School bus problem - NJ, USA

[johnark]

Very long story but I think I need to start from beginning.
I post about this before here (below is my older post) but I’m writing it here again. Please read and let me know what can be done.

Few months before my son’s 3rd birthday (April, 2012), I have contacted my district CST to him get into school system in order to get continuous therapy. He is still not able to anything independently like walking, standing, eating, changing clothes, washing and also he cannot understand danger situation. For these reasons, it is very important that he gets continues therapy/treatment/education.

The meeting with CST seemed OK until I request them to schedule a visit school which they recommended for my son. I wanted to see the school before the last IEP meeting. CST rejected my request and I was told that I can only visit the school after the last IEP meeting and after CST transfer all records/documents about my son for school to review. In order to do that, CST requested me to sign form to approve that. However, when I contacted school, the school social worker said that is not true but I need to schedule it thru CST. The result was I was not able to visit school before the last IEP meeting. I got impression that CST didn’t want to spend more time on me but I understood because I thought I’m not the only parent they have in the chart.

Then about 2 weeks before school start date (around end of March 2012), another issue showed up.
CST contacted and informed me that bus will only drop him off at home. At first meeting with CST on November 2011, I requested bus service to drop him off at babysitter’s home (which is 7 minutes distance by car) and CST said this will be no problem as long as I keep same drop off location. Later I asked CST to confirm again and told me same and then CST gave different story on March, 2012.
I’m working full time and my son’s medical covers under my work medical insurance so I must keep my job as full time job. CST said the policy has changed recently and it was made by bus agency, not by CST so there’s nothing they can do for me. I request them to give out the contact information of the bus agency but I never got my request and CST just told me that they’ll contact agency one last time and told me that however, do not put much hope on this. Of course they told me answer is “no”.

Then CST suggested some options for me to consider as following:
(1) get taxi service to pick up babysitter to my home at exact time when school bus
drop him off, then take him to babysitter’s home by taxi. This will charge about $30/day (this price was given by CST), $150 per week and about $600 per month. This will end up paying more than $2000 including babysitter’s charge every month.
(2) find a new babysitter who can drive to my home at exact time bus drop him off and then drive back to babysitter’s home with my son and stay there until I pick him up after work. To get babysitter do all this will also end up to pay more than $2000 per month.
(3) find anyone near my home (doesn’t matter that person has experience or not) who can wait for my son from school bus and stay with him at my home or that person’s home. I would choose this option ONLY IF he’s just typical child like everyone else. However he is not so this will be dangerous.
(4) I quit my work and stay home. This is most critical option since my son needs many medical attention for his condition – specially seizure attack, fever and many more.

There’s nothing I can consider right away and CST continuously asked me to make decision whether I will send my son to school or not. I wanted to send him so bad but CST doesn’t seem to care that I cannot do that without bus service to babysitter’s home. I was about to give up to send him to school and fortunately, the bus company contacted me and said it will be no trouble to drop him off at babysitter’s home. I was relieved and my son starts his school.

I had no problem until the summer class started. My son was scheduled to attend summer class. I was told about 2 days before summer class that different bus will be used for summer. I again asked summer bus company to do me a favor to drop him off babysitter’s home but I was told No. I never knew the different bus will be used for summer. Again, I asked CST to do a courtesy to arrange to drop him off at babysitter’s home. CST said No and this time, told me the policy was changed many years ago (in March, CST told me the policy has changed recently) and it has changed for child’s safety reason. If they care for safety of child then they should follow my request by drop him at babysitter’s since there will be no one at home by the time he gets home from school. I again request contact information for agency but they didn’t give me and no explanation why not giving me or why cannot give to me. My question was just ignored. CST kept told me to decide whether cancel his summer class.

Then about 3 days later, I got letter that cced me by CST. The letter was addressed to school, notifying that CST canceled my son’s summer school. Now, I am worried for my son’s Fall school year. Since CST canceled the summer class without telling the parent, it made me think that there will be many chances that they will just cancel Fall class too. As I explained above, I cannot get new babysitter (my current babysitter is my in-law family so I can adjust time without paying extra) or spend extra $600 a month to provide taxi service.

Experiencing with CST and reading the response emails from CST – I felt that parent like me who has disable child, who doesn’t have a car, who doesn’t have enough finance, who needs to work full time, who cannot afford private therapy but not able to get any benefits by government just have no other option but give up on their children’s education.
I feel like choked up, blocked by frozen wall and talking to CST makes me feels talking to solid rock. I felt very powerless. Am I asking too much to CST? I think I am not an insane person who is demanding unreasonable things to CST.

All I asked was one thing – bus service to babysitter’s home after school so I can concentrate on my work so I can keep my medical benefits for my son. I think it’s not that unreasonable thing to ask and there must be ways for them to change location as courtesy to parents.
I need help. Please give me any idea how I can solve this issue. I will try to accept any advice (even it’s totally against to my above writing).
I’m drafting email to Little Ferry Superintendent for this issue but I’m not sure what he can do for me.

Thank you for reading this long story.
Jeeyoon Kim
Mother of disabled 3 year old boy who needs education
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Jeeyoon

Patrick (Del +) - 4/1/2009
diagnosed 4/26/2010