Background: My son has ADHD, bipolar, a sleep disorder and a written language learning disability. His grades were fine in elementary and middle school but when he got to high school the teachers no longer modified class assignments in compliance with his IEP and started failing classes. When he started failing his self esteem dropped and he started missing classes.

I met with the new principal on the second day of classes for the 2009-10 school year. The principal said my son could not attend any classes at all until we had met for another IEP meeting. I said, then let's schedule it. He did not. I left written notes and emails for the special ed specialist asking for the meeting but no response. Finally I called the board of education asking for help to get my son in classes. They told me the principal was wrong about an IEP being required for my son to in classes and they called him to inform him he was wrong. By then he had missed three weeks of classes all because the principal was misinformed. The teacher did not give him notes but told him to borrow other students' notes. My son failed the class because he had missed the basics and could not progress in the class. His attendance was poor but he did pass his online English class.

The problem: today we were meeting for an IEP meeting. In addition to the online classes my son wants to take biology and music theater. The principal came to the meeting and said that he would allow my son to take biology but would not allow him to take music theater until he "proves himself" by improving attendance. My son took music theater once before and got an A for the class. I asked the principal to define proving himself but he danced around the question and did not define what he wants my son to do. After the principal left we continued the meeting. I asked two teachers in the meeting if they had understood what the principal expected. One teacher said perhaps good attendance for a week, the other said she thought he said a couple of weeks.

So my son is not allowed to attend music theater until he proves himself with improved attendance. He is going to miss the basics of music theater until he proves himself to the principal's satisfaction. I am thinking I should email the principal and ask him to restate what he expects my son to do before he can attend music theater. What do you think I should include in the email? Perhaps it is time to contact the board of education again?