator with no power to direct the teacher as to supplying ABA in the class.
The board staff are either afraid of upsetting the teachers union or are highly sympathetic to them. In either case the board staff does not have your child's interest at its heart.
The Vancouver School Board has no pool of qualified ABA trained teachers to provide students requireing them.
The union has no program in place that will provide these qualified educators in the future.
The parent elected trustees are merely puppets with their strings pulled by the board staff which as we have seen above act in favour of the union.
And when all else fails the teachers, principals, board staff and trustees all blame it on the government for not providing enough money.
Providing ABA is not a union issue.
Providing ABA can be funded under current funding.
PAC's are by definition, ineffective in the effort to provide ABA (in fact they are really only a fundraising committee for the various board employees – great at bake sales but not much else) It is the Parent ADVISORY Committee.
The only way we will obtain universal medically required ABA in classrooms in Vancouver School Board area is to elect new trustees that have the (pardon the politically incorrect phrase) BALLS to give the management of the schools back to the parents and start managing the board and it's staff. You parents pay all the salaries of all the teachers, SEA's, principals, board staff and trustees. They are hired by the government, on your behalf to provide you a service that you are legally entitled to. That being the appropriate education of your children.
I am seriously considering running for trustee in the next election. Please let me know if there is support within the community of parents with autistic children to try and turn things around.
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