A Yazoo City parent said the city school district has “failed” her special needs son, who missed the first two days school because they were not prepared for his special requirements.
Nicole Townsel told The Yazoo Herald her son was able to attend classes on Thursday, but she felt it was because she publicly brought the matter to light at a school board meeting the prior evening.
“I had a petition going and appeared at the board meeting,” she said. “I think that put pressure on them to do what they needed to do.”
Townsel’s five-year-old son was born with myelomeningocele, which is the most serious form of spina bifida, and hydrocephalus, which is the buildup of too much cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. Because of his condition, he must be catheterized and needs frequent diaper changes.
Townsel appeared before the Yazoo City Municipal School Board Wednesday because she was unable to leave her son at Webster Elementary School.
“I am here on behalf of my son and every other special needs child with a physical or mental disability,” Townsel said.
Townsel first attempted to drop her son off at school on Aug. 8.
“After being notified by the administration that not only was his accommodations for his IEP (Individualized Education Program) not in place, but the principal and teacher of the class he was in was totally clueless about my son and any of his necessary requirements,” Townsel said.
Townsel said after being told her son could not remain at school, she began to contact school trustees.
“The ball was dropped on my son and his needs, which is unacceptable,” she said. “The school has known about it for quite some time. This has not only affected me but it affected (my son) because he wonders why I take him to school and he cannot stay.”
Townsel said she is so frustrated with the district’s lack of communication that she has considered getting a second job to send her child to a private school.
“With everything he has been going through, I feel like the school system has failed him,” Townsel said. “With him having a physical disability, I feel since the school knew about for quite some time things should have been in place. If things were not in place, I feel like I should have been notified.”
Townsel said her son’s education is important to her, but he cannot learn if he is forced to stay at
After appearing at the trustee meeting, Townsel attempted to take her son to school the following day. But she said it did not go smoothly.
“I had to stay with him because things were still not prepared,” she said. “There were some safety concerns. It eventually got taken care of, but I think it was because I was there.”
Townsel said a mattress on top of an office desk was in place for her son to be changed on during the day. Worried he could possibly fall during a changing, she said she demanded something be done.
“Someone donated a hospital bed, and I very appreciative of that,” Townsel said. “But I had to say something for that to happen.”
