Re: Bush on S.1248

[Guest guest]

The White House strongly supports H.R.1350. The things that are decent in

S.1248 are the things Bush doesn't support (such as better enforcement). Just

FYI. I saw a longer statement from the White House on the passage of S.1248

(can't remember where I saw it), and it made this clear to me. Too bad!

Sandy, Illinois (alpy2@...)

Volunteer Co-Webmaster, www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com (IDEA reauthorization)

[Guest guest]

Hey-- I just thought of an idea, but I don't know how effective it

would be...

Has anyone else been getting the popups or advertisements within

these very Group pages about Bush being passionate about

Education, and the president is too?

Follow me on this one-- why not bombard Bush's email/website?

If she truly considers herself a consummate educator and having the

president's ear on this one, why not hit her with some re-education

about these very issues? That is her big platform, why not hit her

with some of this stuff?

I just find it ironic that here we are, as one of many groups upset

about this vote, and yet being simultaneously bombarded with ads on

the sidelines of these messages with Mrs. Bush saying how passionate

she is with education and let me tell you why.

What does everyone think of that kind of writing/calling campaign?

Just an idea....

le (mom to Drew, 2.11 yrs. apraxic, DSI and hypotonia, and

learned to read the word NO recently! ;-) )

> The White House strongly supports H.R.1350. The things that are

decent in

> S.1248 are the things Bush doesn't support (such as better

enforcement). Just

> FYI. I saw a longer statement from the White House on the passage

of S.1248

> (can't remember where I saw it), and it made this clear to me. Too

bad!

>

> Sandy, Illinois (alpy2@a...)

> Volunteer Co-Webmaster, www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com (IDEA

reauthorization)

[Guest guest]

EXCELLENT idea, le........count me in and can someone get that web

address?

~k

[Guest guest]

Bush was a teacher, and that actually may be part of the

problem.

I think that some of this bill is to " help " teachers. They believe

that reducing paperwork, helps the teacher.

Teachers/educators are have different opinions than us parents of

special needs children.

> > The White House strongly supports H.R.1350. The things that are

> decent in

> > S.1248 are the things Bush doesn't support (such as better

> enforcement). Just

> > FYI. I saw a longer statement from the White House on the

passage

> of S.1248

> > (can't remember where I saw it), and it made this clear to me.

Too

> bad!

> >

> > Sandy, Illinois (alpy2@a...)

> > Volunteer Co-Webmaster, www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com (IDEA

> reauthorization)

[Guest guest]

Well, that was kind of my point, Suzi.

I am the oldest child of a parent who still is, to this day, a

consumate educator. My father is officially " retired " (after 35+

years in education), but he is now an instructor at a major teaching

university here in NJ where he is actually the advisor to student

teachers, as well as being an instructor at a local community college

teaching history. I also have a girlfriend who just finished getting

masters credits in order to certify to teach from the same

university. Both are VERY aware of kids who have IEPs or 504s. I know

during her student teaching, my girlfriend went out of her way for

the kids who had IEPs in place, and even her supervising principal

noticed when doing evaluations. My father even told me about how he

had to work with parents as a school administrator where he had to

make sure that IEPs were being enforced, or act as a mediator between

teachers and parents if there were discrepancies. This is one reason

that he came to my first IEP 2 months ago, and he was able to pull

some stuff on the Child Study Team that they didn't expect, because

he knows educational law better than almost anyone I know short of

being an educational attorney (and knowing him, he's put a few of

them in their place,too.)

You have to remember that not everyone is cut out to be a teacher,

and yes, there are those who don't " get it " with special needs kids.

But there are plenty who are with the program, or can easily get on

the program if guided.

But if Mrs. Bush is as compassionate about children and education as

she claims, then she really IS a person to target, and say, " Don't

you remember the kids that had dyslexia, or speech problems, and they

tried really hard, and you were supposed to be helping them? And you

expect them to be able to hold the same standard and not get any

assistance in holding that same standard? " . If she's as

compassionate as she claims she-- and her husband-- are, then perhaps

she can be " gently reminded " of that. Sometimes when you are out of

the business, you forget things.

In some cases, I've even seen with my son's EI that sometimes there

are too many regulations and paperwork involved, and I can respect

wanting to reduce that, but it's evident, especially to all of us,

that they are missing the point. Think about it...if you didn't have

a special needs child, wouldn't this " No Child Left Behind " idea

sound a little bit attractive? I admit it would to me. But if

someone pointed out to me-- as this group has-- " Hey, wait a minute,

so the kids with learning disabilities and special needs are held to

the same standards then? " , I think I'd quickly rethink the issue and

realize that it's not a balance program to do this, as I have learned

here-- that's just plain common sense and logic. (Not that I have

agreed with a lot of the " logic " of this administration, but don't

get me started on that...another arena.)

This is again, part of the reason to appeal to the First Lady. If

she really is passionate about education, then she can't forget those

kids who needed a little more help, or a lot more help. She needs a

very strong reminder of the true gruntwork of being a teacher, and

that's to include ALLLLLLLLLLLLL the children of the US, not exclude

any.

Hope this clarifies my suggestion to write to her.

le (mom to Drew, 2.11 yrs, apraxia, DSI, hypotonia and daughter

to Walt D., Drew's Poppy who is more passionate about education than

anyone I know.)

> Bush was a teacher, and that actually may be part of the

> problem.

>

> I think that some of this bill is to " help " teachers. They believe

> that reducing paperwork, helps the teacher.

>

> Teachers/educators are have different opinions than us parents of

> special needs children.