WA residents -- IDEA Rapid Response Network (RRN)

[Guest guest]

URGENT ACTION ALERT!

>From the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)

preserveIDEA@... <mailto:preserveIDEA@...>

IDEA Rapid Response Network (RRN)

Action Alert #A12 May 4, 2004

Action Alert #A11 has been very successful; the Senate has received hundreds

of letters from

parents telling Congress that enforcement is key to IDEA and that the

current lack of enforcement

and compliance hurts our children.

We write again to urge you to keep these letters pouring in. There are

rumors on the Hill that

officials from the State of Washington are pushing the National Governors

Association agenda to

relieve states of enforcement requirements. So it's especially important

that parents and

advocates who know examples from WASHINGTON STATE write to Senators

Cantwell and Patty Murray

as well as to Senator Ted Kennedy of the HELP Committee to let them know how

important enforcement

is to families.

IT IS CRITICAL THAT PARENTS' VOICES BE HEARD IN WASHINGTON. The Senators

can use the examples we

send in our letters in their floor speeches when the Senate debates S. 1248.

ACTION NEEDED:

Write a letter to say that THERE MUST BE STRONG AND EFFECTIVE MONITORING AND

ENFORCEMENT OF IDEA BY

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, and there should be NO AMENDMENTS TO THE ATTORNEY

FEES PROVISION.

Each story should start with " WHY ENFORCEMENT OF THE IDEA IS NECESSARY. "

Tell your child's story. If you have had to use an attorney, include how

that came about, how your

concerns were resolved and through what means, and why it is important to

keep the current attorney

fees provisions.

Send faxed or emailed letters to Senator Ted Kennedy.

Sen. M. Kennedy

Fax: 202-224-2417

Email: connie_garner@...

<mailto:connie_garner@...>

Letters to Senators from the state of Washington should also be sent to:

Sen. Cantwell

Fax: 202-228-0514

Email: Use the web form at http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html

<http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html>

Sen. Patty Murray

Fax: 202-224-0238

Email: Use the web form at http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

<http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm>

Please also send a copy to preserveIDEA@...

<mailto:preserveIDEA@...> or fax to 510-841-8645. You may also want

to

copy the Senators from your own state who represent you.

LET THE SENATORS KNOW THAT IT IS AN OUTRAGE TO STRIP PARENTS OF THE LITTLE

HELP THAT IS NOW

AVAILABLE.

SCHEDULE FOR SENATE BILL 1248: The bill may come to the Senate floor at any

time, but probably not

before next week, so THERE IS STILL TIME TO WRITE.

TO JOIN THE RRN: Visit www.dredf.org <http://www.dredf.org> and complete

our online subscription form. Earlier Briefings

can also be found on our website: www.dredf.org <http://www.dredf.org> . We

now have nearly 4000 subscribers.

WHOSE IDEA IS IT ANYWAY?

PRICE REDUCED-THE IDEA T-SHIRT: Wear a bright red IDEA and advertise your

support of special

education and civil rights for students with disabilities!

A red light-bulb face with electric hair that spells out " Individuals with

Disabilities Education

Act " and the slogan, " Whose IDEA Is It, Anyway? " White, with red DREDF logo

on left sleeve and

purple SEIU logo on right sleeve.

Heavyweight 100% cotton, U.S. made and union printed, available in Youth

Large and Adult Large and

Extra Large sizes.

Shirts are $12, plus $2.50 postage and handling. Buy 3 or more for $10

each. We don't have the

capability to process online orders, but you can print out the order form

from our website:

http://www.dredf.org/ <http://www.dredf.org/> and send checks to DREDF,

2212 Sixth St., Berkeley, CA 94710. The order form

has an illustration of the shirt to check out also. Remember to specify

quantity and size.

We are also offering these shirts as a special thank you to individuals who

donate $100 or more for

our work.

SUPPORT DREDF: We need your support to continue our work on behalf of

children and adults with

disabilities and their families. Please add DREDF to your giving list (and

remember that a gift of

$100 or more brings you a free IDEA T-shirt. Details below).

For your convenience (but not required), our website has a form

( http://www.dredf.org/rrn/donation_form.html

<http://www.dredf.org/rrn/donation_form.html> ) you can fill out to mail

along with your

contribution. Our mailing address is:

DREDF

2212 Sixth Street

Berkeley, CA 94710

DREDF has 501© 3 non-profit status, and your gifts to us are fully

tax-deductible.

DREDF has been advocating for children and adults for almost 25 years as a

national law and policy

center. We were a leader in developing and ensuring the passage of the ADA,

and we have been

working continuously over the last 18 months to monitor the IDEA

reauthorization process and to

keep parents informed. We helped to organize the successful rally in

Washington in June 2003, and

our attorneys and policy analysts are working closely with members of

Congress while our Director

of Government Affairs works on the Hill to ensure that the voices of parents

are heard. In

addition, we have current projects on access to voting places and equipment,

access to healthcare

services, long-term care community-based supports, and transportation access

for people with

disabilities, as well as several international disability law initiatives.

Thanks from DREDF and the RRN Staff!