I tried to find a heading that would grab the attention of every parent in Hamilton County or at least the ones that have children in the Hamilton County School System. Hopefully this one worked.

I am in the process of trying to help my aunt (who is disabled trying to raise her grandson) get her grandson an education here in Hamilton County. Anyone out there with the same issue?

You see he needs some special education classes. He has had a very hard life so far and his grandmother is trying to change that. He is zoned for East Ridge Middle School. But he can't get the classes he needs at East Ridge Middle. They say that he has to be sent to East Lake (a failing school). He can't attend the school that is literally right in his backyard because Hamilton County Schools sends all the students that they 'don't want to leave behind' to one or two schools so all the others can have passing grades and they can lie to you and everyone else and say that Hamilton County Schools are the greatest. Just think of all the funding they would lose if all the children actually stayed in his/her zone and went to school.

I was under the impression that if you lived in a zone where your school was failing, you could send your child to whatever school you wanted. So, how can they send him to a failing school that he is not zoned for?

How many students are sent to these failing schools from zones that have passing grades? Does the state know this? Does the federal government know this? Is this what every state does to get around the rules? I am the only one that has been under a rock somewhere and didn't know that this was how it's done?

As I said earlier today to Kenny Smith (School Board member for East Ridge Middle), seems like the board could be working on real issues such as this rather than writing contracts that are not due for two years? Also, does Janice Boydston (School Board member for East Lake Middle) know that her school is being used as a scapegoat so others schools can have passing grades? Does she care that this is being done?

I know that my cousin is not the only child being left behind in this county. Is your child being left behind? Do you care? I do.

Elaine Cornwell
Chattanooga

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Elaine Cornwell,

I am a parent of a child with special needs. When we moved here in 2004 my son enrolled in Red Bank High School. He has an IEP and was a military child who has been through numerous schools with the standardized testing. (New Jersey, Florida, and now Tennessee). Each state had a different standard, each state had teachers spending all their time force feeding our children information on how to take the test.

My son's guidance counselor told me to take my son to Sequoyah High School and enroll him in the vocational school. I got the message that they didn't want my son's test scores reflecting poorly on their school. I didn't listen to them, I kept him there but he failed that year because it took them almost six months to implement any of the requirements for the IEP he had. They failed him. He took the TCAT or whatever it's called here two weeks after we moved here. He passed with flying colors. He is now in college and is a member of the National Guard.

Red Bank and numerous other schools from what I understand are doing the same thing. They don't want children that won't test well in their schools. Children with special needs still have to take the tests. I think the teachers and educators are so worried about losing their funding they don't care whose rights they step on.

My son is entitled to go to the same schools as regular students who don't have disabilities, but they didn't want him there. I feel sorry for anyone with the same problem. It's like beating your head against a pole trying to get your children through any school.

My children went to numerous schools in five different states. They are all the same, Tennessee, Florida, New Jersey and South Carolina. They might be separated by miles but they were all the same. No matter what the standardized test are called TCAT, FCAT or whatever they are all the same.

I don't have an answer for you as far as the school is concerned. I don't think what you were told was accurate. Good luck.

Pat Mallard

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Ms. Cornwell, the conditions you are describing are completely unacceptable. The special education service needs for this child need to be available in the zoned neighborhood school. If not, the next quality school, not a failing school.

Sending your child to a priority school that is not meeting the minimum educational benchmarks is not an acceptable alternative. As a matter of fact, it is offensive to make such a ridiculous offer for a parent trying to address their child's special needs.

The child's education should be dictated by the IDEA federal rules that govern how the Hamilton County school system operates for special needs children. I feel certain IDEA compliance is not a concern for them. After all, reducing special education expenditures at the same time they are being sued for the same issues. Sends the “I do not care” message to the parents of special needs children loud and clear.

It seems that the IEP team would address this for you. If they will not, you should not accept these circumstances on behalf of this child. I work with a group that gathers data, shares resources, and advocates to address the educational special needs of children in Hamilton County. We would love to help. My email is listed below.

April Eidson
aae1049@comcast.net

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The following clarifications need to be made to this posting:

1. No child is excluded from East Ridge Middle, or any Hamilton County School, because of their potential impact on standardized test scores.
2. The reader should remember that anyone can post in this forum, even if their facts are entirely incorrect.

3. East Ridge Middle invites the community to come see the good things that are happening here. We are a great school, staffed by great teachers and gifted with fabulous students.

S. Robinson
Principal, ERMS

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I am a mother of a special needs daughter that graduated two years ago. I began fighting for my child in an effort to provide her with the best education Hamilton County can provide since she was in 5th grade. I began my extensive meetings with Hamilton County School system. I did my homework and once I reviewed my daughters school file, I began to document the degree of neglect that was clearly happening based on my daughter’s rights. She, no doubt was being educationally neglected.

I went to every single I.E.P. meeting scheduled and never gave up on my child. The most challenging years of my life was when I was battling the school system, but it certainly paid off because I actually met many teachers and administrators in Hamilton County that do care about children with special needs. I would like to suggest that your aunt start by reading the Hamilton County Student Rights, and request for the student’s school records.

I am a working mom with three kids so I stay pretty busy, but I will try to help you in getting you on a more positive path to assure that your family member is experiencing and receiving a good education.

Sally Moore