鈥淲e knew Dustin was smart, but we knew something wasn鈥檛 right.鈥� That鈥檚 how Arkansas dad Scott Gann describes his son鈥檚 early years in elementary school. Dustin was struggling, and Gann said teachers kept telling him that his son just 鈥渘eeded to grow up, boys will outgrow this.鈥�
Dustin, now 15 and in high school, remembers that he would just 鈥渟it there and stare at a piece of paper for like five minutes, trying to understand.鈥� He worried he wasn鈥檛 trying hard enough, and he tried not to draw attention to himself. 鈥淚 just kind of laid low for most of my school days,鈥� he said.
Finally, in 3rd grade during state-mandated assessment testing in the spring, Dustin told his teacher, 鈥淵ou know, I can鈥檛 read.鈥� Gann says they all knew Dustin had been struggling, he鈥檇 even received some extra help at school. But he calls that moment an awakening鈥攆or both the teacher and Dustin鈥檚 parents.
That summer his parents paid to have Dustin tested, and he was diagnosed with dyslexia, a learning disability that makes it difficult to read and spell. Gann said he was surprised at the school鈥檚 reaction. 鈥淭he school was real standoffish about using the word dyslexia. It was almost like it was a naughty word.鈥�
Thus began an uphill battle to get Dustin the help he needed, according to Gann. Ultimately the family hired a private tutor and moved Dustin to a private school to receive specialized instruction. Gann said the changes in Dustin were as different as 鈥渘ight and day,鈥� not just in his reading but in his self-confidence as well.
Gann knows in many ways his family was lucky; they had the resources to help Dustin. 鈥淲e are in a place where we can provide help鈥攁nd it鈥檚 not fair for those parents who can鈥檛 provide that,鈥� said Gann, who has turned 鈥渁ll the pain and lessons we learned over the years鈥� into advocacy. He joined other Arkansas parents to push successfully for changes in state laws around reading instruction and dyslexia.
Arkansas has passed at least eight of these laws over the past seven years, including legislation that defines dyslexia and establishes requirements for screening and intervention.
鈥淓very kid deserves this,鈥� said Gann, 鈥渢hat鈥檚 why I advocate so hard.鈥�
As for Dustin, he鈥檚 doing well in high school and last summer he even passed the written portion of his test for a driver鈥檚 permit. He did that without any reading accommodations.
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