My sister has this thing about having to do whatever I do. Normally, it doesn't bother me, but the latest thing... well, here's the backstory:
My youngest daughter has been referred to OHSU for neurological and developmental assessment of linguistic and motor development delays. Her speech therapist suspects she may have an auditory processing disorder. My two older kids are in an academy for high-achieving students, and despite her communication issues, it looks likely that my youngest will also qualify for the academy.
My sister wants her daughter to attend the academy, and recently had her tested for TAG. She didn't get into TAG so she's having a neurological assessment done. WTF??? I asked her why, and she said it's because her scores are lower "than expected". I know she scored above average on the testing, just not high enough to be identified as having special academic needs.
The kid is bright, and does well in school as long as she applies herself. I don't think she needs to be in TAG. I'm getting the feeling that the "expected" scores are something my sister was expecting, not necessarily the teachers. TAG is an unfunded mandate in Oregon, anyway, and my experience with my kids being in it was that they get absolutely NO difference in curriculum.
I do not see the value in trying to force a perfectly normal above-average bright child into a high-achievement bracket. I am very grateful the high-achievement school exists for kids who would otherwise not have their needs met by the regular schools, but for those kids who ARE having their needs met, what, besides the parent's ego, benefits from trying to move them from where they are already? I feel like she's treating her kid like there's something "wrong" with her just because she's "average", and that's fucked-up.
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