needing Flanders-not anymore!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/14/2006 6:18:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

pcknott@... writes:

I met a lady who had his business card and had it taped on the inside of her

notebook where she kept all her records of dealings with the schools. If an

IEP meeting got heated, she would put a document on the top of the stack and

turn the notebook toward whichever particular speducrat was giving her a hard

time, ostensibly to show some document to them and once they saw his card

taped to the inside cover they would get much more reasonable. Instantly. She

had done this for over 5 or 6 years. I had some of his cards so I gave her a

shiny new one in case she needed it in future!

This just made me laugh. It's amazing how just using the word " lawyer " can

make such a big difference during a CSE meeting (like an IEP team meeting but

with the heads of the district in addition to the usual cast of characters).

Our district never dealt directly with our lawyer, except to fax paperwork

over to him. I found one whose name was also known by the district, although

not nearly as well-known as these /Jons. Ours told me exactly what to say,

right up to the point of handing the CSE Chairman his business card and

letting them know that after 10 am the next day, he would be handling

everything

for us. We would no longer be available except through him. (It was summer, we

were leaving for South Dakota and we going to be gone for three weeks.)

Everything was settled by 5 pm that afternoon. LOL

Tish -- I am SO glad everything got sorted out so fast. But be ready, they

may play this game again. Or a new one. A good lawyer, or just the threat of

one is always a good resource!

Since you're on vacation, I agree about a celebratory drink but I'd have a

good Belgian-style beer. (grin)

Best -- Jill.

[Guest guest]

Funny how just the mere mention of a layer and due process put things into

action.

I really didn't want to do this on my vacation, I am in Smuggler's Notch in VT

having a great time, but I finally caved in last night and sent a desperate

email to the director of special services in our school system...the same person

who has been ignoring me all all summer, the same person who abused me in the

last IEP meeting, the same person who agreed to pay for an evalution by

Soundbridge and then when they had made recommendations, she didn't want to hear

it... and in this email I said that if Soundbridge did not hear back from her by

Monday July 17, I would be persuing my legal options next. And I cc'd her boss,

the superintendent of schools.

Well, guess what? Soundbridge was contacted within a few hours, and Bobby can

get the services he needs through Soundbridge for the sumer and for the school

year . Everything we wanted. Just like that.

, the virtual attorney, you're great!

Trish

[Guest guest]

We have a " " here in GA. Meaning a terrific lawyer who knows hearing loss

and specializes in special ed. His name is Jon Zimring and he was instrumental

in the Olmstead Supreme Court Case, acted as the guardian ad litem for the

plaintiffs. (Big stuff if you are into disability law). He was our lawyer for

our due process. Can't say enough good about the man. I met a lady who had

his business card and had it taped on the inside of her notebook where she kept

all her records of dealings with the schools. If an IEP meeting got heated,

she would put a document on the top of the stack and turn the notebook toward

whichever particular speducrat was giving her a hard time, ostensibly to show

some document to them and once they saw his card taped to the inside cover they

would get much more reasonable. Instantly. She had done this for over 5 or 6

years. I had some of his cards so I gave her a shiny new one in case she needed

it in future!

But this sure burns me up. You shouldn't need a lawyer just so your kid can get

what he needs. Especially when you have a state funded agency that is willing

and able and exists solely to " do the right thing. " And probably costs nothing

and already has a funding set up in place for area districts. Your schools know

full well they don't have any clue what they were doing with Bobby. So you won,

and you won well. And quickly. The quickness is the most important - for

Bobby's education and life AND your sanity. So celebrate - you earned it! Give

that dear little boy a huge hug and have a margarita!! Congratulations.

[Guest guest]

Jill...

Thanks. I will have a drink, tough I know the battle is just beginning. If

this is only about kindergarten, I can only hope this person retires or leave

her position by the time Bobby hits high school. But at least we've set the

precident that we are not fooling around and that we certainly do know what we

are talking about. The people from soundbridge assured me that I will never

have to go into a PPT alone again, because I was so battered after the last one.

I just want to know that I am not alone. That is why this list is so important

to me.

But one up for us, and who knows how many more to go.

trish

>

> Tish -- I am SO glad everything got sorted out so fast. But be ready, they

> may play this game again. Or a new one. A good lawyer, or just the threat of

> one is always a good resource!

>

> Since you're on vacation, I agree about a celebratory drink but I'd have a

> good Belgian-style beer. (grin)

>

> Best -- Jill.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

wrote: " I met a lady who had his business card and had it taped on the

inside of her notebook where she kept all her records of dealings with the

schools. If an IEP meeting got heated, she would put a document on the top of

the stack and turn the notebook toward whichever particular speducrat was giving

her a hard time, ostensibly to show some document to them and once they saw his

card taped to the inside cover they would get much more reasonable. Instantly.

She had done this for over 5 or 6 years. I had some of his cards so I gave her a

shiny new one in case she needed it in future! "

I love it! Apparently, they know well in my shcool district and I think

having his name on a notebook where they can see it is a wonderful idea!

" So you won, and you won well. And quickly. The quickness is the most

important - for Bobby's education and life AND your sanity. So celebrate - you

earned it! Give that dear little boy a huge hug and have a margarita!!

Congratulations. "

A hug you have...and today is his 6th birthday. I just couldn't let it all go

until I came home because it was like a birthday gift from me to him, to not

give up. the one big lesson from all of this for me is to have to stand up for

myself. But I do know, this is only the beginning, and I feel lucky that it did

work so quickly this time. I don't look forward to doing this every time I deal

with another change. Eventually it wil come to more than name dropping, but at

least I know I am not crazy and that Bobby has a disability which gives him

certain rights to be protected. God help these poor kids who have a less clear

cut disability.

But at least I have Soundbridge on my side with this one, and the AV therapist

he will be working with is supposed to be outrageous.

Trish

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/14/2006 10:34:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

chester2001@... writes:

God help these poor kids who have a less clear cut disability.

Or parents who don't know how to fight for them. You should be giving

yourself a pat on the back here as well as having a drink.

Best -- Jill

[Guest guest]

Sheesh - I go away for one lousy weekend and solve your problem

without even knowing about it. How am I supposed to bill for this? ;-)

JMF

>

> Jill...

>

> Thanks. I will have a drink, tough I know the battle is just

beginning. If this is only about kindergarten, I can only hope this

person retires or leave her position by the time Bobby hits high

school. But at least we've set the precident that we are not fooling

around and that we certainly do know what we are talking about. The

people from soundbridge assured me that I will never have to go into a

PPT alone again, because I was so battered after the last one. I just

want to know that I am not alone. That is why this list is so

important to me.

>

> But one up for us, and who knows how many more to go.

>

> trish

> >

> > Tish -- I am SO glad everything got sorted out so fast. But be

ready, they

> > may play this game again. Or a new one. A good lawyer, or just the

threat of

> > one is always a good resource!

> >

> > Since you're on vacation, I agree about a celebratory drink but

I'd have a

> > good Belgian-style beer. (grin)

> >

> > Best -- Jill.

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/14/2006 2:22:26 P.M. Central Standard Time,

chester2001@... writes:

Well, guess what? Soundbridge was contacted within a few hours, and Bobby

can get the services he needs through Soundbridge for the sumer and for the

school year . Everything we wanted. Just like that.

Trish,

Glad that all went well! You were able to kick back and enjoy the rest of

your vacation, I hope?

I attended an IEP a couple weeks ago that turned into a five hour deal. By

the third hour, we finally got the director to agree to the parents' desired

placement and I left that IEP drenched in sweat!

Putz

Illinois Families for Hands & Voices

_www.handsandvoices.org_ (http://www.handsandvoices.org/)

_www.ilhandsandvoices.org_ (http://www.ilhandsandvoices.org/)

Email: support@...

[Guest guest]

Send the bill to Region 15! It'll give them a taste of what will happen if

they try to pull this again in the fall.

PS, you were right, Ellen walks on water!

Trish

Re: needing Flanders-not anymore!

Sheesh - I go away for one lousy weekend and solve your problem

without even knowing about it. How am I supposed to bill for this? ;-)

JMF