Really need some help!!!!

[Anish]

I live in northern michigan.
I have a friend (who also lives in northern michigan) and she is having a heck of a time.
She has a daughter who has missed a load of school due to SEVERE asthma. She has doctors notes for the absences however, she is still in court and the court has ordered that even if she has a doctors excuse, if she misses one more day, she will go to juvinile detention for the weekend.
Another problem that they are having is that her daughter is the only non-caucasion student in the school (let alone the whole county). She is bullied daily about being mixed. She is called every nasty name in the book, she has been threatened with physical violence, and she has even been told that she is going to burn in hell because she is mixed. Mom has gone to the school many times and is always told that it will be taken care of and yet it continues.
What should she do?

 

[CourtClerk]

What county is this that has only 1 non-caucasian person in it...

 

[mistoffolees]

What county is this that has only 1 non-caucasian person in it...

In Michigan? Someone's playing drama llama.

 

[Antigone*]

I live in northern michigan.
I have a friend (who also lives in northern michigan) and she is having a heck of a time.
She has a daughter who has missed a load of school due to SEVERE asthma. She has doctors notes for the absences however, she is still in court and the court has ordered that even if she has a doctors excuse, if she misses one more day, she will go to juvinile detention for the weekend.
Another problem that they are having is that her daughter is the only non-caucasion student in the school (let alone the whole county). She is bullied daily about being mixed. She is called every nasty name in the book, she has been threatened with physical violence, and she has even been told that she is going to burn in hell because she is mixed. Mom has gone to the school many times and is always told that it will be taken care of and yet it continues.
What should she do?

Funny, I had sever asthma growing up as a child and initially missed a lot of school. Then my parents worked with the school district to get me a home teacher. I even receved class in the hospital where I spent much of my time.

Sounds like mom isn't doing enough to take her child's education seriously.

 

[Anish]

Nice!

We are in Ogemaw county and MAYBE there is another noncaucasion somewhere in the county but there definitely are no other African American students in our High School.
You were VERY fortunate to have a school district that was willing to work with your parents. Unfortunately that is not the case here.
Thanks so much to all who responded. I am trying like carzy to help this kid and all I get is people being nasty? What the heck? I thought this was a site where I could get some help?
Ok, just for the sake of conversation, lets say there is a 50/50 Caucasion/African American population. It doesnt change the fact that this kid is being tormented daily in addition to her health issues which NO the school will NOT work with mom. Their solution was to dump her in court.

 

[Proserpina]

We are in Ogemaw county and MAYBE there is another noncaucasion somewhere in the county but there definitely are no other African American students in our High School.
You were VERY fortunate to have a school district that was willing to work with your parents. Unfortunately that is not the case here.
Thanks so much to all who responded. I am trying like carzy to help this kid and all I get is people being nasty? What the heck? I thought this was a site where I could get some help?
Ok, just for the sake of conversation, lets say there is a 50/50 Caucasion/African American population. It doesnt change the fact that this kid is being tormented daily in addition to her health issues which NO the school will NOT work with mom. Their solution was to dump her in court.

That's likely because she's getting very close to educational neglect.

Does she understand that she could lose this child?

Has she considered home schooling? tutoring?

There ARE alternatives...

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

Somehow, the courts are not believing the severity of the illness.

 

[Anish]

Thank you

Thank you for giving a serious response!
My friend is trying to homeschool however, the court is telling her that she has to go through an accredited online program. My friend is on a fixed income and the cost of these programs are way out of her range. She is scared to death right now that she is going to loose her daughter. She has doctor notes for every missed day. I don't know what else she can do to impress upon the court/school how serious the illness is.
Either way, it was my understanding that in Michigan parents have the right to homeschool their children how they choose and not to have to participate in or have to be in an approved of program.

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

Does the daughter have an IEP with the school to help with these issues?

 

[Anish]

What county is this that has only 1 non-caucasian person in it...

Ok, let me reword this for you. If you look at the 2010 census for Ogemaw county Michigan you will see that our population is made up of 96.9% white persons and .4% Black persons. This is according to the U.S. Census bureau. There are very few other races in our county and no one with dark skin except my friends daughter.

 

[Proserpina]

Thank you for giving a serious response!
My friend is trying to homeschool however, the court is telling her that she has to go through an accredited online program. My friend is on a fixed income and the cost of these programs are way out of her range. She is scared to death right now that she is going to loose her daughter. She has doctor notes for every missed day. I don't know what else she can do to impress upon the court/school how serious the illness is.
Either way, it was my understanding that in Michigan parents have the right to homeschool their children how they choose and not to have to participate in or have to be in an approved of program.

Tink's question is very important...

 

[Anish]

Does the daughter have an IEP with the school to help with these issues?

You are going to love this. Apparently they will not hold an IEP because she is "too smart". I know, that has nothing to do with it. I spent years getting jerked around by this school district with my kids until I finaly said enough and pulled them out to homeschool them. I have seen more crooked garbage in this town that you could immagine. Our county is extremely low income and I suspect that the legal authorities believe that they can do what they want because no one can afford a decent lawyer. That's where my friend is at. She has a court appointed attorney who told the judge that he thinks my friends daughter would benefit from homeschool then turned to my friend and told her that he new nothing about homeschool laws. Matter of fact, the probation officer told her today that she knows nothing about the laws regarding homeschool.

 

[Anish]

What I'm really trying to find out is if it is legal for the judge to tell her that if she is going to homeschool that the court can dictate how she homeschools her daughter? I have spent all day reading through Michigan's homeschool law and I can not find any answers. Matter of fact I assigned this as one of my kids projects for homeschool today, so I had two extra helpers looking .

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

http://www.homeschoolingmichigan.com/Michigan_MDE_info_excerpts.html

http://www.deafhomeschool.com/essentials/statelaw/mi.html

http://www.homeedmag.com/groups/216/michigan-laws-regulations/

http://www.ehow.com/how_6381800_home-school-michigan.html

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090603175255AAAY3fQ

http://dcon2012.wordpress.com/2009/12/26/homeschooling-in-mi/

 

[TinkerBelleLuvr]

http://www.homeschoolinginmichigan.com/

http://www.hslda.org/laws/default.asp?state=mi

http://homeschooling.about.com/od/legal/Staying_Legal_Homeschool_Laws_and_Requirements.htm