Nicholas is the sweetest boy ever and is challenged with Autism, level 3. He requires a lot of adult support, not only for his basic needs but also because he does have aggression and self-injurious behaviors. He was diagnosed at an early age and has had the support needed to progress in life until our family moved to northern New York 3 years ago. I, his father, was medically retired early from the Army at almost 17 years, and we had to jump through hoops to get our next chapter in life set for our family. We liked the idea of moving to northern New York because of the environment, weather, and family would be close by. The only thing we had to make sure was that the school system was right for Nicholas and our daughter, who is also on the spectrum, level 3. We did our homework, contacted everyone that needed to be contacted, and sent all information that the school might need, which included Nicholas’ IEP, which showed that he could have aggressive behaviors and everything he needed to be successful. We also connected the school district with those who have helped Nicholas succeed so far. We were assured they had the programs to continue our children’s success. That was the biggest lie ever told to our family and all professionals who have been a massive part of our kid's life. For the last 3 years, we have been fighting for his rights, and now we are to the level of needing legal assistance because the school district and the special education system up here have failed him so miserably that he has regressed to a kindergarten level of education. We came out here sending him into 3rd grade, and 3 years later, we are working on stuff that he worked on in kindergarten. I could write a book about the horror my child has been through, but I will try to sum it up. 2.5 years of being secluded in a classroom by himself, before he was in a special education class with 18 peers and frequently visited the general education class for some subjects. He was the best student in the math class and was often sought out by the other students for answers in first grade. Here they are working on counting objects, trying to disguise it as multiplication, but he counts them one by one. The first couple months Nick was in school here, he was allotted 1, 30 minute period a week to go to an empty room with a teacher and aide; they needed to get to know Nick since the extensive IEP he came with along with talking to the professionals that worked with him before wasn’t enough to know what he needed. A phone call later to the New York Board of Education, Nick magically had been placed in a new program at the school. The first day he got suspended within the first 2 hours since he hit. They acted surprised even though his IEP gave a great glimpse of his behaviors. My wife had to spend the next two days in the classroom with my son to help the staff learn how to work with Nicholas. We got called when there was going to be a fire drill, so we could get to his school to “help” during the drill. Finally, we got him placed in a different class and school. He was quickly moved from his peers and secluded again. His new classroom looked as bare as the last. Oh, and he was only allowed to go for half days, and he wasn’t allowed time out for recess or to even leave his room for therapies in a sensory room. He had three different teachers in 2 years, secluded the entire time. When he had a behavior, which was discussed with his full CSE Committee in bi-weekly meetings, they sent him home or even left the room. That’s right they left the room, a child with aggressive behaviors and self-injurious behaviors was left ALONE in a classroom. The director saw us directly due to the outlandish behavior of the so-called qualified teachers that went through the revolving doors of my son's schooling. In December 2022, they told my wife and me that they are going to have him finish the remainder of the first semester at home virtually so they could use that time and the break to get a program together that would help Nick after 2 years of failing him so miserably. He started one hour a day for “tutoring” and his therapies when scheduled through Zoom on schedule. To this day, he receives one hour a day of tutoring virtually. Instead of coming up with a program, they won’t let him back in school and now, out of nowhere, recommends full-time 24/7 residential treatment; in other words, send our son, who was excelling in life before the careless words of the people in this district, to a facility to live and go to school. We have found legal representation for Nicholas, and they recommended moving; we can’t afford that, do what the school suggests, send him 4 hours away to live in a facility because of the ignorance of the district, absolutely not a possibility, or lastly, fight. We are fighting, not only for Nicholas but for every other child and their family that are in the same situation or soon possibly thrust into it as we were. We need your help; the attorney fees are high, but it’s our children’s lives at stake here. We have needed two incomes since coming here, but the education system has only allowed one due to their incompetence. Our family is struggling to make ends meet, and now we need legal assistance because we only get lip service from the district. They have washed their hands of their mess and are attempting to blame our son and send him away. Just because he can have aggressive behaviors due to his disability, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the right to attend school and get a quality education. We won’t stand for it!

(edited on May 28th to add more details)