Decision Making - Just Exactly What Were You Thinking?

The first time I questioned the decision making process about the placement of scholars with emotional disabilities into a classroom goes back to a scholar named Jake LaMatta.  If you are not familiar with Jake you can read the post dated May 31, 2014 and April 29, 2014 to get an idea of the challenges this scholar presented.  As we start this new year I again have to ask just exactly what were you thinking when you made these decision especially with new teachers in both ED classrooms.  Last school year it was just a single scholar but this year it involves two scholars and we are only fifteen days into the school year.

I think I'll start with the guest scholars that I encountered recently.  One of them is Floss who is a scholar I worked with for two years.  The other scholar, I'll call him Stretch, arrived after the school year started and I've already had two encounters with him.  One minor and one serious enough that I was called to assist another male teacher subdue him.  Both of these scholar can get angry very quickly and I can tell you with no uncertain terms that are not and will not be compatible.  The first time I had to deal with these two was over an incident in a specials class.  I was not present at the start but was called to assist.  When I arrived they were separated.  Floss was removed by Duck to the main office and she was working to calm him down. My job was to help subdue Stretch.  When the Big B arrived Stretch was slowly calming but if things turned badly again I was told by the Big B that a school system security officer just happened to be in the building if needed.  A short while later the officer arrived just as we were releasing Stretch.  When he stood up he immediately started to walk away from us.  The officer stated where do you think you are going?  Stretch continue and the officer said to stop which did not happen.  Just as Stretch exited the room the officer grab him and directed him to the wall and then secured him against the wall.  When Stretch relaxed again the officer escorted him to Big B's office.  What preceded all of this anger was relayed to me later in the day. Floss and Stretch got angry at each other in specials. Floss angrily approached Stretch with Stretch saying to him you want to fight me and then go ahead an hit me.  Things went badly after that.

My second encounter with Floss and Stretch came a few days later as I was called to assist in their classroom.  When I arrived Floss was partially out of the classroom and being help by two adults with a third adult immediately behind them.  When I looked at him he was angry, very angry.  As I approached he let a out a very intense and with anger in his eyes the following, why does he always have to bother me?  Duck was present and I asked how I could help.  She said step into the classroom and help where needed.  When I stepped in Stretch was relatively calm as Oreo was speaking to him.  I checked with Oreo on what was needed and she said they were fine.  As I exited the classroom Duck was walking down the hallway with Floss with the goal of getting him to relax.

Last week Gnu received an outside call in the classroom and was told a new scholar will be arriving in a few days. When she hung up the phone she told me about it with a look of concern on her face.  I asked if she was given any information on how our new scholar behaves and she said no but I'll have it shortly.  Later in the day I passed the Big B in the administrative area and asked her if she knew about our new scholar.  She responded no with a look of not concern but frustration that once again a decision was made to bring a new scholar into the school with her knowing first.  The next day a guest walked into the room, totally ignores me and gets Gnu's attention.  I'm busy doing academics with another scholar so I have to wait to hear about our new scholar. When our guests departs Gnu shows me a hand written sheet of paper with specifics on our new scholar. After reading the paper my quiet response was Yikes!  I hand her the paper and she says to me why would they assign that type of scholar to this room?  My response, I'm not sure.  Please note that Gnu has been a classroom teacher a total of ten school days when this event occurred.  Please also note that our new scholar has not been in a school for three years and comes to us from an organization that addresses emotional and psychological issues.

Although our new scholar comes to us with some serious issues that makes me nervous I'm going into a wait and see attitude.  Why?  Because twice before we received new scholars with disturbing Individual Education Plans (IEP's) and their behavior has never matched what the IEP indicated.  I hope this is the case with our new scholar but if the worse case scenario appears I have to seriously question why anyone would assign a scholar with emotional and psychological issues to a new teacher.

Like Gnu the teacher in the other ED classroom is new but will be faced with a huge obstacle, Floss and Stretch in the same classroom.  These two are not compatible and I sense that Stretch already has figured out how to send Floss into an eruption.  The term to describe what is going on is called fishing.  Last school year Yo! was the fisherman with Floss taking the bait many times.  This year with Stretch playing the role of fisherman the situation is much more series as Stretch also has serious anger control issues which is something Yo! did not have.

Individuals far removed from the classroom made a decision to add two scholars to our school and there are indications that the decision was made without any feedback from our school.  From my perspective that doesn't make any sense and a simple, candid conversation by both parties could have avoided the situation that is brewing right now. What happens is an unknown but it will be interesting to watch.  What I know for sure is there are two very incompatible scholars in the other ED classroom and delays in taking action to separate them is risky and should not happen.

Week three is in the books and I'd like to say again to everyone thanks for taking the time to read my blog.