Parent(s)/guardians can be dealing with schools ignoring them. They sometimes use this as a strategy in hopes that:

1. You will feel tired and powerless and go away
2. For legal reasons, they don’t want to respond
3. They are genuinely very busy and they have forgotten to respond or haven’t had time.

They use this strategy because it often works. People tend to give up eventually. It’s a decision to take up space and be seen. You are allowed to have your concerns addressed, and your child has rights.

Options to consider when the school administration/teacher is ignoring you?

• Go higher up the chain of command. Here is the Inclusion BC manual on school hierarchy and email tips.
• CC more people. It’s easier to ignore an email if it’s just sent to you.
• Ask them to reply by a specific date. 5 days for senior admin. 2-3 days for principal/teacher. If it’s urgent and time-sensitive, state that in the email.
• You can file an Ombudsperson complaint.
• You can also email the Ministry of Education and CC the senior administrative staff in the email.
• Save all of the unanswered emails in a folder on your computer. This could be evidence for a human rights complaint for their refusal to fulfill their duty to consult and collaborate in good faith.
• Use policy and human rights language in your emails. You may need to remind them that they have the duty to meaningful inquire when you tell them that your child is struggling and this struggle is connected to their disability-related needs and they have a duty to consult with you.

The school has a legal obligation to communicate with you

You have the power of the Human Rights Code behind you.

Schools have a legal responsibility to consult with you. This is stated in the School Act, Ministry of Education and Child Care Policy and in Human Rights Education Case Law. Here is the duty to consult and the related legal authority that will ensure the school consults with you related to your child’s accommodation process.

Avoiding Emails – Phone calls only??

What do you do when the school responds to your emails by phone? This can be hard because sometimes it truly is better to just talk things out on the phone. It is clearer and can be more efficient over the phone. But we also need a document trail of everything that is happening.

1. You can take notes when you talk.
2. Feel free to ask them to repeat and wait for you to write anything down. Them knowing you are taking notes is a good thing.
3. After the phone call, write out your notes in the email and ask them to clarify anything in case you have misunderstood and if you have missed anything to email you back and let them know. You can ask them to confirm that they have received the email.
4. You can be transparent and tell that you want to document everything and keep notes, and email is a way for everyone to do that.