[FEAT BC Admin]

In this discussion area, please feel free to share your experience in implementing A.B.A. programs in the school system. We would particularly like to hear from those parents who converted their school teams to A.B.A. We’d like to hear the nightmares as well as the success stories.

Any insight that can be shared by school-based special education assistants to help parents would also be very meaningful.

Topic

[Deleted User]

If you look at the union policies governing the relationship between Teachers and SEA's you will find that SEA's are poorly suited to serve a child suffering from Autism. Special Education Assistant is an oxymoron because SEA's receive no 'Special Education" to help them serve our children. TA or Teaching Assistant is a much more accurate description of their role. Even if your SEA (or TA) receives the best ABA training available they can still be prevented from using anything they learned. The Teacher can order the SEA to do anything she wants including photocopying or helping a child other than yours. So can the school Special Ed Teacher or Principal. The only way we are ever going to be able to be sure that our children get the necessary behavioural interventions and support throughout their education experience is to establish the willingness of Districts to a) hire non-union ABA professionals who answer to the childs medical needs first and the Teachers needs second or b) accept non-funded staff from the childs treatment team to attend to the child throughout the school day. This hope that somehow our children are going to get an excellent ABA trained SEA who will live up to our expectations is truly a fantasy I urge everyone to discard. It will not happen. And, if you do obtain an excellent ABA trained SEA who lives up to your expectations please let us know because I have yet to hear of one. I hate sounding so cynical but I hate to see parents putting so much energy into what I think is a battle already lost. Its time for a new reality here, one where union issues play no role interfering with our childrens neurological well being. If there is something to fight for at the District Board level it is our childs right to have his/her medical needs met as well as benefit from education services. Dstricts are allowed to hire contractors outside the union to supply services to our children. If they tell you otherwise spit it back in their face because they are feeding you BS.

[Deleted User]

If you look at the union policies governing the relationship between Teachers and SEA's you will find that SEA's are poorly suited to serve a child suffering from Autism. Special Education Assistant is an oxymoron because SEA's receive no 'Special Education" to help them serve our children. TA or Teaching Assistant is a much more accurate description of their role. Even if your SEA (or TA) receives the best ABA training available they can still be prevented from using anything they learned. The Teacher can order the SEA to do anything she wants including photocopying or helping a child other than yours. So can the school Special Ed Teacher or Principal. The only way we are ever going to be able to be sure that our children get the necessary behavioural interventions and support throughout their education experience is to establish the willingness of Districts to a) hire non-union ABA professionals who answer to the childs medical needs first and the Teachers needs second or b) accept non-funded staff from the childs treatment team to attend to the child throughout the school day. This hope that somehow our children are going to get an excellent ABA trained SEA who will live up to our expectations is truly a fantasy I urge everyone to discard. It will not happen. And, if you do obtain an excellent ABA trained SEA who lives up to your expectations please let us know because I have yet to hear of one. I hate sounding so cynical but I hate to see parents putting so much energy into what I think is a battle already lost. Its time for a new reality here, one where union issues play no role interfering with our childrens neurological well being. If there is something to fight for at the District Board level it is our childs right to have his/her medical needs met as well as benefit from education services. Dstricts are allowed to hire contractors outside the union to supply services to our children. If they tell you otherwise spit it back in their face because they are feeding you BS.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Dave, and I would like to go one step further than that: I think that, noting the specific municipality/school-districts,we really ought to:
[1]compile and, [2] post
…a list of candidates who are indeed parents of special needs children, or, at the very least,list those candidates who are truly informed and committed to special needs issues.

We are an articulate and active group here, let's see what we can come up with!! And then, yes, definitely get out there, spread the word, and vote!!

[David Bridges]

RE: CUPE

Good point, Anonymous!

You probably know this already, but CUPE and the BCTF have for years now attempted (successfully, in many cases) to infiltrate School Boards.

How else could we have wound up with such mind-boggling, ridiculous collective agreements, including clauses that allow for the trampling of our children's rights (all in the cause of protecting employees)?

The fox is in the henhouse, folks!

So get organized youselves and make sure you vote, unless you think this arrangement is beneficial to your children. I don't, and that why my kids are in the private system, where this rubbish is not tolerated (it helps that I can afford to vote with my feet, of course!)

Dave (The Prince of Darkness) Bridges

[Deleted User]

It is an election year for school trustees across the province. Now is the time to outline S.E.A./CUPE issues in letters that are sent to both the local schoolboard and the local paper concurrently. Demand response. What are individual trustees willing to do to ensure that the CUPE executive does not put the interests of employees over the interests of special needs students? Go through all of the previous postings; they are loaded with nuggets of gold in regard to which issues to bring forward. To do otherwise will result in the status-quo for us and families who have yet to travel our path.
Good luck to all.

[Rachelle Garand]

Cory

Thank you for all your help in helping me with finding a Lovaas style ABA consultant. Also thank to Sabrina, Lori Romey, Jean and to a mom in Burnaby – for taking my calls. This gives me an oppourtunity to say thank you.

That said, we are having our own issues with a SEA. Our SEA is older and my son, although doing well in school, has a tendency to bolt. I think it's because she is older and he knows it. I wish we could have a younger SEA. I think Cupe should not base their desicions on SEA to senority. We had an awesome SEA last year. I agree Cory we should all have a say who is with our child. I can't tell you how sick I feel having our child with someone who can't keep up.

My son should be starting with our ABA very shortly. I agree ABA SEA'S in the school would be the best.

[Cory McLaughlin]

We are in the process of dealing with CUPE
too. We tried the medically-necessary
treatment argument but had no luck. It
appears that each Local has certain elements
of their contract that are independently
negotiated. The Local that we deal with has
declared, "It is the Union's position that the
class specification for a Special Education
Assistant does not require the above
[ABA/Lovaas] training experience." I want to
know why CUPE is making educational
decisions for MY SON? The school boards (in
directing the superintendent) DO have the
authority to override contracts but then they
face grievances and arbitration. They are
often sympathetic but do not seem to want to
take on this issue.

We have been in this battle for 18 months
now. Our son just entered grade one.

If anyone has other ideas or just moral
support, I think that all of us could use it about
now. Two weeks in to the school year and the
battles have just begun.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for asking for clarification on this issue Peggy. I would like to hear the responses as well. This information is so important for all of us to share.

Thanks,
Cheryl
mom to Allie and Angel

[Deleted User]

Which school district are you in Peggy? I don't have my copy of the collective agreement handy, I'm not that much of a union person!! The person I know is part of the provincial bargaining unit and I can ask her directly as well as my shop steward. It was HR who told me about the letter for support based on medical need. I then checked it out with the union…. putting my ducks in a row! It is part of our collective agreement that any medical based need that requires a variance in hiring must be backed up by a doctor's letter. Their ducks!! I've been burned a few times. Including having my hours cut because I was advocating for my son and therefore labeled a troublemaker.

[Peggy Boon]

Hello all: I'm trying to get my ducks in a row (there's alot of bloody ducks) for an upcoming meeting and I have to say I'm still confused about a couple of postings from last month. What appeared to me to be a black and white issue is obviously very gray. If a loophole is found and precedents are set, one would assume things should fall into place. At any rate, I would appreciate some details surrounding the comments that were made as the personnel in my district have never heard of HAVING to hire based on medical need. I would like to know if this is stated specifically in the CUPE collective agreement, and if so – where? Here's a bit of the original post (Anonymous Thursday Aug 1, 2002 – 0758 pm
Think of the letter more like a prescription rather than a request. They then HAVE to fill it regardless of seniority, etc. This is from someone who is very high up in the CUPE provincial board.)

Again, another post that I would appreciate some details on. Where is this stated? Again, I'm told by an acquaintance in my district (she's admin support staff but still CUPE) that she has a different collective agreement than the SEA's in the same district do. (Anonymous on Wednesday, July 31, 2002 – 07:56 pm: CUPE bargaining is now done on a provincial basis so it doesn't matter how "strict" they are….. If there is no
one who meets the requirements, the posting will be held externally. But the school district has to follow the requirements.)

Please post to me directly if you wish: ourhouse@direct.ca Thanks again.

[Author]

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