Letter to the Editor: Mom Feels Son 'Left Behind' Since IB Program Began

There's a whole lot of banter going on back and forth about this International Baccalaureate Programme in the school district. 

I'm not 100 percent understanding why people like or dislike this option for the schools. I mean I completely understand about the money aspects of it and since our district is really hurting I get it. I was actually one of the parents in the meeting in the beginning phases two or three years ago at since I was on the PTA board.

We were told it was ALL stimulus money and would not come from the district at all. It was a use it or lose it kinda thing. It meant new technology for our school. We were being chosen for this program in our district, it was a great honor. It all sounded great. I mean our kids would be brought up to date with a new computer lab, smart boards, etc. They would learn different ways to communicate, similar to the character counts we already do, but WE WOULD HAVE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

My son is on an IEP [Individualized Education Program] and since this programme has been brought into the school I really feel as though he's getting left behind. I'm totally for our kids becoming world thinkers, I am, but what about the basics. This investigative math is a joke. My son struggles with simple facts and he has to show three ways to solve a problem. He can hardly solve it one way. 

When we moved here in 2004 my daughter, a junior now, was in fourth grade and she also had some reading and comprehension problems. She had come from a school in another state that had the Title I program, which she had been in since first grade, and was told she didn't need it here.

My reactions: "What?? Are you kidding me? How do you know that without even testing her?"

She struggled through fourth grade with little help. She was placed in a classroom with a teacher who was not desired by many parents. When people would ask who she had I would get, "oh I am so sorry." The teacher preceded to have [health problems] that year and was in and out of school all year leaving my child, new to the district with no friends, to fall behind with the multitude of subs who weren't sure what to teach. 

I would like schools and teachers to be accountable for teaching my kids what they really need to know. I get that language is great to know but all I'm seeing from my fourth grader now are a few phrases that I had already taught him before this IB programme went into affect at Indian Trail.

I want basic learning and principles brought back.

— Laura Coon