Dear Mr. Notonyourlife

Dear Mr. Notonyourlife,

Thanks again for our daily phone call regarding my son's behaviors at school where you explained that today, my son fell asleep in multiple classes, tore up an assignment in class, repeatedly used the words "shut up" along with a few other things today. 

As I continue to receive almost daily phone calls regarding Billy Bob's behaviors at school combined with ACPS inability to handle his challenging but Autism behaviors, I will state it for the record again, he requires an IEP to be able to decrease these behaviors with the right supports in place.

Furthermore, please send me the information about filing an OCR complaint, as I requested as soon as possible so that I can go ahead with the complaint so they can assist ACPS in understanding that as a child with a disability, this lack of education that is preparing him for further education and independent living is unacceptable and violating his Civil Rights.

Now I do understand that you had no idea what the OCR was when I made this request by your stumbling on your words, but I am sure that you are aware that my son does have a 504 plan in place and as a Principal at a middle school, I would think you would understand our children's rights.

(May I suggest google for a search .... I am sure Google is aware of Civil Rights!)

Sincerely,
Ms. Knows more about Special Education than YOU!

Dear Nurse Hatchet

Dear Nurse Hatchet:

My son was brought to your hospital for a Massive Seizure which caused him to be unconscious and requiring many medication to get the seizure to stop prior to coming to the Pediatric Floor of the hospital. 

Upon arrival on your Pediatric floor, we began to answer all your questions to register him including the one that about caused me to break bad on you right in the hallway.

While most of your questions where extremely important until you got to the point that you actually said to a mother of a child who had suffered massive regression at 18 months, they call it Autism, "I see his vaccines are behind and you have a shot waiver on record from his doctor but would you like to go ahead and give him a Flu Shot?"

Seriously, he is STILL unconscious from a massive seizure, his FIRST one ever and YOU think in YOUR small mind that it would be okay to give him a FLU SHOT? Hello, Ms. Crazy Nurse, YOU never, never, never, never, EVER, NEVER give a Vaccine to a sick child let alone one that nobody knows exactly what happened......

I looked at her and said "No, thanks, we have enough Autism, I think we will pass!"

and YES, they call themselves a Pediatric Center but they do not even know to not give a sick child, let alone one that is medically fragile at that time, a FLIPPEN VACCINE. Where did you pick up your nursing license?

Sincerely,
Ms. Going to send you a full vaccine packet along with YOUR entire hospital as it appears you do not have a clue in hell!

‎"Dear Mr. Principal who suspends my son for his Autism,

February 6, 2013

Mr. Principal
Stone Jackson Middle School
Roanoke, VA  

RE: Concerns regarding King and his Lack of Education and Behavioral Supports
‎"Dear Mr. Principal who suspends my son for his Autism, 

I am emailing you in regards to several issues and problems that my son, King DaMan, is having in school.  King is a child receiving accommodations under a 504 plan to accommodate his disabilities as a child within Crazy City Public School which include Autism, GAD, SLD, and multiple other disabilities.   He continues to experience many challenging behaviors that are not being addressed appropriately but instead are being grossly ignored causing him to be punished for his disability.

As you may be aware, Autism is a communication and social disorder whereas a child’s ability to communicate his emotions, thoughts, feelings, etc. are altered due to the misfiring of the neurons in the brain. It is a neuro-developmental disorder that affects the child's ability to communicate as the brain sends mixed messages to the senses causing them to not be able to handle the intense environments around them and communicate the appropriate responses. At times he is overwhelmed by the multiple sensory input around him and causes him anxiety but also causes him to react inappropriately.

Additionally, as a child with Autism, he does have processing issue, communication deficits, and executive functioning issues which are impeding his ability to learn, behave appropriately, and react appropriately when he is overwhelmed.

I have continued to try to work with Crazy City Schools and do my part to help the Team to no avail he is still being denied an Individualized Education Plan as he needs. These behaviors need to be addressed in such a way as will decrease the behavior and prepare him for further education or independent living.  He is dealing with issues including a multitude of sensory aversions and sensory seeking behaviors with problems of self regulation of his sensory system that are obviously being misunderstood and therefore impeding his ability to learn in the classroom by missing educational time. Can you please explain how it is appropriate for a child to miss in excess of 10 Days of his direct education time due to his behaviors that are a part of his disability but not require any specialized instruction to decrease those behaviors?


Additionally, as of this week, you have stated to me that I am no longer to communicate with the Director of Special Education to express my concerns about King being harassed, not educated in the way that he learns, in an environment in which he learns nor with the goals and services that he requires to be preparing him for further education.  Furthermore how it is appropriate and treating me as an equal team member if I am not allowed to communicate with the school in a way that is most convenient for me which is in writing?

Now, how about a meeting to get that IEP that he needs and I have been begging for now for many years so we can put a stop to you calling me to tell me he said "shut up" all the time -- as that is a HIS way of trying to explain to YOU that the classroom is too loud -- he is not breaking your SCHOOL rule of disrespect ... he is flippen expressing it is too loud for HIM!!!!!!!!

You bet your a$$ I am sick and tired of explaining this one to you
(may I suggest some Autism Training for YOU and YOUR staff!)"

Ms. KeeperoftheGateofWisdom

Preparing for Noah's Eligbility Meeting tomorrow .... the thoughts and feelings are always there and they are hard to manage at times during a meeting. I advise my clients to do a letter to them prior the meeting to ease the stress and release the emotions (now I do not let them ALL send them!)

Dear Ms. KeeperoftheGateofWisdom -

I look forward to our meeting tomorrow to discuss Noah's FABULOUS progress and his new areas of need that have come to light since our last Eligibility Meeting.

Now please understand that I am very sensitive about his FABULOUS progress and I am thrilled to have him at such a wonderful school district that believes in a full person approach for education and rehabilitation.

So - if I cry during the meeting - it is a CELEBRATION of my baby boy's AWESOME progress and it is a CELEBRATION that he has a IEP TEAM that loves and cares about HIM (not just his Special Needs - HIS fabulous heart of gold - HIS warm smile - and HIS GIFTS)

Sincerely,

PROUD Noah's mama
PS - Didn't want to SCARE you with the TEARS of LOVE - leading you to think I was about to explode ♥ because TEARS are a sign of strength and love for my boy and I am not afraid to show the feelings.

Short Bus Please

As an Educational Advocate for special needs children - I am never shocked by the level of ignorance that some Administrators and School districts try to pass off as education.  The lack of understand of the needs of the children are grossly lacking at the hands of educators who do not even understand the basics of SAFETY for the children.

I receive a phone call today where a parent said that their school placed their non-verbal daughter on a bus of 20 and put a handicap sticker on the back.... selling them KOOLAID! 


Dear Ms. Crazierthanhell, 
Could you please explain how adding a handicapped sticker to a regular transportation bus all of sudden makes the bus a "Special Transportation Bus"? Last month my non-verbal child with Autism who elopes was on a small special education bus prior to her change in placement with a driver and aid with 5 other children and now she is on a Large Bus with a Handicap Sticker on the back, 10 neuro-typical kids and some Special Needs children.

Additionally, please explain how stating to a parent of a special needs child that there are “no other alternatives” is appropriate when IDEA states that you are to provide related services to meet her individual and unique needs (not just what you have available!)
Sincerely,
I ain'tputtingmykidbackonthatbus!


IDEA 2004
Sec. 300.34 Related services.
(a) General. Related services means transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes speech- language pathology and audiology services, interpreting services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, early identification and assessment of disabilities in children, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, and medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes. Related services also includes school health services and school nurse services, social work services in schools, and parent counseling and training.


(16) Transportation includes--
(i) Travel to and from school and between schools
(ii) Travel in and around school buildings; and
(iii) Specialized equipment (such as special or adapted buses, lifts, and ramps), if required to provide special transportation for a child with a disability. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(26))

Transportation
Transportation as a related service is included in an eligible student's IEP if the IEP team determines that such a service is needed. Transportation includes:

• travel to and from school and between schools;
• travel in and around school buildings; and
• specialized equipment (such as special or adapted buses, lifts, and ramps), if required to provide special transportation for a child with a disability [Section 300.24(b)(15)].

Public school districts must provide transportation to students with disabilities in two situations. These are:

• if a district provides transportation to and from school for the general student population, then it must provide transportation for a student with a disability; and
• if a school district does not provide transportation for the general student population, then the issue of transportation for students with disabilities must be decided on a case-by-case basis if the IEP team has determined that transportation is needed by the child and has included it on his or her IEP (Office of Special Education Programs, 1995).

If the IEP team determines that a student with a disability needs transportation to benefit from special education, it must be included in the student's IEP and provided as a related service at no cost to the student and his or her parents (Office of Special Education Programs, 1995).
Not all students with disabilities are eligible to receive transportation as a related service. As Attachment 1 of the Federal regulations for IDEA '97 points out:

• It is assumed that most children with disabilities will receive the same transportation provided to nondisabled children, unless the IEP team determines otherwise. However, for some children with disabilities, integrated transportation may not be achieved unless needed accommodations are provided to address each child's unique needs. If the IEP team determines that a disabled child requires transportation as a related service in order to receive FAPE, or requires accommodations or modifications to participate in integrated transportation with nondisabled children, the child must receive the necessary transportation or accommodations at no cost to the parents. This is so, even if no transportation is provided to nondisabled children. (U.S. Department of Education, 1999a, p. 12551)
• 
  

A student's need for transportation as a related service and the type of transportation to be provided must be discussed and decided by the IEP team. Whether transportation goals and objectives are required in the IEP depends on the purpose of the transportation. If transportation is being provided solely to and from school, in and around school, and between schools, no goals or objectives are needed. If instruction is provided to a student to increase his or her independence or improve his or her behavior during transportation, then goals and objectives must be included in the student's IEP (Office of Special Education Programs, 1995).