I have just returned from the school meeting in which the Educational Services were present.  To say I am ecstatically happy about it would be a gross over statement.  However a few things have transpired that were found to be neglectful and as such MLA is to receive better supervision when sitting out religious observance.  The staff are to ensure that he has understood an instruction and not just assume he has and is miss behaving and he is to be given a jotter giving brief details on how he has been that day in order I can speak to him about it and they are not to continually focus on his negative behaviour.

However I am less than please with my parent skills being called into question!

I have been told that as a responsible parent I should be directing MLA to do certain things, like attending church albeit not praying or singing the the religious hymns.  I am not going to direct MLA into enter a church for several reasons

a) he doesn’t believe in god, any god

b) to force him will invoke bad behaviour

c) it is not obligatory for him to attend religious observances

I have also been told that it’s my non belief is influencing him in his decision not to believe in god.  Not so as BB goes into the religious observance, and I need to stop influencing him on this and make his decision for him!  I not prepared to order my child to believe in a mystical being or not, he has been given the facts, in a non biases fashion, and he has made his own choice…he does not believe.  BB is in two minds about but until she makes up her mind will continue in the religious observances because she has chosen to.

His teacher had also removed him for the choir practice for the Christmas concert because ‘Christmas is relgious’.  Corrected her because for MLA it’s a winter festival!  Education Services said he should join in and I need to instruct him to go into a church to do this and wanted me to do that there and now.  I refused and said I will NOT do that without speaking to MLA regarding it, I will NOT order him to go into a religious building or institution without his consent. 

Am I wrong in this? 

Should I dictate that he should believe in or not believe in their mystical God?

I was informed, now remember I was born in England and lived there for 41 years and was schooled there and my children went to school there for the first couple of years, that schools down in England are different and they are religious.  Incorrect, they most certainly are not on the whole and it is only in Scotland where religion raises it’s ugly head in schools and not all of the schools. Apart from I felt it was a racist remark it was also factually incorrect. Had I been of a different colour to the people round the table and they had said ‘of course in your colour group of people they do this’ I believe have more grounds to cry racist!

The question of the missing permission slip for support for learning came up and the school still deny that BB took it into the school givening some cock and bull story MLA had supposedly said.  I informed I gave BB the slip and watched her go into school with it and either she has lost it or are your saying the school secretary has.  I then said that is beside the point I was not informed the school had received it. 

Now be mindful of MLA problems and his lack of ability to recall information

His teacher said ‘I told MLA that we need to have that slip back and if it’s lost or spoilt we will issue and new one’

At no point did they call me and also the day they gave it was the day before 2 days of holidays and a weekend. I immediately pointed out that he would not be able to remember to recall that information and they should have rang me or sent a note home…..they were instructed to give more communication directly to me.

 My opinion of his actual teacher remains unchanged, but I will give her a chance to change her management of MLA.  I do believe that the Head is attempting to work in MLA best interest, always have but think her strings have been pulled.  MLA teacher has been instructed, along with all other staff, that MLA has heard the instructions and processed them (hearing and processing are two different actions) by getting him to repeat what has been said.  It’s no good telling him to do something if he has not processed the instruction. It was also clearly pointed out by Educational Services that resources or no resources this is a 5 min or less  action and NEEDS to be carried, and easy to do.  We parents do it all the time to toddlers!

That did not go down at all well but they have been directed. His teacher tried to say she was, but her explanation did not match what she was being directed to do.

I was felt by Educational Services and the Head Teacher that more support is required for MLA but is currently unavailable, 30 mins a week is no where near enough.  We have a meeting of the professionals on Tuesday, Educational Services will be at the meeting, and we can thrash that particular point out there BUT the need has been established and hopeful will be in the minutes.

Am I more positive?

Nope but I now have concerns that my parent skills are being questioned and the fact I have to leave the children in the school entrance when there for after school meetings because I can not leave them with anyone is being scrutinised…well then they will have to make the meeting during school times won’t they!