#1 your*

A doctor's note will suffice. It will at least prove OP's chronic pains.

Online school if your that worried about the GPA and such, but yes I am sure your guidance counselor is just dumb and you will be able to argue a valid point about staying in the normal program based on weekly testing or something. They cannot just put someone into spec Ed without proper testing of learning disabilities

Well this is another example of our excellent public school system at work... NOT. Op you should look into a private school they are leaps and bonds above public schools. But avoid a charter school though

Aren't public schools moving more towards mainstreaming? I thought most schools were doing away with the seperate classes for different learning levels and needs? I remember it being a huge debate in my state, but I thought it was nationwide.

I'm a special ed major, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being in a special ed program for illnesses. It just allows the school to give him/her an IEP or 504 plan that can accommodate chronic illness and the absences associated with it. It has nothing to do with intelligence or GPA, you still earn the grades you earn and they can't deny you classes based on being in the special ed program if you're capable of completing the work for them, its a violation of PL-94. Special Education doesn't mean you have a learning disability or a cognitive impairment; gifted students are considered to be in the special education programs of school. Schools can't give you an IEP or 504 plan without you being in the special education, they're not saying OP's stupid or has a disability, they're simply trying to accommodate his/her illness.

So 84, maybe you can answer my question? Are schools moving towards mainstreaming? There was tons of talk about it, but like most political issues, it all seemed to die down once election season was over.

Not necessarily main streaming, but full inclusion where possible. There is a push to get all students into a general education classroom when they can, due to the No Child Left Behind Act, but not all kids can be in a general ed. classroom. Some students thrive in a general ed. classroom, others do not. Most students now are starting in the general education classroom, regardless of disability, and then through a tiered process called response to intervention, they are funneled into special ed. Its a little hard to explain via comment, but students who are scoring below the 60th percentile are given extra help (tier 1 intervention), those students still not scoring above the 60th percentile, get more help that's more individualized (tier 2), those students still not succeeding often get one on one help (tier 3) and then those students who still aren't successful go into special ed after further assessment and are given an IEP/ 504 plan depending on there needs; its a longer process, but we're trying to make sure every kid has a chance to thrive. So yes, in a sense we're trying to main stream kids, but it's a little more complex than that.

but also, IEPs/504 plans aren't just for kids with cognitive disability. You can have a 504 plan for ADD/ADHD, a broken arm, diabetes, any chronic illness that will require you to miss school and then need accommodations in order to make up the time missed, etc. Which is most likely why the OP was put into the special ed. program at his/her school.

"they can't deny you classes based on being in the special ed program if you're capable of completing the work for them" My School denied me advanced math in 12th grade. Even though I had above 100% for 9th, 10th and 11th. (I did every bonus and passed each test)

They can deny you based on other factors, but legally they can't based on being in special education alone. I don't know your situation, or the reasoning the administration of your school used, but if an appropriate education for you is being placed in an advanced program, then legally, they have to regardless of how you're classified within the student body or any IEPs/504s you have.

What the hell #2? Can you be any bigger of an ass?

#8 That's like asking "can it get any worse" Life usually serves you with a bitch slap.

honestly, its bad either way. we don't know both sides of the story. I know someone who suffers from chronic pain too. Only it occurs during huge tests and that's it, so about twice to three times a week. And once the period for the test is over she comes to school late saying she's "better". So she gets extra time to study for her "pain". and she has a high GPA. I'd stick her in special ed if this was the same case...

Why contact a lawyer? OP should go to the doctor, and ask for a note. And she could show them her pain medication or something like that. You don't have to sue...

Tito30 did not say "sue". They were suggesting a visit to a lawyer to get more information. I assume as to what courses of action are available to them.

You contributed nothing.

Aw #9, don't be so hard on yourself.

Normal funny = funny More funny = funnier More more more funny = funniest

I've failed to understand the relevance of that, 66. By the way, props for being the number that killed the Jedi.

I was in some of the sp. ed. classes. I'm not an idiot, moron or imbecile!

#35, it should be "I'm neither an idiot, a moron nor an imbecile." Do you want a cookie?

@Perdix. OP said she was going into special education, not politics!!

37 a cookie?! I'll have chocolate chip please!!

#54, absolutely! You spelled "chocolate" correctly. They work such wonders with you people!!

"What do you mean 'YOU people'?" "What do YOU mean 'YOU people'?"

#64, I mean idiots, morons, imbeciles, dunces, fools and those we used to call by the r-word.

I'm not dumb. I was forced because I have ADHD, they're are other reasons why people are put in SP ED.

77 clearly my Tropic Thunder quote didn't land. My apologies, sometimes I forget my life isn't the movie quotes gameshow I envision in my head.

#64 I was going to post the exact same thing, but then saw that you already had, so I voted up for your post instead

Exactly! At my school, special Ed includes physical disabilities and if your chronic pain is keeping you from going to school regularly, then it can be considered a disability. It's not a bad thing and a lot of people in special Ed just have issues like ADHD and aren't actually retarded.

Yes chronic pain sucks, I have it too, and it really makes it difficult to do things, I'm sorry you're going through it too!