OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla.,None — A mother told WFTV on Tuesday that she is fighting to get help for her 5-year-old daughter that her school said the child doesn't need. Tiffany Molina said her daughter is autistic and she has a doctor's note to prove it.
However, the school said that doctor's note is not enough.
Idalia Molina is a shy 5-year-old who loves to draw. But below the surface she has serious challenges that sometimes lead to seizures and episodes of rage, Tiffany Molina told WFTV.
"She'll throw herself on the ground, she'll hit, she'll bite and spit," Tiffany Molina said.
Tiffany Molina said her daughter is autistic. She spent a year enrolled in a special education program where she excelled.
But as she was about to start kindergarten at Narcoosee Elementary School, Molina was told her daughter no longer needed extra help.
"It doesn't matter what her doctor says it's what they say and they don't see no signs of autism," Molina said.
She gave the school a letter from Idalia's neurologist, which describes her condition, the medication she's taking and states that she needs "additional time to complete tasks."
"What else do I need to do to prove my daughter has problems?" asked Tiffany Molina.
A district spokeswoman sent WFTV an explanation on what it takes to enroll a child in a special education program. The spokeswoman said that a doctor's diagnosis is not always enough.
She said a team of psychologists, speech pathologists and teachers evaluate a child based on grades, behavior and social interaction.
The district would not talk about Idalia's evaluation, but said, "Even though a doctor diagnosed it, our job is to see what is best for the student educationally."
"When they tell me we understand your frustration, I say, 'No, you don't. If you did, you would be helping her,'" Molina said.
Molina said she wants to obtain an attorney to help her fight the district and ensure her daughter is getting the help she needs. She said Idalia's future depends on it.
WFTV checked and the Osceola School District has more than 7,000 students enrolled in the special education program.
The district said it has no record of how many children are rejected from the program.