The State of the ESE Tyranny
I wish I had great news to share...
1:01 AM
My latest letter to Gov. Rick Scott, FL Dept of Education (Commissioner and Bureau Chief), Pinellas/Hillsborough County Schools (key administrators) and local media
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Parents continue to write to me, seeking help/support as they try to maneuver the reality of their child having an IEP and this most important legal tool - it is not being followed.
After 4yrs of my daughter being a student in Pinellas Cty -- the mess remains the same...
I've been able to help some families. Unfortunately I can't help all of them...
What is taking place?
-Teachers screaming at students
-Teachers lying to parents
-Teachers verbally abusing parents
-IEP teams lying to parents
-Principals lying to parents
-School staff will LIE and call internal transfers a McKay
-Lack of uniformity in processes being followed - what works in one school, not being done/tweaked and made it work in all schools
-Private ABA therapist -- under Sen. Gardiner's laws - it is legal they perform the therapy in the classroom -- Yet, parents are not being informed of this advantage or they are being lied to when parent requests it, stating it is not possible, it is disruptive to the classroom (Existing Precedent: Pinellas cty already has some middle and one elementary school that I know of - allowing an ABA Therapist in the classroom -- the elem. school one - parent fought intently after many lies and complete lack of professionalism from school personnel)
-Behavior Specialists that have no clue what to do with the students - what is done? keep the student outside of the classroom thus guaranteeing no academic/behavior gain is observed (and denial of an ABA based FBA)
-Parents are not receiving academic/behavior reports every 4.5 weeks as the law dictates
-Parents change schools, students has behavior plan in old school, new school says the student does not need a behavior plan (guess what: disaster strikes- student runs, mother runs behind student and parent is lied to as to what actually happened)
-Students need adaptive technology, parents make request, school denies
-Parents are being harassed (diverse reasons)
-Delay and finally, denial of services
-Inadequate methodology being used - academic and behavior
-Promoting transfers to other schools - particularly if the student has behavior issues - but the IEP team does not propose creating an ABA based FBA (like it was successfully done with my daughter)
-ESE students not being included in a variety of activities other students participate in (Clubs, shows)
-Lack of proper training of teachers
-Teachers not being allowed to teach
-ESE Assistants - not enough in most schools
-ESE Assistants leaving because they can't handle the lies and mistreatment of students
-Fighting parents who become aware of the law and school/district personnel presents the most absurd arguments to avoid fulfilling the law and student's needs
-County not liking to find out parents are being informed of their kid's rights thru various meetings held by organizations/businesses -- because supposedly it is overwhelming the system
More details/realities/disasters? Feel free to add on to this list...
Schools for which I have first hand details --
Lake St George, San Jose Elem., Forest Lakes, Carwise, Dunedin Elem/Middle.
There are many more as all of you know.
* I have not listed the violations done to students in a household where English is the second language - multiply the above list by 5!
Each ESE students represents between $8-25K to each school.
That is a lot of money to have such a mess.
This is abuse.
All of you know it.
It has to stop.
--
YADIRA V. Calderon
cc: Governor Rick Scott
* 9hrs later - I received this response from
Monica Verra-Tirado (ESE Bureau Chief)
Mrs. Calderon,
We appreciate your passion and continued advocacy for students and families. Please encourage parents who contact you ( with concerns that they believe are not able to be resolved locally) to contact me directly. We want to ensure that they are aware of the continuum of resolution options that are available to them at the state and local level.
Sincerely,
Monica Verra-Tirado
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 614 Phone: 850-245-0475 Fax: 850-245-0953
Monica.Verra-Tirado@fldoe.org
* 10:42 AM - My response to the above e-mail:
Ms Verra-Tirado
Thank you for your response.
Most certainly I will tell parents to contact you and the Governor.
Please, do not tell them to write complaints.
They are already complaining. They have put it in writing. Their complaints are ignored and parents are being treated like criminals for presenting the truth.
Also, the complaint process delays students' progress. Most instances, time is wasted and everything stays the same.
Example : a parent hires an advocate, tons added to the IEP but the IEP is not followed.
FLDOE knows what the problems are.
What is needed is the immediate correction, repair of the horrors and IDEA, FAPE and LRE violations occuring at district level.
You have the power to change that...
Yadira
Parent - This is your clue...
Write your letters. Present reality, facts. Keep track of your child's needs/changes/improvements.
The door has always been opened to inform Tallahassee of your reality.
Don't delay!
