Post by Elle on May 30, 2004 23:01:11 GMT -5
:)Hey you guys,
Sure have missed your support, funny stories and sympathetic ear. I have been entrenched in advocating for my daughter. You would not believe what has gone on since April 26th! I asked for my Annual Review for the IEP and as ya'll know, my teachers left soon after the meeting got started. It was adjourned because it became an illegal IEP meeting. Then within three weeks my daughter supposedly hit a girl, (got in school suspension), tried to kiss a boy, (was asked to be removed from campus) and touched a girl's bottom,(a wedgy) (got two days out of school suspension)!!! You need to understand that my duaghter is not a behavior problem at all, very compliant, loving, sensitive to other's feelings. She has three brothers and you'd think if she was going to hit someone with all of their aggrivating, she'd hit them, (which she never has). She has had no behavior issues at all this year at school. Then after the third incident, the District implemented a Behavior modification plan, without the conveing of an IEP meeting, (against the law). I even requested that a Functional Behavioral Assessment be done and that we needed to convene an IEP meeting as required by IDEA (the law) since this would constitute a change in service. They made up a behavior plan and implemented one without us anyway. In the April 26th meeting I asked for all documents relating to and including my daughter's 1996 eval. (they did not have my consent, it was done in a band room and they performed the tests with verbal stimuli and required a verbal response) and at that time my daughter had an auditory processing deficit and an exspessive language deficit so the tests results were invalid. They have yet to give me these documents which I am allowed to have as identified in No Child Left Behind, Individuals with Disabilities Act and FERPA (laws). Also I have not been given an IEP meeting that I have requested to determine promotion/retention, draw up next school year's goals and objectives, and discuss related issues. I have sent the District certified letters with my requests. Finally, after being refused of my requests, I filed a formal complaint with the SC state Depatment of Education. They agreed to have an IEP meeting and wouldn't ya know, they refused to discuss and determine promotion and retention and draw up IEP goals and objectives unless my daughter had a reevaluation. I agreed to the reeval. since she hadn't had one since 1996 and I still asked if we could discuss and determine promotion/retention and draw up goals and objectives for next year and that we could reconvene after the eval. to make adjustments if needed. They refused. Then in this IEP meeting the Special Service Director stated that she and her staff were going to revise the IEP and send it to me in the mail. I asked to be invited to this IEP meeting and was refused! (broke law again) Then they sent me the IEP document by District social worker (intimidation tactic). It was dated w/signatures of everyone on the IEP team accept my husband and I. Can't believe they did this, but what takes the cake is that they included a document in this IEP that states thatmy daughter is injurous
to herself and others, threatening to others and makes others feel unsafe (untrue), that my daughter had tons of supplimental supports and services yet cannot be educated satisfactorily in the regular education classroom (untrue) blah, blah, and more blah. Do you think I signed this?!!! I sent it back unsigned. Now, the State Department said that they have to resolve these issues by June 1st. Wonder what the social worker will bring to my dorrstep on June 1st if anything at all. The SC Dept. of Ed. is suppose to send me the letter of response to my complaint shortly after June 1st. Barring a miracle, it seems as though we are headed for due process. Please pray for us. This whole ordeal has been emotionally difficult. It has been very difficult to read lies about my daughter. The bottom line is that the District wants Bekah out of regular education classes and into segregated, self-contained. They are stacking up untrue information to try and achieve this. They see it as not what is best for my daughter but what is best in their eyes, for their school. We really need your prayers. I will keep ya'll updated as much as possible.
Elle, mom to three boys and my daughter13(DS)
Sure have missed your support, funny stories and sympathetic ear. I have been entrenched in advocating for my daughter. You would not believe what has gone on since April 26th! I asked for my Annual Review for the IEP and as ya'll know, my teachers left soon after the meeting got started. It was adjourned because it became an illegal IEP meeting. Then within three weeks my daughter supposedly hit a girl, (got in school suspension), tried to kiss a boy, (was asked to be removed from campus) and touched a girl's bottom,(a wedgy) (got two days out of school suspension)!!! You need to understand that my duaghter is not a behavior problem at all, very compliant, loving, sensitive to other's feelings. She has three brothers and you'd think if she was going to hit someone with all of their aggrivating, she'd hit them, (which she never has). She has had no behavior issues at all this year at school. Then after the third incident, the District implemented a Behavior modification plan, without the conveing of an IEP meeting, (against the law). I even requested that a Functional Behavioral Assessment be done and that we needed to convene an IEP meeting as required by IDEA (the law) since this would constitute a change in service. They made up a behavior plan and implemented one without us anyway. In the April 26th meeting I asked for all documents relating to and including my daughter's 1996 eval. (they did not have my consent, it was done in a band room and they performed the tests with verbal stimuli and required a verbal response) and at that time my daughter had an auditory processing deficit and an exspessive language deficit so the tests results were invalid. They have yet to give me these documents which I am allowed to have as identified in No Child Left Behind, Individuals with Disabilities Act and FERPA (laws). Also I have not been given an IEP meeting that I have requested to determine promotion/retention, draw up next school year's goals and objectives, and discuss related issues. I have sent the District certified letters with my requests. Finally, after being refused of my requests, I filed a formal complaint with the SC state Depatment of Education. They agreed to have an IEP meeting and wouldn't ya know, they refused to discuss and determine promotion and retention and draw up IEP goals and objectives unless my daughter had a reevaluation. I agreed to the reeval. since she hadn't had one since 1996 and I still asked if we could discuss and determine promotion/retention and draw up goals and objectives for next year and that we could reconvene after the eval. to make adjustments if needed. They refused. Then in this IEP meeting the Special Service Director stated that she and her staff were going to revise the IEP and send it to me in the mail. I asked to be invited to this IEP meeting and was refused! (broke law again) Then they sent me the IEP document by District social worker (intimidation tactic). It was dated w/signatures of everyone on the IEP team accept my husband and I. Can't believe they did this, but what takes the cake is that they included a document in this IEP that states thatmy daughter is injurous
to herself and others, threatening to others and makes others feel unsafe (untrue), that my daughter had tons of supplimental supports and services yet cannot be educated satisfactorily in the regular education classroom (untrue) blah, blah, and more blah. Do you think I signed this?!!! I sent it back unsigned. Now, the State Department said that they have to resolve these issues by June 1st. Wonder what the social worker will bring to my dorrstep on June 1st if anything at all. The SC Dept. of Ed. is suppose to send me the letter of response to my complaint shortly after June 1st. Barring a miracle, it seems as though we are headed for due process. Please pray for us. This whole ordeal has been emotionally difficult. It has been very difficult to read lies about my daughter. The bottom line is that the District wants Bekah out of regular education classes and into segregated, self-contained. They are stacking up untrue information to try and achieve this. They see it as not what is best for my daughter but what is best in their eyes, for their school. We really need your prayers. I will keep ya'll updated as much as possible.
Elle, mom to three boys and my daughter13(DS)
I am sorry to hear you are haveing to go thru all this 
Not for nothing but I say get a GREAT Advocate NOW and start Due Process NOW. From what you have described its only gonna get worse and Bekah is the only one that really suffers while all this nonsense goes on 
except I expect to be experiencing similar difficulties myself, soon. 
I am slowly seeing that problems with an anti-inclusion attitude exist back in the good ol' USA, not just overseas. I am planning on taking a lawyer to our IEP........ 
I'm really sorry you've had to endure this. Positive thoughts starting immediately, and I will pray that things get worked out in Bekah's best interest.
&
Susan, Proud mom of Michael (32), Justin (25) Emily (22ds), and Jordan (20).
