Alright – so, from May 3rd of 2018 when my son who has nonverbal autism was suspended by Bloomington Public Schools (BPS), I have been trying to make sense of what happened and why BPS would treat my child such cruel manner.
I have blogged about this and will continue to do as well as testify in whatever state committees possible and inform as many legislators as I can find. I continue to find disturbing data and information that students of color especially black boys are disproportionately suspended by districts such as Bloomington as well as other districts in Minnesota and nationwide. Equally important is that students of color are also sent to segregated educational settings disproportionately by school districts such as Bloomington. You see Bloomington Public School even wanted to send my child to a level four educational setting which is a separate and segregated building. Of course, I said, “hell will freeze, and pigs will fly before I would allow that”.
As a result, BPS chose to hire an expensive attorney and fight me in due process court. I will write about my experience there as well as testify and tell my story to everyone I know but this post is about sending minority students especially black boys to a separate and unequal educational setting while society mostly stands idle. (no pun intended).
First, in Minnesota, there are no cameras in self-contained special needs classrooms to protect our children from being abused as so many including my son have been. Without cameras, there is no way to prove abuse happened as often our children are not able to tell us or the authorities.
Second, so many teachers including my son’s teacher (Kelly Morris) from BPS do not have adequate training and support to help and teach these children. So, they choose to suspend, expel or ship them to a segregated and unequal building.
Third, there is for sure either subliminal or conscious bias and racism that often no one wants to admit. As the saying goes, I am a liberal therefore I can’t be racist, I have a black friend, therefore, I can’t be racist, I voted for Obama or Ilhan, therefore, I can’t be racist. Only if I had a penny every time, I heard this.
Fourth, in Minnesota and other states, families of color don’t have strong advocacy attorneys who fight for our children. Often there are disability law and advocacy centers who are underpaid and overworked and are sadly no match for the private and expensive attorneys schools can afford.
Fifth, so many parents including me look the other way unless it happens to them. This is the saddest point of all. Qofkii walaalkiis loo xiiroow, adna soo qoyso. Don’t ever assume you are immune to what happens to your fellow autism parent.
- We must advocate for cameras in special needs classes. Please call your legislators and ask them to write and/or support such legislation in Minnesota because protecting students with disabilities is a must.
- We must advocate for holding school districts like Bloomington in Minnesota who disproportionately suspend minority children by speaking and sharing our experiences and asking our legislators that there must be better laws protecting and holding teachers and administrators accountable with tangible consequences.
- We must advocate for holding school districts like Bloomington in Minnesota who send children to segregated buildings because often that is a violation of students learning in the least restrictive environment. There are school districts who disproportionately send students of color, especially black boys to these cruel segregated settings that are often pipeline to prison.
- Here is how you can find who represents you in Minnesota’s state and federal elected officials.
- Parents in Texas advocated for this and here is that information.
Ironically, I found this article in The New Yorker written by a journalist who years ago was for some reason interested in doing a story about my advocacy in the Somali autism community. Rachel writes about how black boys in Georgia are disproportionately sent to a separate and unequal educational setting. I hope you read it, it is long but you will find yourself energized to do something as there are a lot of similarities to this story and where Bloomington wanted to send my child and sadly sends other minority students.
Georgia’s Separate and Unequal Special Education System by The New Yorker on October 2018 issue.
A teacher hurting an autism child…this pisses off to my core.
A teacher abusing an autistic child – this happens a lot by not just teachers but also the paraprofessionals which is what happened to my child but because often our children are not able to tell us, the school staff deny unless of course, a camera catches them.
Another area to advocate is the governor of Minnesota’s office. However, I am not optimistic Walz will help due to the fact that he was a teacher in Mankato Public Schools given that Mankato suspends students of color disproportionately as a report by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights outlined.
The state requires Mankato Public Schools to make a plan to reduce discipline disparities
Above words do not reflect any candidate, agency or committee.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom