[tri-wings] Re: TV SHOW FOR ALEX

----- Original Message -----
From: <JWinchester@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> I am still interested to watching alex on tcv tonighti hope i get to see
him

Sorry Jodi,
Betty wasn't clear yesterday when she sent that e-mail - Alex was on an
Australian current affairs program last night so you wont get to see it in
the US. It was about an Australian education problem. I will post the story
to the list for you.

Guess I had better fill you guys in on Betty's cryptic message.
Today was the kids first day back at school after their summer break. The
predicted temperatures for where I am were 40C (104F) and out where Jocelyn
is - higher. In reality it got to 42C here (107.6 F) and where Jocelyn is it
reached 45C (113 F) - yes folks they are the REAL temperatures (I know some
of you are freezing but we were broiling - literally) It was blinking
HOT!!!!!!!!!!! (actually the third hottest day on record)

Yesterday morning Betty (my sister) was listening to the radio (different
radio station to the other week) and the compere was talking about how all
our schools should be air conditioned. Betty knows that I am still waiting /
fighting for a/c for Alex at school so she told me about it. Because of the
predicted temperatures I had already put in a phone call to the principal at
Alex's school to see if the a/c had "appeared" over christmas - it hadn't so
we agreed that Alex wouldn't be going back to school the first day and I
sent the radio station an email. I know Karen the rabble rouser :-))

The radio station got back in touch with me and yep - we went on air at 7am
this morning. Simply told them the facts - that we had applied for a/c for
Alex in kindergarten and that he was now going into third class and still no
a/c. We had offered to fund raise for it etc but had been told that the
department would install it as a medical necessity. The a/c was approved at
the beginning of last year - but we still don't have it. (there is actually
another boy in Alex's school that also needs a/c for a medical condition -
so thats the we his has also been approved but hasn't arrived) I simply
pointed out that Alex had missed most of the last school term because of the
heat and illness and here we were starting off the new school year by
missing the first day because there was no a/c.

They got the minister for education on and he made the really sad mistake of
saying that he didn't know about Alex - he sure did by the end of the day
LOL - so couldn't comment except to say that they needed proof of the
medical necessity. Boy did the radio station presenter give him a hard time.
The minister tried to boast that they had put a/c in some 800 schools in the
last few years - turned out that the truth was they had put a/c in a few
STAFF ROOMS, libraries and demountables, not whole schools and very few
classrooms.

About 15 minutes after being on air one of the TV stations called and asked
if they could do a story about Alex and the a/c issue for tonights program.
SO they literally put the researcher in a car with a sound and camera man.
The researcher did the background stuff with me on the phone while they were
driving out here and they arrived on my doorstep about an hour later. I
wasn't even dressed!!!!!!

They spent hours here filming Alex - which translated into a couple of
minutes of air time LOL

I had to cut short the filming because I needed to fly into the city for an
appointment that I could not get out of or put off - they were so keen to
film that they even paid for a taxi to my appointment so that they could
have more time. - cost to the TV station $60!!!!!!!!!!!! (at least the cab
was air conditioned!!!)

Shortly before the program went to air tonight I got a call from the school
principal to say that she had had some "contact" with people today - as I
probably knew (oh she was nice about and I got the feeling she was have a
secret little laugh) and she was calling to tell me the good news - the
government contractors and electricians had been at the school all day and
that there was now a portable air conditioner in Alex's classroom and one in
the other boys classroom - ready for tomorrow........ ROFLMAO

I guess the department found the requisitions and the medical documentation
in order somewhere hehehehehehehe

A little while later I got a call, personally no less, from the Deputy
Director General of Education and Training confirming the good news that the
a/c was in place - apologising that they were portable units but reassuring
me that the permanent units would be in very soon. He hoped that that was
satisfactory LOL He then proceeded to give me his direct line in case I had
any future problems (it was so hard not to laugh). And of course a good
mother from hell never lets an opportunity go past - so I raised a few other
issues with him, and he assured me that he would get answers TOMORROW!!!! He
is also going to call into the school next week to meet Alex in person
hehehehehe

So what started off as a casual comment by my sister has resulted in a much
safer environment for my son and a political storm for the government -
after all elections are only 6 weeks or so away and the Teachers Union have
picked up the ball as well hehehehehehe. Maybe more of our schools will get
a/c now - I can only hope!!!

Anyway Alex got a kick out of being on TV tonight - even if he was a bratty
ham while they were filming and his only comment was "what happened to the
rest"...........

Seems that old earth shaking Karen is coming out of hiding - look out
world............

"Write injuries in sand, kindnesses in marble."
- French Proverb -


Keep Looking for Rainbows!!!
Karen, Mum to Alex (8, T-18 mosaic)
Sydney, Australia
http://members.optushome.com.au/karens
http://www.trisomyonline.org

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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