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College professor’s strike and may let my son withdraw


Seraphim

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Here in Ontario there has been a college professor strike for five weeks now and they may only be forced back to work next week which will be 5 1/2 weeks on strike . That’s pretty much most of the semester lost.

 

My son is a disabled student ( autism and four learning disabilities ) . He is in his third year of college but started a new program this year . At this point he doesn’t feel he could possibly catch up . Plus they would be reducing breaks between classes , there will be a very shortened Christmas break and no reading break for next semester . He doesn’t feel he could handle the increased pressure , workload and lack of opportunity to withdraw when he’s overwhelmed . He wants to withdraw and restart the program next September .

 

I have talked to quite a few people including counsellors at my own work and they feel it’s very mature for him to realize when he can’t catch up and to let him restart the program in September .

 

My fear is he might get too comfortable at home and not want to go back . He lives at home but goes to a local college but it gets him out and doing things .

 

As a parent what would you do ?

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You know your son better than I do, and I'm just going by the child development classes and those focused on children on the spectrum, but I know that regimen changes are extremely rough, even debilitating depending on the person. University already has a lot of variability when running smoothly, so just from what I can gather in a very general sense, there might be a bigger chance he would get scared off from university for good trying to soldier through all these changes and increased pressures than him getting too comfortable after taking time off while things stabilize.

 

I do understand your reservations, though. While he may not be attending university until next September, he can still get educated and catch up where he's fallen behind until then. Perhaps there's a way you can incorporate a home-study scheme and set some personal learning goals to meet before next Fall?

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You know your son better than I do, and I'm just going by the child development classes and those focused on children on the spectrum, but I know that regimen changes are extremely rough, even debilitating depending on the person. University already has a lot of variability when running smoothly, so just from what I can gather in a very general sense, there might be a bigger chance he would get scared off from university for good trying to soldier through all these changes and increased pressures than him getting too comfortable after taking time off while things stabilize.

 

I do understand your reservations, though. While he may not be attending university until next September, he can still get educated and catch up where he's fallen behind until then. Perhaps there's a way you can incorporate a home-study scheme and set some personal learning goals to meet before next Fall?

I think you maybe right. If he gets too afraid or gets too frustrated he may be run off for good . I may let him withdrawal .

I think I get afraid because so many of people on the spectrum don’t get to secondary education . And it’s a personal goal of mine that he finishes a program . Any program because that shows an employer that you can finish something . Plus it will give him a sense of accomplishment . Even if he never uses the skills it’s still important and I believe his right to be able to do so . He is actually very interested in education .

 

Right now he works with his dad in our side business but it’s not enough to keep him busy . However if we get a bad winter it might be enough to keep him busy . Right now he can’t and doesn’t work but does receive disability and works for his dad . It’s a less stressful way to introduce him to a working life .

 

But you may be right there’s no point in totally wigging him out at this point . It is not going to have a useful purpose .

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I would let him take a "victory lap" and start up fresh again in September. Can he get his tuition back? I think he knows himself enough that taking the time would be a mature decision.

 

As far as keeping him busy while not in school... Can he volunteer or do some part time work that won't be too taxing on him?

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I would let him take a "victory lap" and start up fresh again in September. Can he get his tuition back? I think he knows himself enough that taking the time would be a mature decision.

 

As far as keeping him busy while not in school... Can he volunteer or do some part time work that won't be too taxing on him?

I am not sure about the tuition yet.

 

He wants to work but is he capable yet I am not sure. He can try.

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And it’s a personal goal of mine that he finishes a program . Any program because that shows an employer that you can finish something

Honestly, employers want to hire someone with experience. College degrees can be secondary to most employers unless you are going for a high end career.Has he volunteered or interned with a similar business? If he is going to take almost a year off, he should really start volunteering or interning at a business that is similar within his field. Employers can question him why he has a gap/took a year off from school/what he's done during that time. It will help get his name out so he can be hired after college PLUS still train him for the skills he will need for the job.

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He is not even sure what he wants as far as work anymore. The psychologist that did his assessment said 99% he will never work . But hey he’s done more than most medical professionals have expected . All we can do at this point is one day one baby step at a time . He’s always going to be 15 years behind everybody his own age .

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Can he go to school part time next semester - even if he takes a "filler" class that is interesting to him but not in his major so that he has a routine -- going from school to sitting at home for 3/4 a year to going back to school might be too hard and he won't go back.

 

I think if your son already has a strike against him as far as employers go (his social skills/ability to have rapport with people on his team at work, etc.) that he really, really needs to have a certificate or degree to show that he is qualified - and that he can finish what he started. Having job experience is important but if he loses the job he takes instead of gong back to school and loses it or can't handle it -- then he has no degree or certification ANd a history of not being able to hold a job

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I'd caution against even pushing him to part time next semester.

 

Vic, we're just now on the cusp of understanding and actually accommodating children and young adults with nuerodevelopmental disorders. You've been consulted there's a 99% chance he'll never hold a career. That's as it is right now. Who knows what we'll figure out in the next few years or even next year? I think for a lot of us who are "neurotypical," it's easy to plan it as we would our own future were we in their shoes, but fact is, for someone like your son, it's almost entirely adaptive at this point. I'd be very careful about how far you push him in the next few months. It sounds like the professional counselors at his school would concur.

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Can he go to school part time next semester - even if he takes a "filler" class that is interesting to him but not in his major so that he has a routine -- going from school to sitting at home for 3/4 a year to going back to school might be too hard and he won't go back.

 

I think if your son already has a strike against him as far as employers go (his social skills/ability to have rapport with people on his team at work, etc.) that he really, really needs to have a certificate or degree to show that he is qualified - and that he can finish what he started. Having job experience is important but if he loses the job he takes instead of gong back to school and loses it or can't handle it -- then he has no degree or certification ANd a history of not being able to hold a job

He has all his filler courses already done. He needs to do a minimum 40% course load to keep his provincial funding. OSAP or he can’t go unless he is government funded. All the money we saved up for his education was paid out his first year . Now he’s all government funded . And unless he holds a 40% courseload they won’t pay . And it has to be for the course program they are paying for . You only need 3 “ filler courses” in your whole degree. He already did one of those courses while he was in high school and the other two his first year in college .

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I'd caution against even pushing him to part time next semester.

 

Vic, we're just now on the cusp of understanding and actually accommodating children and young adults with nuerodevelopmental disorders. You've been consulted there's a 99% chance he'll never hold a career. That's as it is right now. Who knows what we'll figure out in the next few years or even next year? I think for a lot of us who are "neurotypical," it's easy to plan it as we would our own future were we in their shoes, but fact is, for someone like your son, it's almost entirely adaptive at this point. I'd be very careful about how far you push him in the next few months. It sounds like the professional counselors at his school would concur.

That’s the thing the psychologist said it is almost 100% he will never work. He said his anxiety and need to be away from people is too severe. He is EXTREMELY EXTREMELY anti sensory. Almost no sensory or people input is welcomed unless on his own terms. And that is why he won’t be able to work most likely.

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That’s the thing the psychologist said it is almost 100% he will never work. He said his anxiety and need to be away from people is too severe. He is EXTREMELY EXTREMELY anti sensory. Almost no sensory or people input is welcomed unless on his own terms. And that is why he won’t be able to work most likely.

 

He might be able to do my job. I work from home with a computer. No politics, no social interaction related to work, no commuting, no need to "look the part", etc.

 

As for your son and catching up on the semester because of the strike, aren't all the students in the same boat, and wouldn't there be an accommodation for fact that the delay has nothing to do with the students and is all about the system they are in?

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He might be able to do my job. I work from home with a computer. No politics, no social interaction related to work, no commuting, no need to "look the part", etc.

 

As for your son and catching up on the semester because of the strike, aren't all the students in the same boat, and wouldn't there be an accommodation for fact that the delay has nothing to do with the students and is all about the system they are in?

We are hoping one day he will work and he wants to. I think it will be a point where he is developmentally ready . But I think he will do it and surprise people .

 

One girl that I work with she goes to the same college and her professors told her too bad you lose that 5 to 6 weeks worth of knowledge and we’re just picking up where we would be now that’s your tough luck . Learn it yourself if you can if you can’t Oh well. Mind you they are not in the same program ...

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her professors told her too bad you lose that 5 to 6 weeks worth of knowledge and we’re just picking up where we would be now that’s your tough luck.

 

Wow. I've never been in the middle of, or affected directly, by a strike. There are 2 sides to it, for sure, but being in the middle (and paying the price for it) sounds beyond frustrating. Maybe look into your /his legal rights, and their obligation to you/him? (In fact, there may be some valuable learning in that, for him, that will pay off in some way later in life. Who knows?)

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Wow. I've never been in the middle of, or affected directly, by a strike. There are 2 sides to it, for sure, but being in the middle (and paying the price for it) sounds beyond frustrating. Maybe look into your /his legal rights, and their obligation to you/him? (In fact, there may be some valuable learning in that, for him, that will pay off in some way later in life. Who knows?)

 

You just reminded me that there is a class action law suit going on for those students that have been adversely affected by the strike, journeynow.

 

Here's another link, Vic.

 

 

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You just reminded me that there is a class action law suit going on for those students that have been adversely affected by the strike, journeynow.

 

Here's another link, Vic.

 

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Yes, I would have to testify for him. London is also 5 hours from me. He can’t tolerate any kind of conflict at all.

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