Urban Schoolhouse
Welcome to Urban Schoolhouse Podcast! In each episode, education professionals, Chelsea and Ebony Wysinger, host the best podcast for engaging conversations related to strengthening the inner city educational community. The show is dedicated to helping parents and students successfully navigate Kindergarten through 12th grade in a public school setting. We provide current resources for topics we explore. So whether you want to grow your knowledge on various topics such as special education services, study tips or school discipline this is for you.
Urban Schoolhouse
Episode 19: All About IEPs and 504s in Public Schools Part Two
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We are picking up where we left off in our discussion about the legal process of Section 504 Plans and IEPs. Ebony Wysinger also indulges to parents key ways to build rapport with your students' teachers; as well as parental rights in accommodations in schools. Tune in for another jam packed episode of The Urban Schoolhouse!
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Hey! Hi!
SPEAKER_02Welcome back to the urban schoolhouse where school is cool.
SPEAKER_00So, today what we're gonna be talking about, Joe's?
SPEAKER_02Today, we are basically just gonna pick up where we left off talking about IEPs and 504s. Um, if you watch our previous episode, episode 18, um my mom left off talking about 504 plants. Um so we're just gonna pick up and go into more detail with that. I started the process. Um, as a parent, some questions that you might want to go into the meeting um prepared to ask, things like that. If you want to talk to your child about the fact that they have an IEP or 504, um, how to go about that. It's up to you, yeah, how to go about that. I've had parents that don't want their child to know they have an IEP. But then again, I work with elementary, so maybe once the kid is older, yes, it's important for them to know. Yeah, and they can self-advocate if a teacher or whoever is being reluctant to provide them with their legally required, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So yeah. Okay. Well, so hey everybody. Um, welcome back. Like we said, we're gonna be going over some um things that we might have previously discussed, but also just some reminders that we want to reiterate here today. So, what is a 504? Um, Section 504 is a law, it's the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and basically it's a federal civil rights law, uh, similar to the one we were discussing for IP's idea um in our last episode. And it's put in place to stop discrimination against uh people with disabilities. So kids have I access to uh 504s and actually all people do, okay? So the section that has to do with education is what we're gonna be discussing. Correct. Alright. So the basic uh premise is that the 504 it will individualize um your students' uh accommodations in the classroom, and so that's what we're gonna be talking about. So um we'll go back over the process, which would include alerting the school counselor usually that a student has a disability that might be affecting um their access to school education or programs. So with that in mind, you want to um call the main office and you definitely want to put it in writing and it can be verbal, which Chelsea did say that in our last episode. So if you say to the principal, I would like a 504 or an IP, then you can simply document that one.
SPEAKER_02You want to start the process, so you can uh you can say that um or say, you know, I want my child to be fully evaluated.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. And then they have 10 days to do it. But in a 504 situation, um, it is not that they're being evaluated at all. Usually that's a key difference because most 504s come in through the doctor, you know, like there's a disability that's already known. Some don't, some come through the teachers, the referrals. The referral, yeah. The referrals come through the teacher when they see a student may be dyslexic or they see a student may be struggling with ADD. AD AD ADHD. Exactly. So um it just depends on how it comes in, and then after that, within a reasonable period, that's what this law indicates, okay? A reasonable period of time.
SPEAKER_02Does that ever get problematic? Because everybody's definition of reasonable can be different.
SPEAKER_00True. In my practice, I look at a 30-day window as reasonable for me. Because as a parent, that would be reasonable for me. And as a school counselor, it's doable for me in a 30-day period. So why not so you just kind of said like days for yourself? Yes. So once I get a notification of a referral, I give myself personally 30 days. And that's my advice to a parent. If you have 30 days for e-bowels, too.
SPEAKER_0230 school days.
SPEAKER_00Yes. And I think that's reasonable. Yeah. That's why I use that date. And I suggest to parents to, you know, after they go ahead and and get the referral in or the request in that they duly follow up after 30 days if they haven't heard from the school. In terms of a meet.
SPEAKER_02And some people might think 30 days is a long time, but parents also remember usually we're looking at multiple kids at the same time, especially in the beginning of the school year. Um, because you might have new students that, you know, c um, especially like in my experience, I've had like in my only two years, a lot of new kindergartners, their parents want them evaluated like right away. Yeah. So that's been my experience. So like even right now, I'm I have like four or five open evaluations I have to get done by May, because then it'll be 30 days. Yeah. So it's we're usually doing multiple children at at the same time.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. And for me, with the 504 um caseload, usually the case load is much smaller because it's not a widely known law. A lot of people probably forego 504 plans within the educational system. That's why this conversation is Can we talk about something?
SPEAKER_02Because I've seen a TikTok about this where a parent said parent or a parent was talking to other parents on TikTok and was like, if your school is trying to give your child the 504, don't allow it. Make them get an IEP. Why? Because they feel like an IEP holds more weight than a 504. But I don't think well, first of all, both documents are legally binding documents. Correct. And that's what people are saying in the comments, number one. Number two, the difference is an IEP is like you're changing the curriculum. That's special education. Right. Your child might not need special education. Exactly. You know what I mean? If if the school isn't upholding a Papa Ford, that's the school's problem, but legally they're supposed to. Exactly. So that's not a you need a new document. And also school. Or a stronger document. A stronger, a stronger quote, stronger document. Um, ethically and professionally, we have to uphold both. Exactly. So don't think like one holds more weight, I guess, than the other. I think it's very interesting when parents say that because I've had parents sit in meetings and cry because their child's a special education.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So it's so it's very interesting to see parents wanting their child to be classified special ed. And then I have parents who don't who don't.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. It's it's always that. It's a struggle. And everyone sees educ uh special education or 504s in a different way. But one thing parents have to know is that we're here to empower them. So we're not gonna do something that the child does not need. And not only that, you get a copy of your rights. Yes. Okay. And you should procedural safeguards. That's right. And you should read them because you sign stating that you have them and that you understand them. And if you don't understand them, you should sit there and ask them to go over them with you, and they must. And they must do that. And so if you think you need a stronger plan, you don't. You might need to file a claim. You know, uh, there is the safeguards and procedural, and then there's a point person at the school district that you can file a complaint with. Right.
SPEAKER_02That if so if for ex if a school was not taking a 504 seriously, that's not a like that's just them personally. But professionally and ethically, they both should be upheld with fidelity at all times.
SPEAKER_00So that's idea and the section 504 law, both of them.
SPEAKER_02And fidelity, fidelity means like you're doing it like at all times.
SPEAKER_00At all times, yeah. Exactly. So um, what as a parent I would bring to an actual 504 meeting is you know, my students, you know, school records, past test scores, transcripts, um, uh report cards, uh, discipline records, attendance records. And it's not because you're trying to um enforce anything as a parent. What you're trying to do is contribute to the big picture, the overall issues that bring the student to needing a 504. So, you know, the disability must interfere with the child's ability to learn in a general education classroom. And so as a parent, you need to think about what that disability would cause a problem, what from that disability would cause a problem inside the classroom. Does that make sense? Yeah. So if, for example, if you have asthma and that's something that we want a section 504 for because it can interfere with your schooling. Or if we need snacks throughout the day. Exactly, or anything. So if you have asthma and I don't want you to be in the gym over exact over exerting yourself, then one accommodation might be because that can interfere with your learning in the gym setting, that you can have your inhaler, your teacher needs to know a plan of action for any teacher you have needs to know about this plan. Exactly.
SPEAKER_02The gym teacher, the RTJ music is the bus driver. And the main office.
SPEAKER_00The main office. So, and that is the point of us advocating for the parents because we see, I know I see, I speak for myself and you can chime in. But for me, I know that parents know. First of all, parents are the expert on their child. You know what is going on with your child before a school will ever know. So the things that hold your student back or your child back from their education, those are the things you need to bring up to the school. And many times parents don't take that initiative to come into the office at the beginning of the enrollment and say, My student has this diabetes, my student has this asthma, my student has this ADD, my student is nonverbal or what have you. My student hasn't hearing aid, anything of that nature, you need to have a conversation in the office with the powers that be. Do not just drop your child off at a new school, knowing your child has issues and they might suffer consequences because the people around them don't know. Facts, facts.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, um, my co-worker, my speech therapist, um that I work with, she she deals with that a lot. And um, you know, some of the kids that she has, she realized, oh, they need hearing aids. Exactly. Oh, this is this is why, you know, their speeches coming out like this. Is why they and then again, parents have refused to get that looked at, and that's their right. But it's like, you know, you can things would go smoother if we knew things up front. Exactly.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And also talk to your students, talk to your child about their classroom experiences. Talk to them about what's the hardest subject, what's the easiest subject. Their day. Exactly. Like about their day. Um what answers did you get right today? What answers did you get wrong today? Figure out their weaknesses, figure out their strengths. So when you go into the meeting, not only you, but the student also is empowered with the information in order to deliver that at the meeting so that the advocacy can be there, so that you can bring the child's issues up in a meaningful way so that the accommodations that are put in place will support the direct problems that the student is experiencing inside the classroom.
SPEAKER_02And talk to their teachers. Um, I don't know, hot take, but I feel like if you haven't a five before IP meeting, that shouldn't be the first time you're talking to their teacher.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. Unless you just moved into a new school or unless the semesters have changed.
SPEAKER_02Yes, and a lot of schools have meet the teacher Yes, in parent teacher conferences.
SPEAKER_00And honestly, a lot of times this stuff comes out in parent-teacher conferences where if a student is new to a school and they had a 504 at their former school, they might mention it in a parent-teacher conversation. And the teacher may bring it to me, like, oh, I think this student has a 504 or an IEP, and we didn't know it, you know. So that comes up too. So communication is key.
SPEAKER_02Communication is key, and most schools use different um apps or websites to communicate with parents. Um now teachers can like text parents on apps.
SPEAKER_00I think parents get kind of sick of that stuff too. Oh yeah. So another thing to discuss beforehand as a parent with a student before the meeting is academic and behavior issues. I know that or attendance. I know that these may be top topics that people do not want, but these are the things we need, these are the cores. Um, and that's why we look at them as that, because um, when we're inside the classroom, those factors key into kids not getting schoolwork, not understanding the work. So if you have issues with attendance issues, that could be caused because of a illness.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00That needs to be discussed. If you have multiple sclerosis or something that could have you at home for a long distance, for long extended periods of time, then I think that those are things that need to be discussed. Like how many days of school can your kid feasibly make?
SPEAKER_02Um But if it gets to that point, then they still have to have access to their curriculum wherever they are. That's that's part of the LRE least restrictive environment continuum. It goes all the way up to children in prison and children in jail, in fact. Um, no matter where a child is at, hospital, jail, wherever, home. Education is required. Education is required. They still need to have access to the curriculum. Now they're gonna be there to provide it, whether it be like Google Meet, Zoom, wherever, but it's up to the parent and the child to actually show up. Because I've heard of teachers, you know, show up online to um teach the teacher student and they're not there.
SPEAKER_00It happens often. It happens very often. As long as they but the teacher is there, so they're there. That's their job. And the parents' job is to show up. Um, also, even though we cannot require a parent to do a specific thing in a 504, um, it would be great if parents did distribute the medications as um prescribed by the doctors. We've run into a lot of parents who don't give the meds for the ADD for whatever reason. The student doesn't like them, they can't afford them, they don't have them.
SPEAKER_02What I hear is that the parents don't want their personality to change. Like they don't want to see their child change.
SPEAKER_00There are a myriad of reasons. I've heard that a lot. But the one thing is it's kind of like a do-your part thing, you know, like if you do your part, we can do our part. And I know, in my personal opinion, if you had an illness of any kind and I was able to administer to you something to alleviate, help, or assist you, if you have a cold, I'm gonna give you something to help you breathe. If you are suffering in pain, I'm gonna try to give you something to help ease your pain. So if your child is suffering in a classroom and you can give something to help alleviate that suffrage, the embarrassment, and the, you know, sometimes just a fallout, not only for your child, but everyone involved, then why wouldn't you?
SPEAKER_02And not only that, um, but what I've seen a lot in my experience so far is the parents are giving the child the medication, but by the time it's like 11 o'clock lunchtime, it wears off. So then they back on 100. Well, that's where 100,000.
SPEAKER_00That's where the school nurse or secretary or whoever administers drugs, you get the medication for.
SPEAKER_02Are they supposed to have it twice a day? Is it a good thing?
SPEAKER_00I mean, whatever the prescription is, you know, if they're missing a dosage while they're in school, they don't have to. Someone at the school can administer the drug, it just needs to be done with a form. And I've had students by the doctor.
SPEAKER_02And I've had students' medication make them sleepy and they sleep all day long during school. And I've had a lot of kids have medication changes, so they're just all out of source.
SPEAKER_00And not only that, the meds take a long time to get in the system, right? So sometimes you're giving the child a med and it doesn't even really take effect until 30 days after they start.
SPEAKER_02And they might have to eat before, you know, it's just it's a lot. Um, but I I agree. I think again, I don't have children, but I think with what I know about mental health and medication and my experience, um I'm I'm team eds. I'm team medication.
SPEAKER_00Like I'm team medication. Again, like don't be mad at us. I'm I'm team medication. It's a controversial.
SPEAKER_02This is just me, but I think just from what I've seen and what I know from my education, like your own education, my own education at team eds. If if that if if if they work, they work. Like, and and that's okay. I think we're getting, especially the black community. I I think we're leaning more towards normalizing medication for a bithera of different things, not even just you know, just like going to therapy, going to therapy, yeah. I think that's becoming a little bit more normal normalized anyway. It's not as taboo. I mean, it's there to help you. Everybody's brain is different, our brains are wired different.
SPEAKER_00Some people might need a little extra boost. Exactly. And that's okay. So if the behavior is a problem within the classroom, mom, dad, um, likely you already know that. And so be prepared to discuss things that work at home.
SPEAKER_02Okay, so also your child might be different at school than they are at home. They likely they're typically different environments than they are.
SPEAKER_00They're two completely different environments. With two different types of vibes, restrictions. Exactly.
SPEAKER_02Dynamics. Dynamics. Yes, it's a whole different culture than being at home.
SPEAKER_00And they have to wait their turn at school, stand in line at school, see what they're doing.
SPEAKER_02All the attention is not on them.
SPEAKER_00Right, and they're not number one, you know. They're all number one, and it's 30 of them.
SPEAKER_02Or they might not get something. Like the other day, you know, we were giving out awards for reading month, and this one kid was crying. And this one kid was crying because he didn't get a reward. And the teacher was like, Well, you have to do the things to win the things. You you weren't reading, so you didn't get recognized.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I don't come from the school of everyone gets a trophy. But I mean, hey, I don't know.
SPEAKER_02Everybody's different, yeah. But I mean, that that's just that's just facts. I'm laughing.
SPEAKER_00You know, I'm not I'm not uh competitive either, you know. No, but again, it's just like if you didn't do what you're supposed to do. It's just a learning thing. You have to learn how to win and learn how to lose, right?
SPEAKER_01School, yeah, but that's what school is for. Absolutely. School is to teach you the world doesn't revolve around you. Exactly.
SPEAKER_00So then talk to your kid like we know you have these behaviors, you don't sit still, you make noises, you do these things. What would help you? Like, tell your kid to tell you what would help them. Some kids are helped by having headphones on, some kids are helped by sitting at the common corner in their classrooms, some kids are helped by doing their work right outside the classroom door. Yeah, go into a quieter room. Or sitting right in front of the teacher, which preferential treatment is seating, I'm sorry, not treatment. Preferential seating is a that's what I got, but I didn't have a 504. Well, it's a great accommodation, especially if your child is born.
SPEAKER_02My teachers, my teachers were just their teachers, you know, like they know and they could tell that I cannot see.
SPEAKER_00And some from where I was gonna provide accommodations to kids, no matter what there is a plan in place. Uh-huh. Please understand that some teachers see the need and they just fulfill it. Yes. They don't sit there and wait for an IEP or a 504 plan. They literally just do the work. And some teachers, even with the IEP or a 504 in place, refuse to implement the accommodation. Well, let's talk about that. Well, what's up with that? Talk about it. Talk about it. Give us some. Give us some because I don't, you know, I'm gonna let you do it. Oh, if they refuse to implement it. After only one year of experience in public education, she's about to tell you this. But I have to. If they refuse.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean the way they refuse, how they refuse. They just don't do it. They just don't do it. And again, I think with elementary, I haven't had an experience where a teacher has refused to implement. Well, I'll take that back, but I'm gonna shut up. Anyway, so um, but but um now it's my train of thought. Um I think refusals to implement accommodation. I okay, I have had that with IEPs, I guess, but if I have a four, I have not had that. I think my job space. Specifically is really good at making sure things are implemented. And like how you said, like, we just kind of automatically, like, if a kid has IEP power, or if they don't, if we see that they're obviously dysregulated, they can come into my office, they can go on a walk, you know. Like the older third, fourth, fifth graders, they could teachers would just be like, Hey, take a lap, take two laps, and then come back. You know what I mean? Like, they do that anyway. I feel like with all kids now, because all kids seem to be just dysregulated now nowadays. But so I feel like they just kind of do that automatically. I think they're very good at it. I also I really appreciate my my colleagues because they don't broke me into every single situation. As a social worker, as a social worker, like they actually do things themselves too. Exactly. Which I appreciate. Like, it's not all just put on me. It's a must they do because it's a team effort. Okay. So But if but if your child, this is what I want to say. Um, usually elementary the child does not know that they have those accommodations.
SPEAKER_00But sometimes they do.
SPEAKER_02I have not had that experience where they do know, but they might.
SPEAKER_00Um I'll tell you an experience.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but in my experience, I I've never had that. Or like I've had a kid come into our meeting, but they don't know what we're meeting for. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00I feel like it depends on the disability. Like, if their kid has diabetes and they're coming in for a uh 504 for their diabetes, which they can have, they already know they have diabetes. Like sometimes if they have um been diagnosed with ADD and they take medication for it, they already know they take it. And they'll tell you, like, I didn't take it today.
SPEAKER_02I think in my experience, because all of my kids, my their eligibilities are all like autism or uh they're cognitively impaired, so they don't really have the wherewithal to understand what we're meeting.
SPEAKER_00You know, again, you can get a 504 for a broken leg. Of course, you know your leg is broken, or you are in a wheelchair. Okay, so it's just so many different ways. The disabilities are vast. That's how come as a parent, you have to understand your rights. Um not be disappointed. Go to that office, go to that school board office, especially if you think that these accommodations are not being.
SPEAKER_02You know what though? I had a well, it wasn't my student, but those girl, she had some services in her IEP that she wasn't given. Because for IEP, you have service times, right? So mine can say you're gonna receive social work services 20 to 30 minutes two to four times a month. So two is my minimum that have that I have to do for that month, right? So this girl had that for a service, she was not getting it, and she knew she wasn't getting it because she knew she had IEP. Right. Um, she but she was a what fourth or fifth grader? And so she will walk past the office every day to see if that service provider was there. Exactly. She'll have a day every day, and she'll go back until her mom. And she I didn't get seen today. I didn't get seen today.
SPEAKER_00And should and I know I would be that mom asking you, did you see that lady today? Did that lady call you down to her office today? And that's kind of that mom made it known. Is that your job? And that mom made it known and should. That's your legal work. And should. And if they're not doing it, then you have the right to file a complaint and you can inquire how to do it, and they can help you do it. I'm not trying to be facetious, it's not like I am not against education because. No, I love educated.
SPEAKER_02I'm all for educators, but we're there to educate kids. I'm all for educators, um, but to me, the you know, kids come first and they should always come first. Not the teachers come first, and kids deserve their services if and they they deserve their fape and their LRE and all that. What does fate mean?
SPEAKER_00Can we remind our audience?
SPEAKER_02Free appropriate public education.
SPEAKER_00Free appropriate public education, fape. Awesome. Go in the office and say that word, and they'll sit you down and help you immediately.
SPEAKER_02But like I this is violating my child's faith.
SPEAKER_00They don't want to hear that. No, they don't want to hear that at all. No administrator wants to hear that. All of this is free. This is governmental, this is federal. And also, the last thing on checks and balances, because we're not going in on teachers, but we want to empower our parents and the urban community because we are the urban schoolhouse where school is cool. So if you want to go ahead and really know what's going on, ask your teachers, ask the person who writes your 504 plan to have the teachers to tally when they are doing the services for your child.
SPEAKER_02And like me, I I document all that. I keep it all for myself. And sometimes I even so with my nonverbal kiddos, um, I sent home, I sent home parent little notes so they know what I worked with their child, what like what I did with their child. Um, because their child cannot verbalize what happened at school. They can't say, you know, what's going on. So it's for me and it's for them. I keep my I keep I take everything twice. I keep I do it in the computer in our little MyStar. And then I have my own binders.
SPEAKER_00And this is why parents should. Yeah, and I because they are at the school, so you should too at the house.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I I have both sets, and then um I I do send home parent notes. But hey, we worked on this today. If you have any questions, then my contact information is at the bottom. So if they ever wanted to, you know, chat, they're free to do so. I don't mind talking to parents because I know everything I'm doing is professional and ethical. So I I really never cared. Exactly. Because I can stand behind everything that I've done. Exactly.
SPEAKER_00And you should be able to, and that's why I'm empowering these parents to ask the teachers can I can I see your documentation of the times that you've administered this accommodation to my student or my child? Because that is not an absurd question, and you have every right to ask. Yeah, if they can't produce that, then they haven't done it. Because in our field, if it's not documented, it ain't happening, it didn't happen. So that's just that. Um, like I said, I don't want to beat up on teachers, but we have to empower our parents, and some teachers are always gonna document, and some teachers never gonna document.
SPEAKER_02And I think it's about just holding you know everybody accountable. Like I said, this is this is federal. Like this is federal. You don't want to get caught up in this. You don't at all.
SPEAKER_00Then you have to ensure that the semester, the second semester's teachers receive the 504 plan. If they're gonna be dropping off a class, because it's a semester-long class, not a year-long class, you have to be conscientious of that as well. You have to make sure all teachers have the plan every year, every semester, or every quarter.
SPEAKER_02And we all know this, like teachers, social workers, speech therapists, whatever. We are all licensed professionals. We all know this. We all know this. And they're hoping that you don't. I hate to say that. But clock it though. And most of the time, parents don't. And don't. And I see it every day.
SPEAKER_00And it's so and also because like it's so much jargon. It's not even for you to know, but you know, unless you need to know. And that's why we're here, and that's why we're saying it's so much jargon and so many acronyms.
SPEAKER_02It's like we're talking in code. Exactly.
SPEAKER_00That's how come I said what's fate, because we really want you to know it's F-A-P as in Paul E. And go in there and say that your child has this has a right to fape. And that's real. Nick gonna look shocked. Watch. Exactly. But we're gonna be like, Google that thing first, girl. Don't just go, just Google that thing one more time before you go. Okay, and then also when you get there, ask about homework help. We're gonna pivot a little bit because I want you in that meeting asking about homework help. What a kind what type of programs the school can either offer to you or lead you to in the community. Um, it could be a community center, it could be a church, it could be big brother, big, big sister, it could be YMCA, a lot of different organizations. Summer school? Yes, give out, you know, uh homework help. And I know in DPS here where we are in the city, they have a homework hotline. Well, they did. I don't know if they still do, but they probably do because why not? And um, if your child is on a 504 or IEP and they're doing great in school, hey, you don't have to really worry about this. But if your child is continuing to struggle with these plans, keep your mind thinking about how you can help your child because children change, classes change, dynamics change, teachers change. They might have one teacher in the beginning of the school year, and then that teacher might get sick and leave. And then here come a whole nother teacher. Now you need to familiarize yourself with that new teacher and make sure that your teacher knows your child. And this is another thing. Can I can I spill a little tea? Yeah. Okay, because I want a parents to know Austin Tea Party. I'm just trying to say is that the more the teacher knows you, mom, dad, grandmother, grandfather, guardian, the more they're going to pour into your child.
SPEAKER_02Agree. Yeah. Yeah. Because even when we talk about parents, we'll say, oh, they're very involved in the community. They're very involved. They're very involved. They're very involved.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. That's what they say. That's what that is what they say. Moms usually coming up here all the time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're gonna come up here and see mom. You'll see that. That's how you want to be. Because, and not to scare, you don't go up there acting like we involved mom. You don't make it acting like the incredible hawks is. Oh, we know who the acting is. The parents are acted up. And let them see your face. Let them know your name. Let them know that you are in full communication with your child, and that you are on top of the educational needs of your child, and you are all about making sure that they're implemented, and that's pretty much it. Once they know that, once they know that you're invested, then they become automatically invested. If they weren't, and some teachers are, don't get me wrong, some teachers are way more invested than parents. Clock that tea. Clock that. But honestly, as a parent, that's your job.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I agree. Because I as a therapist, as a social worker, um, I don't, I don't work harder than my patient, client, whatever you want to say.
SPEAKER_00And as I get into our older grades, I don't work harder than my students. If my students say, I don't care about my grades, I don't care about my work, and then I say that and I feel that same vibe from the parent too, it just makes me stand down. I'm very much getting older. I'm very I'm very much like, I'll take it to the water, but I can't make you drink it. And that's basically how it goes.
SPEAKER_02And I and then even when I tell my mom now, like, I oh I email this parent, I email this parent, and my mom's like, they ain't gonna answer. I'm like, that's not the point.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_02Just they can't go back and say, I didn't do that. I didn't email them.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. And they're waiting to say that you didn't email them. Because that's the kind of stuff that teachers use against parents. They never come to parent teacher conference, they never come in the school. I don't know who they are, they never answer my calls, they never Right.
SPEAKER_02The phone disconnected. The voice ain't the we don't even have your number. The phone ain't even ring.
SPEAKER_00Oh, please, Mom Dad. The phone ain't even ring. Grandma, grandpa. If you change your phone number, will you please tell the school? Let the mail know. If you move, please tell us because sometimes the children really need your assistance. All right, and we do too. So we are uh, I think we covered everything. Private force, yes. Yes, see, what do we want the people to know?
SPEAKER_02We want the people to follow us on social media, uh Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, all at the Urban Schoolhouse Podcast. The Urban Schoolhouse Podcast.
SPEAKER_00Not the though, just Urban Schoolhouse Podcast. You don't have to type the, all right? And what are we doing next?
SPEAKER_02My one of my new favorite favorite topics I am so passionate about. April is Autism Awareness Month.
SPEAKER_00Woo!
SPEAKER_02Autism speech. Yes. Um, so I'm very excited to be talking about that specifically with ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Black Community, and how that relates to schools. So that will be um our next our next episode.
SPEAKER_00I think that's gonna be so good and informative for our listeners. Yes, amazing. So spread it around, spread us around. We want to get to all the urban schoolhouses, right? Yes. All right, so we will um see you next time on the urban schoolhouse where school is good.