Also in December 1, 2008 newsletter:
In September 2007 I had the pleasure to meet a wonderful advocate by the name of Cheryl Poe who lives in Virginia. Cheryl had asked me to come and speak at a conference for her parent group, and to participate in a panel discussion on recent Supreme Court Special Education decisions. I loved going to Virginia and meeting Cheryl and the other parents in her group.
Cheryl and I have E mailed each other over the last year and she asked me for a little help with a due process that she was doing, which I was glad to do. Cheryl won the case for the little boy and his parents, which I know they appreciate. Cheryl sent me a newspaper article about the case, and I would like to share a little with you.
The article was entitled School Division loses autistic child’s case by Tracy Agnew. The article talks about the Suffolk Public School System and how they will not be able to force the parents of a 6 year old little boy with autism to place him in a restrictive setting. The hearing officer in the case ruled that the child’s placement that he was currently in is the most appropriate placement at this time.
Cheryl is quoted in the article as saying that she was pleased with the ruling but still has concerns. Cheryl was able to prove that the school district did not provide the little boy with supplementary aids and services that he needed, to be successful in the least restrictive placement. Good job Cheryl!
Why did I include this, because I want parents to understand that there are good and bad in every profession, and Cheryl is one of the good guys! Check out any advocate that you consider using to make sure that they have your child’s best interest at heart! Love to hear about your experience with advocates-good or bad. Send them to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com
Disability and Educational News
A Florida teacher who asked her Kindergarten class to vote a child out of class is going to be suspended for one year. The Teacher is from St. Lucie County Florida and her name is Wendy Portillo. She is on unpaid leave and the issue is being sent to the state Division of Administrative Hearings.
This story brought worldwide outrage and condemnation a school representative said. The little boys mother is not happy with this outcome and wants her fired. Part of the reason that the school district gave for not firing her is because of her spotless record for 12 years teaching.
Resources To find an advocate try these resources: A. ARC which is an organization of parents and professionals to help children and adults with disabilities live fulfilled lives. Look in your local phone book for contact information or Google. B. I believe that the Council of Parent Attorney’s and Advocates (COPAA) has a list of advocates and attorney’s available to their members. Join at: C. Look for a local Center For Independent Living and see if they have a person trained in educational advocacy. Website to find a CIL at: www.virtualcil.net/cils D. Every state has Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIC) that are funded by the federal government. Look for a PTIC in your area and see if you can have an educational advocate help you with your child’s education. Website to find a PTIC: www.taaliance.org/ptidirectory/pti_list.pdf
Disability Deception New Review on Amazon:
“Thank You! I have had this book in my possession now for a couple of months, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Not having a lot of knowledge on how the education department, teachers, and schools in general conduct themselves in IEP meetings, this book has become my new Bible!
It’s easy to read, easy to understand and has a plethora of information that any parent cannot do without. I would recommend this book to everyone-even parents that don’t have children receiving special education services. I only wish that your book and yourself was more exposed. Do you also do seminars and presentations Ms. Collins? If not please consider, it would be an honor to meet you in person. The most honest and useful book I have read in a long time!! I’ll be looking out for any future publications with your name attached.” LS from Georgia
Thank you for this awesome testimonial! Yes I do give presentations on any special education subject of your choice—or I have several awesome presentations all ready! If your group is interested in having an experienced presenter for a nominal fee please contact me at JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com or 1-815-932-9263. Look forward to hearing from you and your group!
Mother: “I understand that special education personnel lie and tell parents things that are not truthful. What I would like to know is why do advocates lie—even those who are well known?” While this is not a deception in itself, I consider it awful that an advocate would lie to a parent. The reason I am including this is because I have heard this several times, over the last several months, and thought it was a timely topic! These are my thoughts on the subject: 1. I was outraged, that a person who helps parents and children with disabilities, would not be honest. In any profession there are good and bad—its sad but it is true. Advocates must be honest with parents even if the news is not good news. 2. Many people today are not truthful about things, even people trying to help others. Many years ago when I started helping other parents I made a promise to never lie to a parent and have kept my promise. But unfortunately not all people feel this way. 3. Perhaps the advocate is not truthful, because they are afraid that the parent may get upset, by what they are going to tell them. You say--Why would someone be upset if you were honest with them? Because sometimes parents have a certain position and do want to change that position An advocate takes the risk, when they tell a parent something that disagrees with the parents position, even if it is in the best interest of the child. I have had this happen to me a few times, when a parent insisted on an inclusive placement, even though their child was not learning. I would ask them to temporarily try a self contained placement, to see if this was more appropriate for their child, and they eventually agreed to do that, for the good of the child. December Special: Buy one Disability Deception for $15.00 plus shipping and get an E book completely free. Purchase DD at www.amazon.com during the month of December and I will send you an E book for no cost! Disability Deception makes great Christmas gifts! Put it on your Christmas list!