High school gym class

[PeanutsLucy]

My son was injured 14 months ago and is now an L1 para. He is not taking gym this year because his doctor wrote a note that is was more important for him to focus on his recovery and get adequate physical therapy.

Now the school is saying he HAS to take two gym classes before he graduates and that they are going to put him in the special ed adaptive gym class.

There is nothing wrong with his mind. Just his body. I think putting him in the special ed class would be demeaning and just plain wrong.

His physiatrist said no way to special ed gym that he is "cognitively above" that and to make the school adapt regular gym to him.

I find the entire thing totally insane. Like I don't have anything else to stress out about!

You would think the state would have some sort of exemption, but no dice. For goodness sake, the school district provides him with PT each week because they know his limitations but nobody will come up with another plan for gym class. And they won't count his PT time as exercise or gym! UGH! :frypan:

I think he would feel odd taking regular gym too with 25 able-body kids.

Has anyone dealt with this before?

I don't care if they stick him in ceramics class or band, but how about an alternative to PE.

Talking to the school is like talking to a brick wall too. :banghead:

[JakeHalsted]

Penuts...

I think you're missing the point of a special education certification. It simply means that a students' requirements are different than the general student population. It does not necessarily have to do with cognitive ability.

Two of my friends in school were "special ed" ceritifed. One had severe cerebral paulsy...he also had a 700 math SAT and went to Stanford university. The other had a SEVERE temper...and had a habit of punching his teachers.

A special education certification will simply move the bars that your son has to clear...not raise or lower them.

On a different note...why the hell shouldn't he take a regular gym class, especially with an injury at L1? If you want your son "mainstreamed" then by all means....he NEEDS TO TAKE THE REGULAR GYM class. He can shoot baskets and play volleyball with anyone else. He can probably outperform the most students in weight lifting. And if there's a social dancing unit, then it will be a learning experience for the teacher as well as the student.

I agree with the school...PT time is NOT exercise or gym. PT as it was meant to be should be specific exercises meant to rehabilitate your son. Above and beyond that, he needs to learn an exercise regimen to keep fit.

We in the physically disabled community have to work MUCH HARDER than other people. We have to train like professional athletes.

Personally? If I were your son, I'd want to be certified Spec. Ed...and I'd want my ass kicked into gym class!

My son was injured 14 months ago and is now an L1 para. He is not taking gym this year because his doctor wrote a note that is was more important for him to focus on his recovery and get adequate physical therapy.

Now the school is saying he HAS to take two gym classes before he graduates and that they are going to put him in the special ed adaptive gym class.

There is nothing wrong with his mind. Just his body. I think putting him in the special ed class would be demeaning and just plain wrong.

His physiatrist said no way to special ed gym that he is "cognitively above" that and to make the school adapt regular gym to him.

I find the entire thing totally insane. Like I don't have anything else to stress out about!

You would think the state would have some sort of exemption, but no dice. For goodness sake, the school district provides him with PT each week because they know his limitations but nobody will come up with another plan for gym class. And they won't count his PT time as exercise or gym! UGH! :frypan:

I think he would feel odd taking regular gym too with 25 able-body kids.

Has anyone dealt with this before?

I don't care if they stick him in ceramics class or band, but how about an alternative to PE.

Talking to the school is like talking to a brick wall too. :banghead:

[Rbrauer]

Sadly special ed has such a bad wrap.
So many people associate the stygma of 'Special Ed" with the short bus, retreading tires, or plainly stated - mental retardation.

Specail Ed has a much broader scope to cover everyone that cannot participate in a regular class. Regardless of IQ or Physical ability.

Perhaps if you look at it more as an 'Adaptive" class, geared towards your childs particular needs.

I kind of agree with the prior post.. at an L1 injury, he may not be able to do some things, but should be able to do many things still required of any AB student. Then again, he might have unique needs.

(yes.. I am not wearing my glasses.. typing is atrotious..)

[JakeHalsted]

When i go out, I usually use 'wheels' as my bar name...I find it lightens people up to the fact that I'm using a chair.

Taking a regular gym class is "social proof" if you will.

Incidentally...something i learned after i was hurt...from another injured person (and a dragster driver...) "Everyone has disabilities...some are more apparent than others."



Sadly special ed has such a bad wrap.
So many people associate the stygma of 'Special Ed" with the short bus, retreading tires, or plainly stated - mental retardation.

Specail Ed has a much broader scope to cover everyone that cannot participate in a regular class. Regardless of IQ or Physical ability.

Perhaps if you look at it more as an 'Adaptive" class, geared towards your childs particular needs.

I kind of agree with the prior post.. at an L1 injury, he may not be able to do some things, but should be able to do many things still required of any AB student. Then again, he might have unique needs.

(yes.. I am not wearing my glasses.. typing is atrotious..)

[LaMemChose]

Peanuts, I was in Special Ed beginning in grade school as I was in a gifted program from fourth grade until graduation from high school. Yes, programs for so-called gifted children are also labelled Special Education.

As for your attitude regarding those who have lower than average IQ's, you stated it would be demeaning for your son to be around them. Do you hold the same view of people who have physical disabilities? How do you feel about people who hold such views about individuals with physical disses?

As for being in PE with ab children, your son lives in the real world. He will mix and mingle and work and live and love and play and learn and have a life with individuals who are both ab and dis. He will know what he can and cannot do, what he is and is not willing to try in PE. It is possible to do many exercises/activities from a wheelchair.

I have cerebral palsy (SCI acquired in '93, cp from birth) and was in P.E. in an otherwise all ab class. There were things I could not do, but those were few and far between. Yes, I was a walker not a wheeler in those days and that made a difference. P.E. was hard, but I was glad to take those classes with my ab peers.

Unless your son is healing and P.E. in any form is medically dangerous for him or will cause too much fatigue and/or pain for what he needs to do the remainder of the school day, try to find a compromise with the school district.

How does your son feel about all of this?

[Eileen]

If I was a L1 I would WANT to take gym class. There is no reason he can't, and as for feeling strange taking it with all the ablebodied kids, well, that is going to be his norm in all things from now on so why not start now? He could play softball, baseball (with designated runner), volleyball, tennis, run track in his chair, whatever. He may be surprised at how much he enjoys it, and it would also foster his relationships with the kids in his school. Sure, there may be one or two jerks, but mostly I bet the other kids would find it pretty cool to have him in their class.

[SCI-Nurse]

This should all have been addressed in your son's IEP before he started school again after his SCI. Did you have a hearing? Have a written plan? If not, you need to get one NOW. There are a number of ways to address this.

Training for a wheelchair sport could be considered his PE requirement and arrangements could be made for him to do this during his regular PE class time. He could participate in this through the special ed class, but with individual assignments. There is also a lot he could do in a regular PE class (tennis, basketball, weight lifting, etc.). But that needs to be addressed in the IEP.

(KLD)

[skippy13]

My school had a swimming pool, and I had just had knee surgery. they let me do a terms worth of P.E. at the pool as an alternative. It was glorious having the place to myself with ony the student assistants and the swimming coach as lifeguards. There should be an acceptable alternative available to him if he prefers. The pool was the best therapy ever, and I got P.E. credit for time spent there. It was lucky for me that it was the last class of my day anyway, so no returning to class with wet hair.

[JakeHalsted]

Come to think of it....I think I'd want a nickname "Shortbus" if I were back in school ;) All the good nicknames...like TeeBone...or jakethesnake..probably already taken

[funklab]

I think he would feel odd taking regular gym too with 25 able-body kids.


Yeah, but he probably feels "odd" in a history class with 25 ab kids.

If it was me, I would try and take the regular gym class. I know in my school special ed was strictly kids with crazy behavioral problems and s l o w kids. I wouldnt want to hang out with them

Also, if its anything like my highschool, which i guess hopefully its not. You dont really have to DO anything.

At L1, he can probably shoot hoops and play volleyball and "run" around the gym in his chair, soccer might be a bit difficult, but they can't MAKE you do anything, wheelchair or no. They're certainly not gonna fail him for not doing jumping jacks.

[funklab]

Come to think of it....I think I'd want a nickname "Shortbus" if I were back in school ;) All the good nicknames...like TeeBone...or jakethesnake..probably already taken


I'm gonna open a restaurant, be the chef, call it "meals on wheels" :D

[PeanutsLucy]

Yes, he's an L1. And yes, he's fairly high-functioning because it.

However, he's only 14 months post.

And he has $56,000 worth of hardware holding his spine together due to the nature of his injury and severity of the breaks.

I can't say I'm in too big a hurry to put him in a high school gym class with a teacher who doesn't have a clue (I've met the man, he doesn't have a clue).

As far as being in the special ed class there are two problems -- at his school it is for the severely impared students who do not even qualify to be mainstreamed. Also, it is only offered during the 4th period -- which is when lunch is and is the longest class of the day -- the one where all the biology and science labs are offered and those classes take priority.

He is under an IEP, but the agency that oversees that is a seperate entity from the school and his guidance counselor keeps trying to change things as we go (it's his first year on the job). I have been fighting the school over virtually everything since last year.

[PeanutsLucy]

KLD

I checked on whether wheelchair sport training would qualify and was told the state department of education took away that option and the possibility of some form of independent study.

His IEP for next year is being worked on now, I will see if I can get some sort of clarification.

Thanks!

[Lindsaysmom]

The school signed my daughter up for gym class at the start of the school year, due to her injury. It's in her IEP, that is the time to get stretched, lift weights and do laps. Then if there is time, she had the option of joining in with the AB kids and play whatever they're working on., some social time Or, occas. jumped in the stander. I'm sorry you have to fight with school. We have fought with ours, on transportation issues and not letting other kids help her up stairs or such.

[darkeyed_daisy]

Yes, he's an L1. And yes, he's fairly high-functioning because it.

However, he's only 14 months post.

And he has $56,000 worth of hardware holding his spine together due to the nature of his injury and severity of the breaks.


He is not fairly high functioning but extremely high functioning as compared to some here. Take Van Damn for instance, he is training for a weight lifting competition...and is constantly riding a hand cycle and he has a cervical level injury.

We have all had some sort of hardware at one time or another...your son is no different. At 14 months post, that hardware has no effect on his ability to shoot a basketball or even play tennis from a wheelchair. At 14 months post, his bones are fairly healed as all my hardware was removed at 12 months post.

You are making excuses for him and you are setting him up for a lifetime of failure doing this. He needs to participate in gym class and he needs to learn his own level of tolerance.

If you are not careful, you will make him dependent on you for the rest of his life and at his level or any other level matter of fact, he is capable of living his own life like anyone else.

I never wanted to be labeled as special and I am a T12 through L3 shatter/splinter injury. Even now 18 years post, it bothers me when people try to make excuses why I cant do something.

He is going to live with this injury the rest of his life and excuses get you no where in life.

I am not trying to be mean...I am also a mother as well. We all want to help our children. My doctor gave my parents some sound advice in the ER eighteen years ago....he told them "they could make an invalid out of me or they could make me independent", it was their choice.

Recognize your sons abilities and foster them. If you have to fight the school system for wheelchair sports then do it....but dont label him as "special".

Good luck!!!

[Kristi]

I am a T1 and I was injured at 15 in March of 95 and came back the following September (6 monts post) and was placed in Special Ed gym class, but due to my ability was placed in a regular gym class. They will accomodate to him to what he can and cannot do. I did volleyball, basketball, and even softball among other things I never would have even considered doing. I wasn't that great at doing any of them, but I put in a great effort.

Sure there were things I couldn't do which was rare. It boosted my confidence being able to participate. They are not going to dock his grade if he can't jump rope or do pull ups, etc. A lot of AB people can't jump rope or do pull ups, etc. If he puts in a good effort there is no reason he shouldn't get an A or B in the class.

I wheeled a mile while my class ran/walked a mile. Due to the fact the track was sloped and the tar was making my hands and wheels dirty - they mapped out an alternative route for me to wheel that was flat and a couple of students did their mile that way with me. They also let me out of class twice of week to go swimming as part of my outpatient rehab.

At times I would peek in at the Special Ed gym when the class was doing something I just couldn't do and I ended up student aiding for the Special Ed gym class for the next 2 1/2 years. Sure they may not be as cognitive, but they are incredible kids to be around. A lot of times my gym teacher would welcome the Special Ed class to join our main class. All the students thrived off the energy of everyone - special ed or not. It was a good time.

My high school also started a charity wheelchair basketball game with the Sioux Wheelers (a wheelchair basketball team) and the faculity and some students. It is still a huge hit today and my 10 year reunion is this year.

Your son should have no problem in a regular gym class even with a clueless teacher. I think he should at least try it before trying to take him out of it. I hated gym before I got hurt, but it was actually one of the classes I looked forward to post injury.

[PeanutsLucy]

Darkeyed Daisy,

Get off the soapbox sister. Implying that he isn't disabled enough is just bull. He's a kid for god's sake. And the hardware is in there for life.

And don't even go there and say I'm making him dependent on me.

I do nothing for him beyond stretch his feet/ankles out. He does EVERYTHING else on his own, from his bowel program to medicine. I make him gather his laundry and help prepare dinner. He's known how to wash clothes and do dishes since he was 7 and he continues to do chores around the house.

I'm not making excuses for him at school, I've just learned in the past year that there are certain battles worth fighting and others that you should walk away from and in my book PE class is not high on the priority list. The kid does a 60-90 minute exercise program every night that is geared to his abilities and to even think for a second that having him hang in the gym shooting baskets for 30 minutes a day is a good/productive use of his time is nutty. Opening up that fourth period class to advanced biology so that he can one day get into med school is a good use of his time.

[PeanutsLucy]

Kristi,

Thanks for the first-hand perspective. :)

[sjean423]

I don;t think you are going to get far exempting him from gym entirely. Around here is is a state law, and they have even stopped the policy of allowing the kids who play a varsity sport let it count as gym. His IEP is probably the ONLY place you can get something substituted.

I think your goal here should be to get him mainstreamed into regular gym, the spec ed class should NOT be an option due to it conflicting with any science labs. II'm actually surprised that class exists .... [retty much everyone is mainstreamed for gym here. ANy adaptive PE is usually additional, not replacement). Yea he might feel funny with the ab kids but that he will just have to get used to, or get over it. As far as the clueless teacher goes, your son is quite a ways out, and probably isn;t as fragile as you are worried about (I know, it is our jobs as mom;s to worry, LOL). He will have to be an advocate for himself here, and if the teacher is pushing him to do something harmful, he can speak up.

[PeanutsLucy]

sjean

Thanks. I too think the special ed class is not an option. I'm going to look into having him take regular PE over the summer next year. A friend of mine just sent me an email recommending it. The would get rid of the scheduling problems and elminate the time pressure of changing into a gym uniform (school requirement).

I know he's not fragile. :) He plays wheelchair basketball and has earned the nickname "dozer" as in bulldozer. He also plays wheelchair tennis every weekend and really enjoys that.

I'm just tired of the school changing the rules on me every time I turn my head. Originally, he was going to take it independently. But the counselor nixed that one just last week. Ugh.

I am going to call the state DOE and see what the rules are because I really don't think his guidance counselor has a good grasp of what's going on. Like I said, it's his first year and we've had a lot of problems.

I will need to get his IEP ammended for gym class because the teacher is of the macho mindset that if you pump enough iron or whatever then the body will work normally. I don't think he has any concept of simply not being able to move something.

[darkeyed_daisy]

Darkeyed Daisy,

Get off the soapbox sister. Implying that he isn't disabled enough is just bull. He's a kid for god's sake. And the hardware is in there for life.

And don't even go there and say I'm making him dependent on me.

I do nothing for him beyond stretch his feet/ankles out. He does EVERYTHING else on his own, from his bowel program to medicine. I make him gather his laundry and help prepare dinner. He's known how to wash clothes and do dishes since he was 7 and he continues to do chores around the house.

I'm not making excuses for him at school, I've just learned in the past year that there are certain battles worth fighting and others that you should walk away from and in my book PE class is not high on the priority list. The kid does a 60-90 minute exercise program every night that is geared to his abilities and to even think for a second that having him hang in the gym shooting baskets for 30 minutes a day is a good/productive use of his time is nutty. Opening up that fourth period class to advanced biology so that he can one day get into med school is a good use of his time.

Soapbox HELL... I said nothing about him not being disabled enough. You are acting like $56,000 dollars worth of hardware is something no one else here has or has dealt with.

Suit yourself... most normal kids wheelchair or not enjoy hanging with each other shooting baskets and not just in gym class. But go ahead exclude him.... teach him to whine and get out of everything that you dont consider a priority. You are teaching him to use his disability as an excuse to not have to do what you or he doesnt consider important. Required PE is a state law for a reason because kids need to exercise.

PE is also a requirement for college as well. Are you gonna try to have him exempted there too?

If you are looking to get sympathy, you need to go somewhere else besides here.

[PeanutsLucy]

Forgive me for thinking that education should be the primary focus of public school.

Plain and simple, core classes should be the priority. I'm not asking for an exemption from PE, just the flexibility to get the best possible education he can get.

I didn't ask for sympathy from you or anyone else.

[MADPRODUCER]

Peanuts dont let them put him in special ed...................

He needs a EGO..
He have one?

[AlexAgain]

Does he have to take PE every year or just have a certain number of credits before he graduates? Is it possible to leave it out next year until he is more settled and take it later?
I don't really know much about IEPs but if they require him to take the PE maybe you could ask for some education about SCI for the teacher. I think him taking regular PE would be good for him but the attitude of the teacher has a huge impact on that.

[PeanutsLucy]

I made some calls today and got some answers.

He has to take two semesters of PE before he graduates and according to the state it doesn't matter when he takes them.

So the plan for now is to defer the classes until his junior year and leave him an open period at the end of the day next year to allow him time to continue to focus on recovery. He's doing an intensive physical therapy program because he has been really fortunate and has continued to see slow but steady funtional improvement and I really believe that his intensive exercise plan has played a big part in it.

When he does take PE, he will be in the regular class and the gym teacher will be brought into the IEP meeting next year.

Thanks for all the input and perspective. I've been getting such mixed messages from the school that my head was spinning.

[sjean423]

That is good, since it gives you another year to get everything figured out as far as the iep and all too.

[triumph]

[quote=PeanutsLucy]
When he does take PE, he will be in the regular class and the gym teacher will be brought into the IEP meeting next year.

To PeanutsLucy...
I'm so glad you called the school to clarify the situation regarding your son's gym requirement. I have to tell you I was troubled by this situation: I am a wheeler and was a participant in the civil rights movement of the disabled back in the early 1970's regarding passage and implementation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, in addition to other activities to promote equal rights. One major issue was Inclusion in the educational setting. When I saw that you felt your son should be exempt from the required gym class, and that the school was requiring it, I said wow, the tables have turned - here's a mom doing what the schools used to do - the schools would say 'you CAN'T take gym class because you're disabled', while the moms were pushing to get them into those classes!
Another note....back when I was paralyzed as a child in 1949, you could not go to the "handicapped school" (the only option then), unless you could walk onto the school bus. My mom worked desperately with me over the summers to walk on full length leg braces, back brace and crutches, so that I could drag my butt up the stairs of the school bus. They did not take wheelchairs on the bus. When I got to school 2 hours later there was an old fashioned wooden wheelchair waiting for me - I hated it. I did have mostly terrific teachers and went on to obtain 2 M.A. degrees, as well as participate as an adult in wheelchair basketball and roadracing.
My high school was the best in the city - that's where all the city's handicapped students were sent, even though I fought to go to my local high school. In high school I was totally excluded from PE. I was also excluded from all extracurricular activities as I had to catch the school bus immediately after last class.
Things have gotten so much better for kids and continual improvement is important. I am hoping your son will fully participate in all aspects of high school life and go on to become a doctor, lawyer, or Indian Chief.

[PeanutsLucy]

Hi Triumph,

Thanks for the post, and the perspective. He will take regular gym in his junior year and that will give us time for rehab. My big thing was getting him more time to focus on recovery and physical therapy. I just feel like if we didn't do absolutely everything possible to foster as much recovery as possible in the first 24 months, I would be kicking myself down the road. He's doing an intensive PT program and that takes a serious chunk of time each day. Right now the difference between functional ambulation and his wheelchair is on the line and with him only 15 I just feel like we need to keep pressing forward.

Give yourself and your mom a big old pat on the back and hug from me and my family because the fight you waged back when you were in school has yielded tremendous results for disabled kids today and we can't thank you enough. Your story is inspiring and I will pass it along to my son tonight.

Also, thanks for the good wishes for my son too. He is participating in school activities and playing in a wheelchair basketball league (which he loves!).

Take care.