oooh - I'm so mad!

DJ is a Freshman. This has been his best year since the 5th grade when he was diagnosed with OCD. He has kept his grades decent - no D's for F's and hasn't called me wanting to come home 3-4 days a week for the first time in 4 years. He recently made the basketball team and I consider this year a real positive for him.

In comes his 2nd hour teacher - Mrs. T. She sucks eggs! Her policy is that you are late for class unless you are sitting in your seat when the bell rings. Yes he knows this, he was tardy for the 5th time since August 16th on Friday and he received 3 days of In-School Suspension for this infraction. He was in the class - but hadn't made it to his seat yet - he missed it by mere seconds. The 3rd time he was late was the last week in September when he was standing at his desk organizing his papers in his folder (very difficult for someone with OCD) and his 4th tardy came when he was sitting at his desk finishing a Carmello bar and had a wrapper with caramel all over it that he didn't want to get on his hands (also difficult for someone with OCD). He got out of his seat to throw the wrapper away & didn't make it back to his seat in time before the bell rang - again he missed it by seconds.

While I understand he should be old enough to understand and follow the rules of the class - I feel this teacher is being a complete witch - if she only knew what we had gone through with him in the last 4 years. Oh, I could just plow her!!!!!

Anyway, this will mean that he will be forced to miss his first basketball game tomorrow night, will miss one practice which will put him in jeopardy of missing more games and the coach told him "you better be prepared to run - that's what happens to students that don't follow the rules - they run the entire practice". I called the principal and while he was sympathetic, he didn't agree to make any changes. My husband is on his way in there now to discuss it. We may have to get an IEP allowing him time between classes to wash his hands, get organized or whatever - something I didn't want to have to do in high school and neither did he.

I get it, really I do, but in this kid's case, I feel like so many things have been stacked against him and he's finally digging out and he's being stuffed back in by this teacher - who by the way told him in October that she didn't appreciate him coming to his parents and complaining about her (we called after his 4th tardy)- she requested that he write an apology to her and she also said she didn't appreciate having to take time away from her family to speak with the principal or with his parents because he couldn't follow the rules - excuse me, I thought that was her job and I've taught my son to come to me with problems he's having so I can help him get through them. I forwarded the principal the email he sent her so we'll see if anything happens. Thanks for listening to me vent.