Many have been wondering what has come of the cane discussion, whether Marley is to use a long white cane verses a shorter heavier cane.  Here’s a quick update for our fans.

After the Labor Day weekend was over, I did what I said I’d do.  I rallied the troops.  I spoke to friends, colleagues, and leaders in the blindness community seeking their advice.

Next, I emailed the supervisor of Vision Services for the school district informing her of what had happened, how we felt, and requesting that our daughter no longer work with the woman who’d so unprofessionally and rudely carried herself.  I then was told that my daughter would be assigned a new cane travel instructor.  However, the following week, Marley came home from school and told us that the same woman had been there making her use the rolling tip cane.  That was unacceptable!  This granted yet another email to the supervisor.  She cleared up the loose ends and miscommunication.  She will also be at all future IEP meetings.

Meanwhile, Marley still has yet to receive Braille instruction.  Each day she comes home, I ask her if anyone showed up to work with her with Braille, and everyday she says no.  Her Kindergarten teacher is tracing the lines on the papers and letters and numbers with a black marker, all so that Marley can see them to be able to trace over them with a pencil that she can barely see the lines of herself.

The IEP has been scheduled for October 1st.  We will be showing up prepared with an artillery of research supporting what we want.  Sadly, we are merely allotted half an hour to meet.  We’ll see where we go from there.

Thank you all for your support.