Retaliation Rising In The Ranks

Goader has written an interesting commentary on retaliation in the workplace of the public education system. One part of the puzzle that he is correct about is that the action of retaliation occurs long before the person being retaliated against becomes aware of the true picture. I think it is interesting that parents of children with disabilites have been crying foul for many years.

The Etiology of Workplace Retaliation : EsKay:

"No doubt, the future victim of retaliation did something that the retaliator perceived as threatening to his or her self-esteem."

As a parent of a child with a disability, I am here today because of the acts of retaliation that occurred to my son, my wife, me and school employees of all levels who "sided" with my son. The definition of "sided" would include personal and business relationships and supporting my advocating for an appropriate educational setting for my son in the many different settings he was in from 1990 until he graduated.

I would offer two other underlying reasons for a retaliator to act. One would be when the false image of the system is being attacked. Anyone who dares to speak out about the truth that would wreck the system is assuredly placed on the proverbial chopping block. The other type of retaliation I would identify is when nepotism is being thwarted. Prove me wrong.

It is quite possible that both forms of these types of retaliation have been culturally grown, one being a survival tool and one being born of arrogance.


What may have made the difference in the outcomes for my kid would have been that I followed Lee's advice:

Lee Drury De Cesare's Casting-Room Couch:

"Hop up and down, complain, bitch, moan, gripe, and boohoo. Keep the spotlight on you. Don't be afraid of looking ridiculous. Ridiculous works. Don’t let the villains get a word in edgewise. lee"

One would have to read the 434 + - posts I have written to grasp the many different things I did to advocate for my son. I had already followed the chain of command and learned that the rungs on that ladder were slippery and some were broken. Early of 1997, I found out that I could purchase a school directory if I went to the second floor of the ROSSAC building. I did so, and I think I paid $6.00 for it. I went through this tome and picked out the names of every division head of a department and every name of someone that had a title associated with special education. In the end there were 169 names and addresses. I wrote a two page letter outlining my concerns about the system, and mailed them off.

Out of the 169 letters, I received two responses. One was an anonymous letter with the address and phone number to the Atlanta Office of Civil Rights. The other was a phone call from a man who wanted to know why I had sent this letter to him. Interestingly, this man and I crossed paths again years later as he had moved up the ladder. The fact that he knew I wasn't just blowing smoke and that I understood more about the game than he did may have worked to my advantage.

Learn the rules, take what they give you and use it to your advantage and be as visible as you can be. It might work.