A fathers cry for his son Re: failure of a Delaware charter

school promise
Posted on May 4, 2014 by kilroysdelaware | Edit
The Game Of Puppets
Prologue: of bright skies, future words, and agendas
This is a true story based on lies. Its a true story in terms of events, but I
have change the names of people and places for legal reasons . But that
will not diminish the fact that events in it are true.
As an only child, my son Jon was a blessing to his mother and I. His infant
and toddler years were rather uneventful, a minor ear condition here, a
major stomach flu there. We noticed a lot of energy with Jon at an early
age. He was very playful and always smiling. He liked to draw and play with
superhero toys and dress up like his favorite characters. He loved to play
outside, and his smile could (and still does) melt a thousand winter days.
For preschool, we sent him to a church-based curriculum and he did very
well academically for a child of his age. We noticed he had more energy
than others, and that caused some social problems for him, but nothing too
major.
For Kindergarten, we sent him to The Tiny School in the County Of Kent.
He made lots of friends there, and life was good for him. His teacher there
would comment on how he could interrupt a lot and he would always be
moving. By the end of the year, we noticed Jon would get easily upset with
others. Another teacher there, Miss Lyssa, tried to help and parents and
teachers agreed on a plan for Jon with a reward incentive based on colored
string. This helped Jon at first, but it wasnt a long-term solution. As
parents with an only child, we were concerned, and we would ask his
pediatrician if he could see anything. He told us Jon was a typical child, a
bit energetic, but nothing to worry about. We had decided to take Jon to
The Tiny School for the sole purpose and hope of getting him into that
charter school in the County Of Kent. We had heard so many great things
about that charter school. We paid a rather large sum of money to have Jon
go to The Tiny School, which was rather difficult for us at the time, but the
reward and promise of getting him into such a great and prestigious school
was worth it. When Jon was picked to go to that charter school in the
County Of Kent, we were ecstatic.
Before Jon finished at The Tiny School, we had an orientation at that
charter school in the County Of Kent. The building was surrounded by
academics, and the principal at the charter school, by the name of Lady
Ellen, said that was the reason why they stood out from all the other
schools in the area. The academic people that surrounded them were there
to help at any time and if your child had academic problems they could
jump in and support. Parental involvement was a requirement to have your
child go to the school. We met his teacher, Miss Cersi, that same evening.
She had years of vast experience and knowledge, and I truly felt my son
would do well at such a great school. The future was bright for Jon.
Let us flash forward thirty-seven months and look back. The previous three
years for Jon were like a roller coaster ride, that eventually went off the
track and crashed, and my sons spirit died for a long time. Pure, unbridled
chaos would not even begin to describe my familys experience. It was like
each trimester at this school was another journey through Dantes Nine
Circles Of Hell. By the time Jon left that charter school in the County Of
Kent, I would see things I never imagined in my wildest dreams. For you
see, I even had the opportunity to work there during a part of my sons
tenure there. And I saw oh so much. Imagine a place, if you will, where
everything is bright and shiny on the outside. And everyone talks about
what a fantastic place it is. But then the glow wears off, and you see the
cracks in the foundations, and everything becomes grey and dark and ugly
to the soul.
This is a story of my sons journey through this very particular hell, and
what emerged at the end of this was a family forever changed. None of us
would ever be the same again. Thanks to Sir Kilroy, he has given me the
opportunity to tell Jons story. I will be telling it in pieces, as it is long. I tell
Jons story in the hope that other parents will read it and understand what
is really happening not only at that charter school in the County Of Kent,
but so many of the other wonderful charters in the Kingdom Of Del. Words
like idea, choice, hypocrite, revenge, individual, loud, common, plan, cell,
manifestation, free, find, child, phone, determination, tic, theory, education,
lottery, public, neurobiological, supression, license, core, suspension,
purposeful, education, obnoxious and cookie all have great weight in the
story. Sometimes the combinations of some of these words are the true
crux of the story. Even a number as random as 504 can have a major
ramification for all involved. We will see comments on chapters where
someone may deny everything. But I would never tell a true story without
knowing the dangers of telling lies. During the telling of this story, some
will believe my son to be at fault, some will blame the parents, some will
say the parents are overprotective and refused to listen to reason, and
some will see things for how they were. My hope is that by the end,
everyone will see through the smoke and mirrors and truly understand
what is going on with our children in so many similar situations playing out
every day, even now, in the Kingdom of Del. If not, I may need to move onto
Book 2.
I have no fear of telling this story. Intimidation rarely works on me, and I
base the tales in this story on documented fact. Documented by that
charter school in the County of Kent, and in the most wonderful creation in
the entire world: email. When one truly learns how to navigate around the
net of webs, puzzle pieces begin to come together and new patterns
emerge. Human emotion is a very huge part of Jons story though, so I will
do my best to show how emotion can become fact. Some may read this and
know how the story ends, or how they think the story ends. Some may
know some facts and have formed a bias based on having just pieces of
the puzzle. Some may have heard lies and believe that to be the gospel
truth. Some will most assuredly think I am writing this to expose. And they
would be right. Too often in society, things are seen and we do nothing
about it and just accept it for how it is. I ask all to keep an open mind. I
have no political agenda. I am just a parent who came out of a dark tunnel
with my eyes opened to a new reality, but one that has always been there
and is unseen for many. Welcome to Jons journey.
Jons loving father
To be continued
Message from Kilroy, Jons dad is the real deal and this is his story. Ive
asked him to be cryptic with names and places. His story is not an attack
on charter schools but a reflection of his experience, his sons experience
and the negative impact of the experiences of this one charter school. I
know many parents of special needs children and the fears and concerns
they have. I am giving Jons father space here to tell his story and help
other parents. As for you young parents with children starting
school special needs are not, never attend a parent conference without a
note pad and pencil. Document all phone calls and school communications
with times, places and people. When there is a problem saying, some lady I
talked to on the phone or a few weeks ago will allow the system to eat you
alive and scapegoat. The pen is the most powerful tool you need.
Children and parents of charter schools are not guest they are owners
and beware of the corporate smiles at the front desk. As far as traditional
public schools, the world public is the clue!