Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Kinda off-topic rant

As most of you know, Super Spawn started 3k this month. I put him in a faith-based private school thinking of anywhere, he'd be well taken care of there.

I'm here to tell you otherwise.

Turns out, in the State of Florida at least, faith-based schools are exempt from licensing standards. They're exempt from following the Administrative Code, and the Department of Children and Family's code of Ethics.

Nobody will touch them.

I've had to learn all of this the hard way. Not only was my three-year-old son neglected by his teacher (who refused to allow him any kind of drink because he had a nap-time accident), but his rights were violated under the American's with Disabilities Act when his EpiPen was sent home with the wrong child.

I won't even go into how illegal and dangerous it was for them to send an injectable prescription medication home with the wrong child.

I'm not saying this to name names or point fingers. I simply want to inform parents of something I just learned that could have meant the difference between life and death for my child.

This may not be something that effects you right now. But one day, when you do have kids, it'll be something in the back of your mind to remember. Check on it. Make sure that you can really put your trust in the people who care for your child, and make sure if they break that trust you have someone to back you up and enforce safe measures for the children who remain in that school.

/End rant.

6 comments:

Susan said...

Wow. That is eye-opening information. And after you spent all the time searching or the perfect pre-school too.

Oi. I hope you find somewhere else (and better) to send Super Spawn. That's more than a little frightening that a faith-based school is exempt from the rules.

Alicia Gregoire said...

I still can't believe this happened with your kid and now am in total shock that a school is exempt from the rules. That's got to be the crappiest thing ever.

Holly Hill said...

The kicker is that I can't do anything about it. I considered writing an article for the local paper, but then I'm just opening myself up for a lawsuit. So, I decided the best way to go is just to inform as many parents as I can of the risks of using a school that's exempt from licensing.

It's the best I could think of to keep other kids from being put in this kind of situation.

Erinn said...

Private school normally have much lower standards then public schools. Sorry. Most of the time the teachers don't even need to be certification at the higher levels of education. Lots of time people think because they are paying for the education it will be a higher quality but as you learned it's not always true. Sorry. I can;t image your frustration.

Susan said...

This reminded me of a story about private schools. My mom had a teacher in her boarding school that never made the students work. It was a math class, and the kids would just keep their books open on their desk in case the principle walked by. But otherwise, the teacher just let them chat all class long.

Turns out, the teacher was murderer! He disappeared one day, and everyone found out he wasn't Mr. So-and-so like they thought, but some serial killer on the run!!!!!! WOAH.

So, lesson? Private schools can be shady and qualifications are not required for a job. (Unless it's the Emerald school for marvels. Then it's 100% okay.)

KatOwens: Insect Collector said...

I can't believe this! I know how agonizing it is to try to find a place where you feel your child is being nurtured and also learning something.
We've been really satisfied with schools accredited through NEAYC http://www.naeyc.org/
Both in SC, and in two different schools in CT-- it's a great system and they are SERIOUS about protocol, etc.
The epi-pen issue is horrendous, and not giving a child a drink b/c it may lead to a nap accident is unforgivable.
Hope you can find a new place.