To SOLVE school problems, you must learn to think creatively. Don't allow yourself to get bogged down in anger, resentment, helplessness, and other negative emotions. Don't waste your time debating the unfairness of the situation. 

Wrightslaw is sponsoring a Creative Solutions Contest. Read Problem #1 (below). If you have a Creative Solution that may help this parent solve her problem, send your Creative Solution to solutions@wrightslaw.com/ 

In the subject line of your email, write CREATIVE SOLUTIONS CONTEST #1

We will publish the winning Creative Solutions on the Wrightslaw site. 

Here is Problem #1

Georgia Mom asks "How Can I Get the School District to Transport my Son To School From Home?"

I have a 3 year old son who has cerebral palsy and is autistic. He attends a special needs Pre-Kindergarten program at our local school in Georgia. He is supposed to ride a special ed bus back and forth to school. 

The bus driver refuses to pick him up at our house and makes him walk 3/4 of a mile between the house and the main road. The reason they give for refusing to pick him up at home is that we live on a private road so they don’t feel it is safe. 

Last year, a substitute bus driver drove him home every day for two months. The substitute bus driver is willing to attest to the fact she had no problems at all, even in bad weather. 

Most of the time, I don’t have a vehicle to drive down the road to get him. I am disabled so it is hard for me to walk down the road to get him. Most of the time, I end up carrying him home because he can’t walk that far. Carrying him is making my back problems worse. The doctor says I will need surgery soon because of this. 

Our doctor wrote a letter asking the school to transport my son to the house. He explained that the long walk is causing my son to have bad tremors in his extremities. He said my son is having to take medications that should not be needed. Nothing changed. The doctor called the school board but was turned down. 

My son is missing school – he misses about as much as he goes to school. This does more harm than good. 

Are there any laws pertaining to this problem? I think I have exhausted my options through the school district. I don’t have money to hire an attorney. 

What can I do? Where can I go for help? Do you have any suggestions about how I can handle this problem?

This is Problem #1. If you have a Creative Solution that may help this parent solve her problem, send your Solution to solutions@wrightslaw.com/ 

In the subject line of your email, write CREATIVE SOLUTIONS CONTEST #1

We will publish the winning Creative Solutions on the Wrightslaw site.