Shameful!!

Read this and share, please! It's sad as hell and needs to be passed on as much as possible so that by the time Spring Break is over, the asshole responsible will have nowhere to hide on the day back. Notice the smile on this little boy's face. He's respectful and forgiving while wringing his hands in pain. This teacher needs the shit beat out of him! Please keep this going! NO CHILD DESERVES THIS ABUSE!!

https://www.facebook.com/EliminateXclusion

The Facts 

Alex attends Cooper Middle School in Austell, the special needs middle school for our district here in Georgia. His class consists of approximately seven other Special Needs children with varying levels of ability. 

Alex has been a member of the chorus from the beginning of the school year and has participated in three other events held at his school.  

The concert where this picture was taken was held at a neighboring high school in the old gym which I am sure was built before ADA laws were in place; and included several other surrounding schools from elementary to high school. Several audience members struggled with the lack of access. 

When we arrived at the gym, all the other students and parents were sitting in bleachers. I noticed that there was no wheelchair access so Alex and I proceeded to sit on the gym floor to the side of his section.  

As children and parents wandered in to wait for the concert to begin and their school to be called Mr. Grevstead (Alex’s choir director) came down from the bleachers and said, “Hi Alex, how are you this evening?” Alex replied fine and apologized for his shoes not being in code as this was to be a graded performance. Mr. Grevstead said no problem and walked away. 

About ten minutes passed until the concert began and the first school was called to sing, the Powder Springs elementary school was to go first. Each group was to sing two songs then all were to perform together as a group. That’s why the picture shows the choir in the middle of all the empty risers. Each individual choir performed in the center, then for the finale, all the risers would be full of students.  

Alex’s school was second to perform and as Mr. Grevstead motioned the children to take their places on the risers. I told Alex to go over and wait while everyone took their places. As Mr. Grevstead directed the children into position, Alex waited patiently on the sideline to be positioned with the rest of the group. All of this took about five minutes. As the chorus began to sing I realized that Alex would not be placed with the others. The picture that you see was taken after the first song was over and the second began, I assure you Alex was in that location the entire time his class performed. That he was left there without any thought to him was a total shock to me and I was so shocked that I could not act other than to take the picture.  

While Alex’s choir was vacating the performance area and the next filing into position, I spoke with Mr. Grevstead and voiced my disappointment.  

Mr. Grevstead stated “he didn’t even know Alex was there.” How could anyone not have seen him? Alex was maybe 20 feet away and clearly well within Mr. Grevstead’s line of sight. Parents and spectators, along with myself, noticed it. I just can’t believe that although he said he was taking full responsibility he continued to redirect blame on a student helper that was not present that night. 

This is the third concert performance for Alex’s choir. For the previous concert (which was also to be graded), the children lined up on the risers as normal and Alex was positioned out of sight behind the piano accompanist. I suddenly realized that in both the graded performances, Alex was kept out of sight. I now wonder if it truly is a coincidence.  

It is sad that people that don’t fit your norm somehow become invisible…tolerated and excluded because they are different. I don’t pretend to know what was going on in Mr. Grevstead’s head but I do know what wasn’t; my son’s full inclusion in a graded performance.  

Further discussions with Mr. Grevstead and with the school have not yet happened as the school is closed for Spring Break. I fully intend to address this matter when the school reopens.  

ArlaWhen we arrived at the gym, all the other students and parents were sitting in bleachers. I noticed that there was no wheelchair access so Alex and I proceeded to sit on the gym floor to the side of his section.  

As children and parents wandered in to wait for the concert to begin and their school to be called Mr. Grevstead (Alex’s choir director) came down from the bleachers and said, “Hi Alex, how are you this evening?” Alex replied fine and apologized for his shoes not being in code as this was to be a graded performance. Mr. Grevstead said no problem and walked away. 

About ten minutes passed until the concert began and the first school was called to sing, the Powder Springs elementary school was to go first. Each group was to sing two songs then all were to perform together as a group. That’s why the picture shows the choir in the middle of all the empty risers. Each individual choir performed in the center, then for the finale, all the risers would be full of students.  

Alex’s school was second to perform and as Mr. Grevstead motioned the children to take their places on the risers. I told Alex to go over and wait while everyone took their places. As Mr. Grevstead directed the children into position, Alex waited patiently on the sideline to be positioned with the rest of the group. All of this took about five minutes. As the chorus began to sing I realized that Alex would not be placed with the others. The picture that you see was taken after the first song was over and the second began, I assure you Alex was in that location the entire time his class performed. That he was left there without any thought to him was a total shock to me and I was so shocked that I could not act other than to take the picture.  

While Alex’s choir was vacating the performance area and the next filing into position, I spoke with Mr. Grevstead and voiced my disappointment.  

Mr. Grevstead stated “he didn’t even know Alex was there.” How could anyone not have seen him? Alex was maybe 20 feet away and clearly well within Mr. Grevstead’s line of sight. Parents and spectators, along with myself, noticed it. I just can’t believe that although he said he was taking full responsibility he continued to redirect blame on a student helper that was not present that night. 

This is the third concert performance for Alex’s choir. For the previous concert (which was also to be graded), the children lined up on the risers as normal and Alex was positioned out of sight behind the piano accompanist. I suddenly realized that in both the graded performances, Alex was kept out of sight. I now wonder if it truly is a coincidence.  

It is sad that people that don’t fit your norm somehow become invisible…tolerated and excluded because they are different. I don’t pretend to know what was going on in Mr. Grevstead’s head but I do know what wasn’t; my son’s full inclusion in a graded performance.  

Further discussions with Mr. Grevstead and with the school have not yet happened as the school is closed for Spring Break. I fully intend to address this matter when the school reopens. Arla