I was very happy to see a Christian school come to this part of Dover. A lot of hard work and dedication went into the plans, building, furnishing, and character of the school. I went to the open house when the school was completed. Liking what I saw, I was thinking about sending my son the next year, when I was able.
Not long into the school year, a dear friend of mine came to me in tears. Her son was being bullied. soon after that, the principal/teacher had suspended her child for "behavioral" issues. My friend was told that her son has disciplinary issues that needed to be addressed at home. She assured the staff at Dover 1st that this was not the case, and it wasn't a disciplinary issue. This fell on deaf ears.
This little boy is amazingly intelligent! My friend took her son and had him tested; the diagnosis, Autism. A simple explanation to the struggles he faced in Dover 1st. The staff at Dover 1st, backed by their pastor, refused to sit down with my friend and discuss the suspension and the little boy's diagnosis. The principal/teacher never acknowledged terrible mistake she made. She never admitted that, being a "trained" educational figure, she didn't see the tell-tale signs of Autism.
Sadly, my friend pulled her child from Dover 1st. The little boy was losing friends he had grown to love. Even the bully was on the little boy's prayer list.
I cannot imagine running a school with personnel that cannot recognize the signs of such a well-known disorder as Autism. I am not the type of person who takes one side as truth. Even though this woman is a very close friend, I attempted to contact the pastor. I wanted to address the policy for disorders children may have, whether they be developmental or behavioral. My efforts to meet with the pastor were ignored completely.