Yet another conversation that Darin King would prefer we forget.

The following story was communicated to me by a mother who would prefer to remain anonymous. Given King's history of retaliation against critics, I don't blame her.

Concerning King: I really like the list through the Occupy link. It's all on the public record. What about the things that are not on the public record?
I shall start with one incident going back to 2001. Long before King enter politics he was a education director at the former Burin School District. In the meeting that I had with him, on the simple request of an assessment for my child to check learning disabilities - King personally attacked me and tried to stop me from pushing for an assessment for my child.

1. Your child is developmentally slow, based on his expertise dripping in condescending droplets encased with haughty and snooty tones.

2. King proceeded, that he has the PHD and compared to what do you have in levels of education and then he looks at the file - to accounting and its not even an accounting degree.

3. King proceeds to question by education background and then moves on to my abilities in both parenting and my intelligence.

4, Then he proceeds to questioned my inability to accept decisions from authority. 

Of course, I objected at all that he said, and he proceeded to attacked me personally to get me to shut-up.

A douchebag? For some perhaps. King has had problems a lot longer and before he entered politics. King represents a weak link in the Dunderdale cabinet - he can't handle criticism nor can he handle intelligent kickback thrown at him. Especially the kind that questions his ability and motives. Dig into his past, and I am sure I am not the only parent that met his wrath, when a parent dared to asked a question. 

By the way, truth should be known: King does really think that kids with learning problems including those who have learning disabilities are developmentally slow. The reason being that the NL education ministry doesn't want to provide what the children need: effective and research based reading, writing and numeracy instruction. Its why I like Dale Kirby of the NDP. He wants to do something about that, including having all children not just some to have average to high levels of reading, writing and numeracy. 

At the moment, and for the last 20 years, NL stands number one for having the highest levels in the adult population of low literacy and numeracy levels. But King believes that children with learning issues are developmentally slow and therefore should receive no education services, because it's a waste of time. I was some glad he left for politics, because he continued on to prevent my child from accessing special education services in his capacity at the board level. I had a few years of clear sailing, until he became the ministry of education, and I was once again fighting for things for my child. I can't prove it, but when he sees me coming, he avoids me. Of course I was raised up proper by my mother, I would never dream of causing a fuss in a public way, but he wouldn't think twice of doing it to others in public or in the privacy of an office to attacked their reputation, their personal self-worth, and even call another MHA a liar.

In follow up remarks she explained that the student that King was prepared to give up on is now graduating from high school with an 80 average and will attend Memorial University.