concerned parent needs advice

[kbyrne123]

Yucaipa High School
Corrupt school targets and arrests troubled disabled children instead of punishing real criminals.
San Bernardino has been rated one of the most dangerous counties to reside in, in the entire nation.If that is so I feel my son's high school is wasting tax payers dollars by trying to throw the book at him by sending him to court for saying a single curse word and refusing to sign a citation.When there are children walking around campus selling drugs, reciveing no consequences or even questioning.Not only was it out of line for them to issue him not only one citation but three citations, but 5 members of the staff of his high school took a day off of work to appear in court for Disturbing the Peace.
This all began when a former student of Yucaipa High school commited suicide during the first week of school.My son was highly affected because we have suffered from suicides of two loved ones aswell.He was very upset about it and even the school psychologist said it would take a while for my son to heal from this tradegy.My son is also a child that suffers from early onset Bipolar disorder and ADHD.So due to his special needs his IEP states that he will be enrolled in classes that have teachers who are mellow and easy going because my son doesn't do well with authorative figures who are hostile, threatening, or short tempered.
On the 19th of October, I recieved a call from my son's friend. He told me he knew of two different students that were selling drugs on campus.One was selling Vicodin and the other was selling Marijuana.What upset him and me was that he had tried to stop these students by telling the assistant principal about them, but he didn't seem to care.He didn't do anything to investigate the students or make a report about the child's knowledge of these crimes on campus.I told him to write everything he knew and I would turn it in with a letter of my own into the school district office.I found that the district office had called the assistnat principal because I spoke to him the next day and he didn't seem happy.During our conversation he said it didn't matter if there was drugs oncampus because the students can find drugs on the streets anyways.
I later found that the guidelines in his IEP weren't followed because my son's first period teacher was calling him names like lazy and picking on him in class. I was unaware my son was having a problem with his teacher until he began asking me if he could stay home during his first period class.He didn't want to get in trouble for anything so he figured it would be easier and safer to stay home. I let him for the first couple of days , but then I decided to talk to his special Ed teacher about it.I asked if she would talk to his teacher on the 20th about my son returning to his class , she agreed.So, he returned to class the next day and nothing had changed.I then asked her what had happened and she said she had been "too busy".I asked her if she could just have my son stay in her classroom during first period till I figured something out, she agreed. But on the 25th she sent him to the counseling office because she was once again"too busy" for him.When he arrived at the counseling office he was asked for a hall pass, but conviently he wasn't given one by the special ed teacher so he was sent to his first period class.When he was there his teacher told him to either"Move or get out!" While my son was leaving he said a single curse word.The assistant principal said he could possibly get cited for that one curse word,but it was up to the police officer to decide. I told him I wanted to know ASAP if he was going to get a citation because I knew how the school police officer was and I didn't want my son alone with her.
I knew how the on campus police officer was going to treat my son due to past experiences with her .In the past he has recieved three citations.One in 6th grade when a girl brought a big bottle of alcohol to school and several boys including my son drank from it.When I had gone to the school to pick him up the on campu police officer yelled at me"Are you drunk or on drugs?" What kind of question is that to ask? During 9th grade he was under the influence at school, and later that year he was searched and they found a pipe on him.Those were all in the past though, my son paid his dues and did as the court ordered.I told the assistant principal I wanted him out of the court system.I wanted to find something he could do to better his life possibly even a vocational school.He responded by saying may be he should go to juvenile hall. I told him if he were to get raped there, it would ruin his life.He responded by saying "He'll get raped in prison anyways".I also heard of another time the same police officer was out of line.She maced a girl in the face after she had been in a fight, though the fight had already been broken up and the girl was sitting on her knees.The girl's mother is thinking of filing a civil suit against hthe police officer.
On the 26th my son didn't attend school because he was too upset about what had happened the day before.On the 27th unfortunately, I was out of town for an obligation I had made months prior.I recieved a call that said my son had been arrested.I later found out the reason he was arrested.When she had asked him to sign the citation he said no,crumpeled it up, and walked out the door.She followed him screaming "Stop resisting arrest" and he said"I'm not resisting arrest" she continued to yell the same thing and he finally said" I'm not fucking resisting arrest, call my fucking mom." She then took him to another room and threw his face to the wall and hand cuffed him.The first citation was for "Disturbing the peace" which is for saying the one curse word and then the last two were for "Resisting arrest" and "Disobeying a police officer".I asked to see the video footage of my son's arrest. I was told I could only if I showed up with out my lawyer, I agreed because I wanted to give them what they wanted so they would return the favor.They did show me the video, but out of the several cameras that took footage of the arrest, they showed me the one that was blocked by a huge truck.Coincidence?
I had to hire an attorney, put my son on independent studies, and pay thousands in legal bills.We went to court on 1/18/06 for disturbing the peace, where the assistant principal, security guard, police officer, first period teacher, and special ed teacher all showed up.The judge dismissed the case because there was no solid evidence or basis.On that same date the DA filed more charges against my son for the one curse word.After the judge dismissed the case I was told by a witness that the police officer was outraged and yelled at the assistant principal for not saying the right things in the court room.Also during the trial the security guard and the police officer weren't entirely truthful while they were under oath.They both also filed a juvinile wardship petition to move to increase the maximum confinement from my son's previous charges in traffic court.
I'm shocked they could do all of this to my only child.They wonder why there are all these gang bangers and drug dealers out there in San Bernardino, but I don't now that I see where their priorities are.They would rather bother my son who is trying to turn his life around and get through the hardships of being a teenager with disabilities then punish the real criminals.I don't understand how they have gotten away with this harrassment , but I do know my son will never be the same. His education, safety, and health has been compromised so they can have the power they want.How's that for the school system against crime?He has learned not to trust authoritive figures even more due to the injustice of this entire situation.He also spent 8 days in the mental hospital due to the stress they put on him these last couple of months.Before hospital bills this has cost me more then $6,000, and I am a single mother.The only good thing that has possibly come from this situation is that the Civil Rights organization is going to investigate this due to the school's "Failure to remove a student from a hostile enviroment and escoladed the situation resulting in additional harassment by staff and inappropriate involvement of police officer".I need moral support as well as advice and suggestions.If anyone can help me PLEASE contact me, I'm completely serious about this entire situation nothing is fabricaed though I wish it were all a dream.There must be others out there who have gone through something similiar or had to deal with the unjustice of the school.
Thank you, a distressed mother,
Kathleen Byrne
909)790-9981
kbyrne123@hotmail.com