Girl With Spina Bifida Turned Down Schooling By Several Metro Schools

A metro mother is struggling to find a faith-based school for her daughter.  The search has made more difficult because of the child's disability.

Adisyn Daugherty, 8, has gotten her hopes up about more than a handful of new schools just this academic year. So far, each time has ended in disappointment.

"It makes me sad seeing her so excited about something to be let down," Adisyn's mother, Amber Ransom, said.

In the weeks leading up to the school year and now, Ransom has called numerous faith-based schools to enroll her daughter Adisyn who was born with spina bifita.

"This month, I've really been trying,” Ransom said. “Probably six or seven (different schools)."

All attempts have ended in messages or phone calls saying the school is not equipped to accept Adisyn. Some have been due to finances, but Ransom said most came after she explained Adisyn's special needs.

"The fear of working with a disabled child came into play and they realized they couldn't do it,” Ransom said. “They wouldn't have the help. They wouldn't have the funding. If there was an emergency, what would they do?”

Adisyn's diagnosis requires her to have an aid's help her to get around the building and go to the bathroom. 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires public schools to have staff to meet those needs, but private religious-based schools do not have to comply. 

Ransom said the public school district Adisyn attended had school nurses and helpers, but the assistance was inconsistent.

"She would come home upset,” Ransom said. “She would raise her hand and the teacher would be like, ‘Oh, there's not an aid here,’ so she would have to talk by herself and would be confused."

Ransom said the hardest part has been keeping the reason schools turned them away a secret from Adisyn.

"I tried my best to not directly tell her the reason just because I don't want that on her mind,” Ransom said. “She's so young, and she's so loving and she feels so deeply. I didn't want her to be hurt."

Adisyn is in school right now as Ransom continues to look for a school with better accommodations.