about DCs school

[moonfaceandmrsslap]

This has been relayed to me by DH on the phone as I'm away.

This happen on Friday

We have 3 DCs (8, 6 and 4).
In school we have just been given a load of letters and permission slips about Christmas, school tips and a new detail form etc.
DH is severly severly dyslexic (to such an exent that when people ask he just says he can not read and write) the School know this - we have made it clear from when children first started school and make sure individual teacher definatly know.
When he picked middle DC up on friday, teacher came up and said that permission slips for this DC and the others haven't been given in, and that they must be given in etc. Esp as one is a new form about all children (with contact details, any medical needs etc)
I have been away now for a few weeks abroad with work and so missed these forms given out.

DH said to teacher did she understand situation and she said she did but reguardless of that they have to be filled out and the school need them in by tuesday at lastest. DH obvously got very upset about all this.
Now he can 'sign' a form to give permission, but given that he cant read what he is signing or include any of the details - he doesn't like doing it.

Now he is getting a close friend to tell him what the forms are and to write in extra information for him on the permission slips for trips. And we have decided not to give new details form in until i get back (in 2 weeks) - mainly as eldest DC form will be complicated.

Now that is fine, we are use to it and have ways of dealing with it -so that isn't really the point.

AWBU to expect the school to after 4 years of our DCs being in school - to know that DH cannt do the paper work and things like that will always be don by me?

and AWBU to think that when we explain it for 100th time, they should accept it and assist us? (eg get it though their thick heads that if they given eldest a writting homework to be done with help from parents while I am away that it will not be done with a parent or such forms like that will be late)

Yes, but did you tell them how you would like them to deal with the problem and still get the forms they needed on time?

Nope not in the UK. Went away just before term started so had no clue about new health form thing. And I do go away so the school (headteacher) is aware of that and things to do with that stuff - though normally I dont go away for such long periods of time.

Then really as parents of a child with a serious medical condition, you two really do need to sort something out so this never happens again.

This is copied from the guidance for schools wrt the Equality Act 2010:

1.10 It is also unlawful to discriminate because of the sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender reassignment of another person with whom the pupil is associated. So, for example, a school must not discriminate by refusing to admit a pupil because his parents are gay men or lesbians. It would be race discrimination to treat a white pupil less favourably because she has a black boyfriend.

here

if your child was in any way punished because the homework was not completed, then, as I read it, the school is in breach of the EA. The type of disability is not relevant, nor is the effect it has on everyday life for the affected person. It only matters that there is a disability that has such an effect. I would be inclined to remind the school of their responsibilities towards you as parents wrt the Equality Act. in future, if you go away in similar circumstances, i would suggest you notify the school and remind them that any important letters that are sent home will need to be read to DH and assistance given with completing any forms.

I work in the SEN dept of a primary school and we have done this sort of thing on several occasions. We also have a braillist and a signer on staff, who are employed to be available for VI/HI parents, as well as children.

What if the OP didn't exist and her DH was a single dad?

The school would have to make provision under Equal Opps; although I see you are not in the UK, so legislation not applicable.

They aren't in the UK?
I took OP to mean that she was abroad abroard for work but DH and DCs where at home in UK?
Ohh - if I'm wrong then maybe OP you live somewhere that have a different attitude to Dyslexia than in the UK.

Ooops, maybe I misunderstood... OP, is the school in the UK?