More news on Frodo.

Puff is meeting with Frodo's "team" today. The last meeting, to which I went, was not felicitous. They appeared surprised when I spoke, and somewhat shocked when I asked them a question. At the time the principal was making some noise about how they wanted his integrations to be 'meaningful', and replace a 'quantity of integrations" with "quality of integrations." I asked what were the 'quality' and 'meaningful' integrations. They told me Gymn, Music and French. I suspect- I am sure- these classes were chosen because they were convenient to the schedule, and because they were the classes where he was least likely to be disruptive, the other children being disruptive enough already. But I asked why he was taking French, and asked them what the point of French was. They seemed to think I had something against French. On the contrary. I enjoy French. But they could not understand the heart of my objection.

The objection was simple: what is the point of teaching a child who is effectively non verbal in English a second language in which to be non verbal? Is it an accomplishment to be non verbal in two languages? We could extend the point ad infinitum, ad absurdam and ad nauseum: teach him every language.  He could be the world's first non verbal universal polyglot: there will not be a language in the world he doesn't speak. 

I am being facetious now, but I was asking a serious question: Is there a point to teaching him French?  No one could answer me or give me a reason.  I am left with the firm belief that the Principal was, as I said, just making noise.  I despise being told easy lies rather than hard truths.

At any rate, we sent along a -friend- with Puff who is helping us with Frodo a little and who is also a teacher to this meeting.  Teachers- bless them, but often they seem to exist in their own little bubble, and the only other people they listen to are other teachers.

That isn't even the worst news we've had on Frodo this week.  More to come.