We have been working with Mackie's school to accommodate his unique needs. After the bus fail, I am driving him to school. We are finding the glitches, working out plans via trial and error.
After finding confusing signage and struggling with curb cutouts, I found the one handicap parking place in front of the school building to drop off and pick up Mac. Besides it is right outside the door where the elevator is located and he para will meet me at curbside. Our school is learning and we are finding we have more and more differently abled children and we are all learning as we go.
After a week of picking Mac up I have learned to be in my space ten minutes early as all the buses will soon come in and making it hard to navigate. I have ten minutes for checking emails and playing on my phone.
I heard a knock on my window and a gentlemen stood there and said he was picking up a "handicapped student and I needed to move my truck".
I quietly grabbed my handicap placard and showed it to him and said "So am I." He said it was in the IEP and I needed to move my vehicle.
With his bold look of determination, I knew that there was no sense in arguing with him, and the only place to move was forward into the yellow lines and the crosswalk lines.
Just then I saw his para and Mackie walking out and I just quickly loaded him and his medical chair up and drove off.
I could have stood my ground, but he was determined. He only could see one way of getting his son. It would have made a scene with students all coming out. I just "chose" the high road and will address it later.
Today I stopped in to the office and left a message for the principal and after a nice conversation and her checking the rules with our local police officer, I found I was in the right to not have to move.
Today at the end of the day, we have the principal will be watching, I have Mackie's original application paperwork along with his placard and his medical letter from the doctor to prove the handicap status. Yes, I know I should not have to have all this, but history has shown me time and time again, I need it to move some people's thinking.
Soon I will be heading out to pick up Mackie. I may or may not see this parent, but he will just have to wait his turn if I am there first. If he is in the place when I arrive, I will have to park my car on one of the other streets and walk in and try to navigate the lack of curb cutouts just like I did before finding the one handicap parking place.
My always fight for what is right, doesn't always mean to hold my ground. Sometimes it is better to take the high road, give in and address the issue later.
A lesson learned from having my children with FASD. When someone is stuck in their way of thinking, there is no reasoning with them and it is easier to just give in and address it when everyone is calm.
Anny
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