If you build a house without a foundation, it will crumble. Likewise, kids who remain unsupported in school are destined to falter.

I know what I want to do or, rather, need to do. I have briefly mentioned the difficulties I experienced throughout my academic career. I briefly reference it because it was bad, there is no other word for it. I was in elementary school when bullying might have been discussed, but it was just a surface discussion often void of preventative action. The bullying I experienced involved the police, unheard of when I was a kid. I sometimes wonder what came of the group of kids who greeted me daily, waiting for me to get off the school bus. The relentless torment lasted the whole 10-15 minute walk home and often resulted in some form of physical assault. I still clearly remember the feeling of taking a deep breath every time the bus would reach my stop. That is probably when I developed the chip on my shoulder that motivates me to fight for the underdog.

The purpose of this post is that I am now watching my child experience the
same broken education system that I did.  Watching my brilliant child have
his desire to learn snuffed out frightens me.  I may be biased, but he
missed 40 school days and earned 80% in history.  He has ADHD, he is
brilliant, and they cannot figure out how to teach him.  They ask him to
sit still and regurgitate the information they provide, discouraging critical
thought. There is a misconception that ADHD impacts intelligence; it does not.
It only affects how we learn, but if we are interested in something, watch out
because we master it.

My youngest child was designated as having a global learning disability
because, in grade 3, my reporting and the schools did not match, so they would
not diagnose him with ADHD but opted for a learning disability instead.  I paid
for a private assessment the summer leading to grade nine, which confirmed his
ADHD diagnosis. The diagnostic process for ADHD is a two-stage process that
relies 110% on subjective observations. It is the only mental health condition dependent on a second to validate the behaviours. If you go to the doctor because you are depressed, they do not call your teacher or another clinician to verify that is
how you are feeling; with ADHD, two people in addition to the individual need to complete the questionnaire and if the reporting does not match, then there is no
diagnosis. The ADHD diagnostic process does not consider age, gender or cultural
values. This diagnostic tool is broken, just like the education system. This can significantly impact who does and does not have access to a diagnosis.

I recently met with the school to discuss my child’s refusal to attend
school and his IEP (individual education plan). The school asked if I was ok
with how they had described his learning disability. I questioned the absence
of his ADHD diagnosis.  The school official responded, “ADHD
does not qualify under one of the Board of Education’s five categories of
exceptionality.”  I looked at my husband, who had that “oh no” look. Those who know him can probably guess how this meeting played out. Unlike the school officials, he knew I had spent the past year or so researching ADHD for my graduate school paper and had spoken at a conference the week prior.   I asked, “How do you address his learning disability without addressing how he learns?” After an uncomfortably long silence, the response I got was, “The people you need to speak to are above my pay grade.”

 That’s how my recent meeting to discuss my son with his school went.
This was when the advocacy became personal. I left the meeting, went home, and
started to write emails. I eventually got the attention of one school trustee
who, contrary to all the other trustees, provided me with information on how to
get a delegate spot at a SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee)
meeting.  It is funny how desperately the superintendent wants to talk to
you when he finds out you have been granted time to present your concerns at the SEAC meeting.