All children deserve an education

At age 6, Jaxson Leonard is thought to be too disruptive to be in school all day.

In kindergarten last year at Manchester Public School in Cambridge, Jaxson would throw blocks and other toys around when he got frustrated. He might scream when asked to switch tasks. He tipped over chairs, and tried to run away. On some occasions, he would attack other kids or the staff who tried to restrain him. He would hit and tried to bite. Sometimes the whole roomful of students and staff would leave Jaxson alone in the room until he calmed down.

“We had to evacuate the class through Jaxson throwing chairs,” one of his teachers wrote in a diary that was shared with Jaxson’s father each day.

In May of last year, Jaxson was put on a “modified day.” He came to school in the morning and was sent home at noon, until his behaviour showed improvement. That has continued this fall, with Jaxson now in Grade 1.

But what about his right to an education while he is out of school?

Jaxson lives with his father, James. They survive on $1,255 a month in social assistance (James recently became sick and couldn’t keep working as a labourer; he is applying for a disability pension).

When the modified day continued into this fall, James wrote to the teacher: “Can you please send a list of what Jaxson is missing at school? I need to make sure he doesn’t fall behind.” The teacher responded with a brief note that they should practice counting numbers one through 20 and work on letter sounds. She also advised James to search on the computer for literacy activities.

James didn’t find that helpful. He wanted specific written assignments and help keeping Jaxson up on social studies and French. He went out and bought a Grade 1 workbook at Walmart.

James is anxious that Jaxson is only getting two hours a day of instruction.

Transportation was another issue. Jaxson gets a bus to school because it’s too far to walk, but no transportation was provided at midday when Jaxson has to leave. James had to take cabs at $15 per round trip to get his son.

“I have looked into it and consulted with our superintendent of special education, and unfortunately, (Jaxson) is not eligible for a taxi to bring him home,” said superintendent Angela Mercier in an email to James two weeks ago.

But this week, the board changed its mind and agreed to pay for Jaxson’s transportation “on compassionate grounds,” said school board representative Nick Manning.

How long will the modified day last? There aren’t clear guidelines and “every case is different,” Manning said.

Jaxson could languish for a long while, because it isn’t clear what causes his frustration and outbursts.

A doctor’s note says the behavioural issues were due to poor sleep habits and diet. James says he does his best to cook good meals from scratch and get Jaxson into bed by 7:30.

Meanwhile, the board says on its website that “the Ministry of Education has mandated that all students under 18 years of age receive 300 minutes of instruction per day.” Jaxson isn’t getting that. Not even close.

When I visited the family last week, Jaxson was happy, cutting out paper snowflakes.

“I remembered how to make them (from) when I was in senior kindergarten,” he said.

Here’s a kid who really needs all the resources that public education has to offer, I thought.

And yet he’s slipping through the cracks of the system, like sand.