First off, I've had many a regular ed. teacher beg me to bring up issues, and thank me for doing so. They are often told NOT to bring up the issues in an IEP meeting if the parent doesn't say anything. Many school administrator's don't know every detail of the law (like my child either needs someone to get the door or have an automatic opener, and yes, I'm fine with the cheapest alternative), most are receptive to learning, and when they don't, the county has ALWAYS informed them that I am correct.... Only one in many years would ever say that I am hostile. Most are grateful for all that I do for the schools my children have been in.
More importantly, try getting a child's wheelchair into an over-crowded classroom, and having that child move around as needed. Support usually relates to PHYSICAL HELP. Secondly, my child does not need any academic modifying. My child helps brings UP the test scores of the whole class. Always between the 95th and 99th percentile. But my child certainly needs physical adaptations to the classroom to get around!!! Sorry that's such a burden on you! And to think that I don't teach all my children to use their strengths to overcome their weaknesses is just insane.
Lastly, I DID NOT CALL ANYONE COLORED!!! I only compared one deragotory word to another. Calling someone handicapped is extremely derogatory, as is calling someone "colored".

Mom to 3, plus a few strays

Do you know what the "C" in NAACP stands for? Don't equate colored with handicapped. Bitter old white women in golf carts who "Insist", "Fight" and "Demand" are not exactly experts in understanding the 'colored' experience. As far as I am concerned, you should have to pay for your child's modifications (with your gov. provided aid money) and you have no business telling teachers anything....you can't even spell. Now, go back and READ and you will see, the blog is not about you or your kid or your demands. It's about a thankless job that you make harder. What an egocentrist! Duh!

What govt. $? I have never applied for any govt. provided aid money..... And as to worrying about my spelling late at night, I won't... No one who knows me would call me bitter. I will no longer debate with you the different derogatory words because there's no sense in trying as we'd never see eye to eye on this one. And why on earth should I not work with my children's teachers? They've always encouraged it, and I'm not foolish enough to turn down a good working relationship with the teachers, which I generally do have. I can only think of one in many years that would say I made her job harder. If she'd have followed the IEP, and not required the principal to intervene for my child, her job wouldn't have been harder. All it takes is a little room arranging strategy, and some minor accomodations/helps.

Mom to 3, plus the kids that hang out there all the time but don't live there (they like having an adult around that makes them feel welcome, and is just plain around!)

You may want to re-visit the early 90's for info on handicap access (and IDEA which thastnk God was trimmed finally). You haven't had to fight for anything - ever. Again - it's people like you that make good teachers quit.

That's just the problem at times... the building itself is accessible but the classsrooms are not always so, especially when the teacher has a high number of students. This is a little less of a problem now than it was in early elementary. Desks are easier to re-configure than tables. "Fight" was probably not the best choice of words in my original post. Normally, it's inform, and call to attention different situations that adminstrators may not be aware of (or the extent of the issue). Please note that I've never said that I'm not flexible or willing to compromise, and I've never said that the schools in question weren't either. Additionally, I am quite familiar with the history of our laws, both past and present. I've had extensive training on the laws and best practices, and in the past, in an official, paid capacity, I worked for an agency that helps schools (at the school's request) to understand how to implement the laws and best practices in ways that can make everyone happy. Agency employees did not go to schools in districts their children attend (even if the student did not have special needs)to avoid conflict of interest. It's paid for through grants. The former Fayette County special ed director often recommended this service to school level administrators.

Mom to 3, plus the kids that hang out there all the time but don't live there (they like having an adult around that makes them feel welcome, and is just plain around!)

I'll be happy to pay the parapro who helps get my child from class to class, in the cafeteria, etc. I'll do this when every child, be it for athletics, fine arts, gifted programs, special ed, does the same for the amount exceeding the standard.

Mom to 3, plus a few strays

Okay - nice - you will stop robbing me when someone else does too. Nice logic. Pay your fair share regardless of what others do. Your three kids, even without modifications, are costing us 21k per year. If the school portion of your property taxes are 3k (yea, as if) then you are costing us at least 18k a year that you can't and don't pay. Now add the parapro at 25k a year for your 'special' child and we are 43k a year in the whole for JUST your brood. And on top of that you are insisting and demanding and actually think the school teachers like you for it? Ha! No, you're not egocentric, you're a clueless drain on the hard working citizens of Peachtree City!

First, parapros in this county make about half of the 25k you quoted unless they got huge raises this year. I never said my child has a full-time parapro. The parapro that helps my child also helps 5-6 other children throughout the day. As to draining the system for just being a regular student, give me a break. If that's the case, every student drains the system. Do you suggest we all start homeschooling so the government doesn't have to pay to school anyone? That's ridiculous. My property taxes, if you really must know, more than exceed 3k a year but hardly hit 21k, or more. The bulk of property taxes come from businesses, not private homes.
All in all, it seems that you really have a problem with people with disabilities. Good thing you don't have a child with a disability (generally speaking, we parents of kids with disabilities really didn't have a say in the situation but wouldn't trade our children in for the world). If you want a drain on the system, look at the student at WWMS last year that had his own TEACHER, not parapro... It would have been cheaper to place that child in a private school....
As to my english skills in the middle of the night.... this isn't a report for work, and I'm hardly going to back-track beyond content to please you....
And yes, I would say most of the teacher's are grateful for my advocacy. Several prior teachers ask me to sub for them on a regular basis to this day. A couple of them are now good friends that I socialize with. Many (more than didn't) would often call me before meetings to make sure I knew what issues they were concerned about so that I could bring them up. Their administrators strongly discouraged bringing up issues that the parent didn't mention. So no, I'm not delusional or clueless. And I don't think my children are more deserving of the world. One just needs some help getting around the classroom, and at times, the building! I guess if it were your child, you'd attend school with your child to avoid anyone needing to do anything above what the "typical" student needs.

Mom to 3, plus the kids that hang out there all the time but don't live there (they like having an adult around that makes them feel welcome, and is just plain around!)

Interesting how you name a student with disabilities to criticise at Whitewater. What hypocrasy. Yes! Please home school your children and help us use our tax money more wisely.

I'm hardly a hypocrite. I just know the situation. I have more of a problem with it because the private school would have been cheaper, and a better program for the child in question. So does that child's parent.

Mom to 3, plus the kids that hang out there all the time but don't live there (they like having an adult around that makes them feel welcome, and is just plain around!)

They also have to put up with petty, politically correct (yes, that IS what it is) egocentrist mothers like PTCMomma. I liked it better when kids were placed by ability and the teachers didn't have to teach 20 lessons at once in a single classroom. Of course, Fayette County is the Mecca for 'Special Education' and the taxes reflect that so PTCMomma is right where she should be - where her kids (and 'strays'??) can all be either gifted or special. I guess those labels are currently acceptable.

On this you are right, I should not call the kids who hang out at my house almost all the time but are not my own strays..... A neighbor jokingly called them that one day, and it kind of stuck. I'm changing that with this post.

As to being egocentric, you'd be the first to call me anything like that.

Mom to 3, plus the many other kids who are always at my house

If you want to see your property values drop like a rock just keep running good teachers out of this area with demands like NCLB and GPS and the Special Ed. garbage that is killing the education system.

Husband of Teacher, father of two teachers (and a nurse and a pro athlete).

You are right. I just met someone who owns a company that manages a contract of support professionals for teachers. Upon hearing that I lived in PTC, this person informed me that they have actually had people threated to quit rather than go to Fayette County. They pay these [people 110.00 per hour). These professionals have mostly PhDs some masters, and they will go anywhere in the metro area, but Fayette County. Something is wrong here.

You hit the nail right on the head, my slack-jawed mouth-breathing Constitution-hating race-baiting friend.

No other school system in Georgia besides Fayette is subject to the "No Child Left Behind" act. No other school system in Georgia besides Fayette has to put up with Special Ed students. All the Fayette county teachers are leaving for other school systems where they don't have to put up with that stuff.

How much have you had to drink tonight, buddy?

The difference, Basmati, is what we do and how we acommodate Special Education Students here in Fayette. If you knew more about the school system, you would already know that. You are, as usual, fixated on the wrong topic. So, from your support for the only blogger who doesn't know that, I can assume you support No Child Left Behind and GPS? Are you a closet Bush lover? You like the Federal Control of the local system in NCLB? Do you also like the GPS and state control? Who will you support if curriculum objectives conflict? And, my tent dwelling nomad, if you don't think there is a difference in how Fayette County handles Special Ed., then perhaps your towel is wrapped too tight! Oh, and just for the record, I don't drink, smoke or take drugs. Not all black men do, do all you muslims blow up innocent people?