Re: The attack of autistic child's parents by the Bar Associat...

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/28/2006 3:03:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, zielinski@... writes:

As such, I am attempting to get more information from the bar association to see if the story (as reported) is true.

Thanks Debbie! I would also like to know what is going on!

Roxanna ô¿ôDon't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/30/2006 8:16:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, rmaher1969@... writes:

This is another attempt to bully parents to keep their nose out of things and let the "professionals" do their work. We all have been made to feel like speed bumps in the IEP process at one time or another, this case is another example of this tactic.

I agree. The worst part is the comment made in the article: <<Harvey said special education laws are so complex that children need experts, not untrained parents, looking out for their rights. >>

Boy that really rankles! lol. So complex????? Is this like brain surgery????? I think not!

Nothing like putting parents down like we are morons. The truth is, this isn't rocket science. While I am not saying lawyers aren't important or that they don't have a place here, I think forcing parents to hire one everytime we have a disagreement with the school system elevates the job to a status it does not deserve. Parents are not dummies and we can read, some of us even missed our calling, lol. Obviously, the parents in this lawsuit are able to piece together a case very nicely! And if they choose to go this route, then they have every right to do so. To require that we hire attorney's is ridiculous and would not afford parents any due process rights at all making it more of joke than it already is. Those who can afford lawyers will be the only ones who receive FAPE for their kids. Until the day that schools are required to provide us an attorney, it will never be fair or free. It isn't free already as it is. The money we've already spent trying to get the F in FAPE is A LOT OF MONEY!

I am also afraid that this will ruin all avenues of advocacy for kids with special needs. A lot of people advocate for kids and they are NOT lawyers. I've gone to a number of IEPs for other people and we have discussed the IDEA and what it says. Does this now make me a criminal? At our last autism meeting, I put together the power point for ESY. It is not rocket science, as I said. You can read and compile information from a variety of sources and come up with a nice outline for this. I've gone to meetings given by the Ohio Coalition people - who are not lawyers. They tell people how to get services, how to advocate...you can get information from their website on these issues as well. Are all these now outlawed? Or will the "bar" decide to allow some folks to advocate but not others? I'm sure they won't be agreeing to let "untrained" parents be advocates.

As was stated in another post, we are all a group/a community. We share everything - tips, tricks, ideas, support. Unlike lawyers and teacher and therapists, we are here in special education because we HAVE to be, not because we decided this would be a fun way to spend our free time. We have no money for lawyers. I know, I've paid lawyers before for sped services! I've been in sped for 20 years now after having been dragged in by force. This is NOT what I wanted to do with my life! But I can read and I can apply logic and I have filed due process on my own before as well. It was the only way to force the school to do what was appropriate. If not, I was stuck and would have ended up pulling my kid from the school and trying to homeschool. Ahhh, next we will not be allowed to teach our kids! there will be a law against impersonating a teacher, you wait! What nonsense. In the grand scheme of life, what a waste of precious time and money this is! I feel more inclined to write in support of these parents than before. Too bad the bar doesn't really do something to help kids (as if this is about the poor sped children and not their own need to be on top of the food chain.)

Totally disgusted! Yes, I would love to help push for changes in the law so sign me up and let's pray the bar doesn't know we know how to use a search engine on wrightslaw! lol.

Roxanna ô¿öAutism Happens

[Guest guest]

<<

Totally disgusted! Yes, I would love to help push for changes in the law so sign me up and let's pray the bar doesn't know we know how to use a search engine on wrightslaw! lol. >>

Woo Hoo! I'm with you! I've hidden my copy of the slaw book so when the Gestapo comes, they can't find it. Don't forget, many of us missed our calling because WE CAN"T WORK! We have to be full time parents which limits our income which makes it even harder to afford doctors, therapists, special foods, supps, travel to doctors, therapists, IEP meetings, lawyers to fight the schools and insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. When will they stop the bleeding? I think we will all need big heavy parkas for when that day comes because it will be V-E-R-Y cold!!

----- Original Message -----

From:

Sent: 5/1/2006 8:57:34 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: The attack of autistic child's parents by the Bar Associat...

In a message dated 4/30/2006 8:16:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, rmaher1969@... writes:

This is another attempt to bully parents to keep their nose out of things and let the "professionals" do their work. We all have been made to feel like speed bumps in the IEP process at one time or another, this case is another example of this tactic.

I agree. The worst part is the comment made in the article: <<Harvey said special education laws are so complex that children need experts, not untrained parents, looking out for their rights. >>

Boy that really rankles! lol. So complex????? Is this like brain surgery????? I think not!

Nothing like putting parents down like we are morons. The truth is, this isn't rocket science. While I am not saying lawyers aren't important or that they don't have a place here, I think forcing parents to hire one everytime we have a disagreement with the school system elevates the job to a status it does not deserve. Parents are not dummies and we can read, some of us even missed our calling, lol. Obviously, the parents in this lawsuit are able to piece together a case very nicely! And if they choose to go this route, then they have every right to do so. To require that we hire attorney's is ridiculous and would not afford parents any due process rights at all making it more of joke than it already is. Those who can afford lawyers will be the only ones who receive FAPE for their kids. Until the day that schools are required to provide us an attorney, it will never be fair or free. It isn't free already as it is. The money we've already spent trying to get the F in FAPE is A LOT OF MONEY!

I am also afraid that this will ruin all avenues of advocacy for kids with special needs. A lot of people advocate for kids and they are NOT lawyers. I've gone to a number of IEPs for other people and we have discussed the IDEA and what it says. Does this now make me a criminal? At our last autism meeting, I put together the power point for ESY. It is not rocket science, as I said. You can read and compile information from a variety of sources and come up with a nice outline for this. I've gone to meetings given by the Ohio Coalition people - who are not lawyers. They tell people how to get services, how to advocate...you can get information from their website on these issues as well. Are all these now outlawed? Or will the "bar" decide to allow some folks to advocate but not others? I'm sure they won't be agreeing to let "untrained" parents be advocates.

As was stated in another post, we are all a group/a community. We share everything - tips, tricks, ideas, support. Unlike lawyers and teacher and therapists, we are here in special education because we HAVE to be, not because we decided this would be a fun way to spend our free time. We have no money for lawyers. I know, I've paid lawyers before for sped services! I've been in sped for 20 years now after having been dragged in by force. This is NOT what I wanted to do with my life! But I can read and I can apply logic and I have filed due process on my own before as well. It was the only way to force the school to do what was appropriate. If not, I was stuck and would have ended up pulling my kid from the school and trying to homeschool. Ahhh, next we will not be allowed to teach our kids! there will be a law against impersonating a teacher, you wait! What nonsense. In the grand scheme of life, what a waste of precious time and money this is! I feel more inclined to write in support of these parents than before. Too bad the bar doesn't really do something to help kids (as if this is about the poor sped children and not their own need to be on top of the food chain.)

Totally disgusted! Yes, I would love to help push for changes in the law so sign me up and let's pray the bar doesn't know we know how to use a search engine on wrightslaw! lol.

Roxanna ô¿öAutism Happens

[Guest guest]

Just so everyone knows, I spoke with Aimee Gilman from SES today.

Her organization does do training on the unauthorized practice of law

(as it relates to special education matters). Her organization would

be willing to give the training again this fall. I think this would

be helpful for all parents (especially the advocates). I will be

talking to a few organizations about sponsoring such trainign.

>

>

> In a message dated 4/30/2006 8:16:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,

> rmaher1969@... writes:

>

> This is another attempt to bully parents to keep their nose out of

things

> and let the " professionals " do their work. We all have been made

to feel like

> speed bumps in the IEP process at one time or another, this case

is another

> example of this tactic.

>

>

> I agree. The worst part is the comment made in the article:

<<Harvey said

> special education laws are so complex that children need experts,

not

> untrained

> parents, looking out for their rights. >>

>

> Boy that really rankles! lol. So complex????? Is this like

brain

> surgery????? I think not!

>

> Nothing like putting parents down like we are morons. The truth

is, this

> isn't rocket science. While I am not saying lawyers aren't

important or that

> they don't have a place here, I think forcing parents to hire one

everytime we

> have a disagreement with the school system elevates the job to a

status it

> does not deserve. Parents are not dummies and we can read, some

of us even

> missed our calling, lol. Obviously, the parents in this lawsuit

are able to

> piece together a case very nicely! And if they choose to go this

route, then

> they have every right to do so. To require that we hire

attorney's is

> ridiculous and would not afford parents any due process rights at

all making it more

> of joke than it already is. Those who can afford lawyers will be

the only

> ones who receive FAPE for their kids. Until the day that schools

are required

> to provide us an attorney, it will never be fair or free. It

isn't free

> already as it is. The money we've already spent trying to get the

F in FAPE is

> A LOT OF MONEY!

>

> I am also afraid that this will ruin all avenues of advocacy for

kids with

> special needs. A lot of people advocate for kids and they are NOT

lawyers.

> I've gone to a number of IEPs for other people and we have

discussed the IDEA

> and what it says. Does this now make me a criminal? At our last

autism

> meeting, I put together the power point for ESY. It is not rocket

science, as I

> said. You can read and compile information from a variety of

sources and

> come up with a nice outline for this. I've gone to meetings given

by the Ohio

> Coalition people - who are not lawyers. They tell people how to

get services,

> how to advocate...you can get information from their website on

these issues

> as well. Are all these now outlawed? Or will the " bar " decide to

allow

> some folks to advocate but not others? I'm sure they won't be

agreeing to let

> " untrained " parents be advocates.

>

> As was stated in another post, we are all a group/a community. We

share

> everything - tips, tricks, ideas, support. Unlike lawyers and

teacher and

> therapists, we are here in special education because we HAVE to

be, not because we

> decided this would be a fun way to spend our free time. We have

no money

> for lawyers. I know, I've paid lawyers before for sped services!

I've been in

> sped for 20 years now after having been dragged in by force. This

is NOT

> what I wanted to do with my life! But I can read and I can apply

logic and I

> have filed due process on my own before as well. It was the only

way to force

> the school to do what was appropriate. If not, I was stuck and

would have

> ended up pulling my kid from the school and trying to homeschool.

Ahhh, next

> we will not be allowed to teach our kids! there will be a law

against

> impersonating a teacher, you wait! What nonsense. In the grand

scheme of life,

> what a waste of precious time and money this is! I feel more

inclined to write

> in support of these parents than before. Too bad the bar doesn't

really do

> something to help kids (as if this is about the poor sped children

and not

> their own need to be on top of the food chain.)

>

> Totally disgusted! Yes, I would love to help push for changes in

the law so

> sign me up and let's pray the bar doesn't know we know how to use

a search

> engine on wrightslaw! lol.

>

>

> Roxanna ô¿ö

> Autism Happens

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/3/2006 10:22:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, zielinski@... writes:

FYI.In a statement to the Cleveland Bar Association members, the Cleveland Bar announced that it was no longer pursuing the matter.

Yes!

Roxanna ô¿ôDon't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive.

[Guest guest]

That's great Debbie that parents will now be assisted better with legal matters.

~ n

In a message dated 5/7/06 2:10:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time, zielinski@... writes:

The bar association has requested me (and other attorneys) to become part of a task force to address the legal issues parents face in advocating for their special needs children.

Thanks.

Debbie