Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Found Under "Retaliation" Label
I see Lee is wanting to look at the Whitehead case that went to Federal court.
Here is the Final Order.
See how many times you can find how the District obfuscated, flat out lied and basically retaliated against the parents for advocating for their son. See how they dug themselves in deeper protecting one bad move after another.
The jury award was substantially reduced by the judge. Imagine that.
What is more interesting is to read the depositions given by the Board members, who repeated stated they knew nothing of the case, yet kept voting for it to be continued.
Wrightslaw - The Division of Administrative Hearings: "State of Florida
The Division of Administrative Hearings
Special Education Hearing
Andrew K. Whitehead, et.al, Petitioner,
v.
Hillsborough County Sch. Bd. Respondent.
No. 93-4021E"
Here is the Final Order.
See how many times you can find how the District obfuscated, flat out lied and basically retaliated against the parents for advocating for their son. See how they dug themselves in deeper protecting one bad move after another.
The jury award was substantially reduced by the judge. Imagine that.
What is more interesting is to read the depositions given by the Board members, who repeated stated they knew nothing of the case, yet kept voting for it to be continued.
Wrightslaw - The Division of Administrative Hearings: "State of Florida
The Division of Administrative Hearings
Special Education Hearing
Andrew K. Whitehead, et.al, Petitioner,
v.
Hillsborough County Sch. Bd. Respondent.
No. 93-4021E"
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Spare The Responsible Entities And Spoil The Child
Goader writes:
We-The-People Know Best for Florida - Evanescent Commentary - Goader: "It’s as though the people representing us are deciding how they want to run Florida with little or no regard to what their constituents want."
I have attempted three or four comments on Goader's blog, but they aren't showing up, so I will comment here.
It seems like I read the Communist goals for America a long time ago, but a recent Tribune post brought my attention to them. Read them all, and see how many of them you think have already been accomplished, and how many are getting near.
The other day, I commented on Goader's blog how I thought that our government agencies, which includes schools, take over parenting instead of channeling parental responsibility.
Bad parent? The government makes it easy for them to shun their parental responsibility. Free food and free school lunch along with minimal housing payments go hand in hand with the latest electronic gadget for the whole family, and don't forget the latest shoes, rims, TV and lawn ornanment, be it urban or rural.
Bad parent? The system deals with the kid, not the parent. The system spends money on all types of resources chasing the kid, but doesn't have the money to get past no-returned phone calls and messages to the parent. The system spends huge amounts of money to provide food, clothing if needed, a full continuum of reproductive safeguards from prevention to elimination without parental notice. The system spends huge amounts of money on juvenile justice from pick-any-name suspension to serious threats of if-you-do-this-one-more-time you are going to really be in trouble.
I frequently use the caveat that when a problem rests with the proper person, the problem will be dealt with properly. Otherwise, the buck is passed more than a forest full of out-of-heat does and everybody can blame somebody as long as nobody makes anybody responsible.
Not surprisingly, the Communist goals cover it:
Perhaps an answer to Goaders question du jour can be found here:
We-The-People Know Best for Florida - Evanescent Commentary - Goader: "It’s as though the people representing us are deciding how they want to run Florida with little or no regard to what their constituents want."
I have attempted three or four comments on Goader's blog, but they aren't showing up, so I will comment here.
It seems like I read the Communist goals for America a long time ago, but a recent Tribune post brought my attention to them. Read them all, and see how many of them you think have already been accomplished, and how many are getting near.
The other day, I commented on Goader's blog how I thought that our government agencies, which includes schools, take over parenting instead of channeling parental responsibility.
Bad parent? The government makes it easy for them to shun their parental responsibility. Free food and free school lunch along with minimal housing payments go hand in hand with the latest electronic gadget for the whole family, and don't forget the latest shoes, rims, TV and lawn ornanment, be it urban or rural.
Bad parent? The system deals with the kid, not the parent. The system spends money on all types of resources chasing the kid, but doesn't have the money to get past no-returned phone calls and messages to the parent. The system spends huge amounts of money to provide food, clothing if needed, a full continuum of reproductive safeguards from prevention to elimination without parental notice. The system spends huge amounts of money on juvenile justice from pick-any-name suspension to serious threats of if-you-do-this-one-more-time you are going to really be in trouble.
I frequently use the caveat that when a problem rests with the proper person, the problem will be dealt with properly. Otherwise, the buck is passed more than a forest full of out-of-heat does and everybody can blame somebody as long as nobody makes anybody responsible.
Not surprisingly, the Communist goals cover it:
Communist Goals (1963): "40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents."
Perhaps an answer to Goaders question du jour can be found here:
Communist Goals (1963):
"32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc."
17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Public School Systems Live By The Numbers
It has been a while since I have mocked the numbers that school systems use to justify their existence and importance. Just check out the label "numbers."
Ms. Sherri Akerman from The Tribune dutifully reports a number provided by our local education agency as the headline of her report. As I was reading the public comments, I started to wonder what type of number all involved were really smoking.
My averaged number crunch based on reported absentee rate by others: 72.5%
Roll your own:
Beth Hamaker , Steinbrenner - her son told her no more than 250 of 1,100 students reported for class - 77.27%
Posted by (jmk22) on 04/02/2010 at 03:32 pm. - 55%
Posted by (silver_springs77) on 04/02/2010 at 04:21 pm.: "I only had a total of about 3-5 students in any one of my classes" ?%
Posted by (mrtdm1) on 04/02/2010 at 04:50 pm. "My Grand daughter is in the IB program at Hillsborough. She said she had at the most 5 to 10 kids in her classes. One homeroom had 1 child show." ?%
Posted by (wanna) on 04/02/2010 at 07:38 pm. :"I know at the high school today where I subbed - it had 235 out of 1610 students" 85.40%
(historyteacher) on 04/02/2010 at 07:42 pm.: "To those comments who suggest that it should have been a normal day for students in the classroom I would like to add that I wish it could have been too, but when you have three students in a class normally of 24 you are really left with no option. " 87.5%
(historyteacher) on 04/02/2010 at 07:42 pm.: "My school had over 50% of students stay home." 50%+
Posted by (Gigi1182) on 04/02/2010 at 07:43 pm.: "Freedom High school's enrollment is 1900. 400 of them showed up today." 78.95%
Posted by (unvme) on 04/02/2010 at 07:46 pm.: "I am a teacher in Hillsborough county and while my attendance was between 4 and 9 students per class,.." ?%
Making the PRO looking like he understands the game: "Posted by (pvmichaels) on 04/02/2010 at 08:31 pm.
The 42% is totally wrong! We, at my school, didn't take attendance the normal way (which is by the computer). I think some students weren't counted as being absent to make the number of students at school look better!"
Posted by (hiphugger67) on 04/02/2010 at 08:42 pm. "I went into school for 1st period... where there were 3 other kids in my class. I had 2 teachers come into my classroom, one of which had 1 student present, and the other who had no students present. That's not 42%!" ?% and 100% (absent)
Posted by (historyteacher) on 04/02/2010 at 09:01 pm.: "To janeyouignorantslot - I believe you assumed that I did not teach today - In fact I along with my students (35/121).. " 71.07%
Posted by (reptaddict) on 04/02/2010 at 10:10 pm.: "One last comment. I visited my son's high school today. The absentee rate had to be at least 75%, and that's being generous. It may very well have been worse."
Ms. Sherri Akerman from The Tribune dutifully reports a number provided by our local education agency as the headline of her report. As I was reading the public comments, I started to wonder what type of number all involved were really smoking.
42% absentee rate reported in Hillsborough schools today:
My averaged number crunch based on reported absentee rate by others: 72.5%
Roll your own:
Beth Hamaker , Steinbrenner - her son told her no more than 250 of 1,100 students reported for class - 77.27%
Posted by (jmk22) on 04/02/2010 at 03:32 pm. - 55%
Posted by (silver_springs77) on 04/02/2010 at 04:21 pm.: "I only had a total of about 3-5 students in any one of my classes" ?%
Posted by (mrtdm1) on 04/02/2010 at 04:50 pm. "My Grand daughter is in the IB program at Hillsborough. She said she had at the most 5 to 10 kids in her classes. One homeroom had 1 child show." ?%
Posted by (wanna) on 04/02/2010 at 07:38 pm. :"I know at the high school today where I subbed - it had 235 out of 1610 students" 85.40%
(historyteacher) on 04/02/2010 at 07:42 pm.: "To those comments who suggest that it should have been a normal day for students in the classroom I would like to add that I wish it could have been too, but when you have three students in a class normally of 24 you are really left with no option. " 87.5%
(historyteacher) on 04/02/2010 at 07:42 pm.: "My school had over 50% of students stay home." 50%+
Posted by (Gigi1182) on 04/02/2010 at 07:43 pm.: "Freedom High school's enrollment is 1900. 400 of them showed up today." 78.95%
Posted by (unvme) on 04/02/2010 at 07:46 pm.: "I am a teacher in Hillsborough county and while my attendance was between 4 and 9 students per class,.." ?%
Making the PRO looking like he understands the game: "Posted by (pvmichaels) on 04/02/2010 at 08:31 pm.
The 42% is totally wrong! We, at my school, didn't take attendance the normal way (which is by the computer). I think some students weren't counted as being absent to make the number of students at school look better!"
Posted by (hiphugger67) on 04/02/2010 at 08:42 pm. "I went into school for 1st period... where there were 3 other kids in my class. I had 2 teachers come into my classroom, one of which had 1 student present, and the other who had no students present. That's not 42%!" ?% and 100% (absent)
Posted by (historyteacher) on 04/02/2010 at 09:01 pm.: "To janeyouignorantslot - I believe you assumed that I did not teach today - In fact I along with my students (35/121).. " 71.07%
Posted by (reptaddict) on 04/02/2010 at 10:10 pm.: "One last comment. I visited my son's high school today. The absentee rate had to be at least 75%, and that's being generous. It may very well have been worse."
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Leave It To An ESE Teacher To Conceptualize The Nuts (Poker Reference, for you sex-first thinkers)
I try to connect the dots.
Goader has this post:Reprint: Bonus (Performance) Pay – Shmonus Pay « Goader: "Basing a teacher’s bonus pay on a group of students’ standardized test scores, makes as much sense as basing the bonus pay of a basketball shoe salesman on how many points are scored by players wearing his shoes in a particular game."
Someone who claims to be an ESE teacher named Jenny Myers has this comment over on The Gradebook: Florida & Tampa Bay schools blog - The Gradebook#comments: "I know a better plan....tell the parents that they can not get food stamps, government subsidizes housing, or free lunch for their children unless they master FCAT THEN you might have the support of us teachers!!!
Posted by: Jenny Myers- ESE Teacher | April 01, 2010 at 04:37 PM"
I can see the dots. Just trying to connect them.
To see the dots, one must remove themselves from "the forest" in order to see "the trees." Goader and I first "met" over a Tribune article in which he staunchly defended "teachers" over a comment that I had made that "attacked" "'teachers as part of the system'". It took a couple of years before we met face to face, which has only been once. We have verbally jousted throughout the years of blogging. I have said before that Goader was the impetus for me to learn blogging, as I wanted to "get into the ring of ideas."
This post from Goader got my attention: Bad-Mouthing Teachers and Unintended Consequences « Goader: "Rather than include teachers in a larger group of administrators, parents, and students, the rallying cry of our time is, “it’s the teachers’ fault.”"
What I find noteworthy, after several readings, is that Goader, in defending teachers, did not target another entity. He simply makes the point of why not include everyone. How many of us can say that we defend our position by not attacking or blaming "someone else?" Think about it.
How many of us "represent!!!!" at all costs, which includes no introspection?
What I find noteworthy is that Jenny ties responsibility and accountability together between parents, teachers and students.
When push comes to shove between "teachers and parents", I will push and shove like hell to represent parents. Just as teachers know how "bad" (generalization)parents can be (towards the system), I know how "bad" (generalization) teachers can be (as part of the system). However, to address the real problems within our education system, we must recognize what is real "throughout the forest."
In my response to Goader's post, I spoke to how many government agencies take over the responsibility of parenting, as opposed to teaching or training for accountability of parenting.
School systems, either by choice or coercion, take on many responsibilities of parenting. I think I can provide links to where the Hillsborough County School Board members have promoted providing food, clothes, transportation and sex behavior training. Apparently, if parents don't do their job, then the government agency takes it over. What kind of message is that to our students?
I submit that what is wrong with our public education system is a reflection on how responsibility and accountability is treated by the whole group of people who vote, or don't vote, in America.
Goader has this post:Reprint: Bonus (Performance) Pay – Shmonus Pay « Goader: "Basing a teacher’s bonus pay on a group of students’ standardized test scores, makes as much sense as basing the bonus pay of a basketball shoe salesman on how many points are scored by players wearing his shoes in a particular game."
Someone who claims to be an ESE teacher named Jenny Myers has this comment over on The Gradebook: Florida & Tampa Bay schools blog - The Gradebook#comments: "I know a better plan....tell the parents that they can not get food stamps, government subsidizes housing, or free lunch for their children unless they master FCAT THEN you might have the support of us teachers!!!
Posted by: Jenny Myers- ESE Teacher | April 01, 2010 at 04:37 PM"
I can see the dots. Just trying to connect them.
To see the dots, one must remove themselves from "the forest" in order to see "the trees." Goader and I first "met" over a Tribune article in which he staunchly defended "teachers" over a comment that I had made that "attacked" "'teachers as part of the system'". It took a couple of years before we met face to face, which has only been once. We have verbally jousted throughout the years of blogging. I have said before that Goader was the impetus for me to learn blogging, as I wanted to "get into the ring of ideas."
This post from Goader got my attention: Bad-Mouthing Teachers and Unintended Consequences « Goader: "Rather than include teachers in a larger group of administrators, parents, and students, the rallying cry of our time is, “it’s the teachers’ fault.”"
What I find noteworthy, after several readings, is that Goader, in defending teachers, did not target another entity. He simply makes the point of why not include everyone. How many of us can say that we defend our position by not attacking or blaming "someone else?" Think about it.
How many of us "represent!!!!" at all costs, which includes no introspection?
What I find noteworthy is that Jenny ties responsibility and accountability together between parents, teachers and students.
When push comes to shove between "teachers and parents", I will push and shove like hell to represent parents. Just as teachers know how "bad" (generalization)parents can be (towards the system), I know how "bad" (generalization) teachers can be (as part of the system). However, to address the real problems within our education system, we must recognize what is real "throughout the forest."
In my response to Goader's post, I spoke to how many government agencies take over the responsibility of parenting, as opposed to teaching or training for accountability of parenting.
School systems, either by choice or coercion, take on many responsibilities of parenting. I think I can provide links to where the Hillsborough County School Board members have promoted providing food, clothes, transportation and sex behavior training. Apparently, if parents don't do their job, then the government agency takes it over. What kind of message is that to our students?
I submit that what is wrong with our public education system is a reflection on how responsibility and accountability is treated by the whole group of people who vote, or don't vote, in America.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Hair Of The Dog
Joel Chandler has started a new blog named FOGWatch. Florida Open Government Watch.
What has intrigued me about the stories that Joel has shared regarding public records requests is how similar his experience has been to that of those who try to advocate for children with disabilities. You would have to read all of his posts on IAmTroublemaker and read all of the links that give first hand information how some public school officials disregard some of the laws that they are supposed to enforce to see what I am talking about.
Today, Joel has a blog post titled "Hair Trigger". Apparently, he has been accused of "filing law suits" at the drop of a dime, or maybe it it is at the drop of $23.50.
This accusation resonates with me because, in the past, I also have been accused of "always filing lawsuits" and belonging to an organization that "all they do is file lawsuits." Those people make false accusations because they are ignorant of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)and the procedural safeguards that are written into the regulations. "State Complaints" are not "lawsuits."
Similar to what Joel speaks directly to below, IDEA also has a provision that attorney fees can be awarded to a parent that brings a due process suit against a local education agency and "wins." Similar to what Joel speaks directly to below, in order to "win" your attorney fees, you must "file a lawsuit." If a parent goes to an attorney because there is a problem with the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), the parent is going to have to pay this lawyer. Up until the point that the parent actually wins the due process, they are paying on their own. Despite how "wrong" a school district is, they, the school systems, are not faced with having this additional cost of keeping their position. Most parents are pretty vocal about their anger towards school systems, and will inadvertently let the District know that they have finally had enough and are "going to sue", at which point the District can concede some point, which starts the process over again. In the mean time, the parent is paying out of pocket attempting to obtain what should be a "free and appropriate public education."
Parents and attorneys that have years of experience see that school systems treat parents and attorneys as suckers because no one likes to "file a lawsuit" at the drop of the dime, or is it the split of a hair?
The reason I choose to say that school systems treat parents and attorneys as suckers is found in Joel's very last sentence below: "the requester foots the bill for making the custodian do what they should have done in the first place."
What has intrigued me about the stories that Joel has shared regarding public records requests is how similar his experience has been to that of those who try to advocate for children with disabilities. You would have to read all of his posts on IAmTroublemaker and read all of the links that give first hand information how some public school officials disregard some of the laws that they are supposed to enforce to see what I am talking about.
Today, Joel has a blog post titled "Hair Trigger". Apparently, he has been accused of "filing law suits" at the drop of a dime, or maybe it it is at the drop of $23.50.
This accusation resonates with me because, in the past, I also have been accused of "always filing lawsuits" and belonging to an organization that "all they do is file lawsuits." Those people make false accusations because they are ignorant of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)and the procedural safeguards that are written into the regulations. "State Complaints" are not "lawsuits."
Similar to what Joel speaks directly to below, IDEA also has a provision that attorney fees can be awarded to a parent that brings a due process suit against a local education agency and "wins." Similar to what Joel speaks directly to below, in order to "win" your attorney fees, you must "file a lawsuit." If a parent goes to an attorney because there is a problem with the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), the parent is going to have to pay this lawyer. Up until the point that the parent actually wins the due process, they are paying on their own. Despite how "wrong" a school district is, they, the school systems, are not faced with having this additional cost of keeping their position. Most parents are pretty vocal about their anger towards school systems, and will inadvertently let the District know that they have finally had enough and are "going to sue", at which point the District can concede some point, which starts the process over again. In the mean time, the parent is paying out of pocket attempting to obtain what should be a "free and appropriate public education."
Parents and attorneys that have years of experience see that school systems treat parents and attorneys as suckers because no one likes to "file a lawsuit" at the drop of the dime, or is it the split of a hair?
The reason I choose to say that school systems treat parents and attorneys as suckers is found in Joel's very last sentence below: "the requester foots the bill for making the custodian do what they should have done in the first place."
Hair Trigger: "It may seem to the uninitiated that we have a bit of a hair trigger when it comes to public records litigation. After all, over the past couple of years we’ve filed an average of one public records lawsuit every other month.
Here’s the logic for our willingness to file lawsuits:
•Under Florida law, requesters who have been denied access to non-exempt records have no real recourse except to ask the courts to intervene.
•Under Florida law, requesters that take legal action against the custodian of a public record that violates FS 119, are entitled to legal fees and expenses if the case is settled in favor of public access.
•Under Florida law, financial liability does not attach to the custodian until a lawsuit has been filed.
•Under Florida law, if a requester hires an attorney to try and cajole the custodian of a public record to obey the law and the custodian complies before a suit is filed, the requester is left holding the bag for the legal expenses. This happens far too often. A private citizen seeks access to non-exempt records; the custodian of the records denies access; the requester hires an attorney to compel access; just before a lawsuit is filed the custodian complies with the law; the requester foots the bill for making the custodian do what they should have done in the first place."
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Citizens Have To Be Brave To Be Free - Public Agencies Just Have To Be Brazen And Not Follow Their Own Laws
The law says we, the citizens, have the burden:
The Rationale: "•According to the Governor’s Commission On Open Government Reform “In practice, the burden of enforcing violations of Florida’s open meetings and public records laws generally falls to citizens who have few alternatives other than seeking an injunction or filing suit in civil court to compel compliance.”"
Who watches us, the citizens, when we follow the law?
Joel Chandler writes:
Email to Gerald Bailey, Commissioner of the FDLE Regarding Suspected Abuse of FCIC/NCIC: ......."During our conversation I explained to Mr. Taveras that the ZPD inquiries of me in response to a public records request were not isolated events. Over the past eighteen months or so FCIC/NCIC has been accessed at least forty-three times by multiple agencies in order to run queries of my name. When the date and time stamps of those queries are compared to news reports about my public records advocacy and the public records requests a disturbing nexus becomes obvious. Of course, during this period of time I have not been the subject of a traffic stop or any other actual criminal investigation."
And then, there are those who watch from afar:
Everyone Is Welcome to Visit www.FOGWatch.org: "Here are some of our governmental visitors:
United States Senate, US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Energy, the National Security Agency (NSA), US Army Intelligence, US Naval Intelligence, Florida Department of Children and Families, City of New Port Richey, City of Zephyrhills, Broward County Public Schools, Florida Department of Health, City of Lakeland, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and of course one of our most frequent visitors, the Zephyrhills Police Department."
The Rationale: "•According to the Governor’s Commission On Open Government Reform “In practice, the burden of enforcing violations of Florida’s open meetings and public records laws generally falls to citizens who have few alternatives other than seeking an injunction or filing suit in civil court to compel compliance.”"
Who watches us, the citizens, when we follow the law?
Joel Chandler writes:
Email to Gerald Bailey, Commissioner of the FDLE Regarding Suspected Abuse of FCIC/NCIC: ......."During our conversation I explained to Mr. Taveras that the ZPD inquiries of me in response to a public records request were not isolated events. Over the past eighteen months or so FCIC/NCIC has been accessed at least forty-three times by multiple agencies in order to run queries of my name. When the date and time stamps of those queries are compared to news reports about my public records advocacy and the public records requests a disturbing nexus becomes obvious. Of course, during this period of time I have not been the subject of a traffic stop or any other actual criminal investigation."
And then, there are those who watch from afar:
Everyone Is Welcome to Visit www.FOGWatch.org: "Here are some of our governmental visitors:
United States Senate, US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Energy, the National Security Agency (NSA), US Army Intelligence, US Naval Intelligence, Florida Department of Children and Families, City of New Port Richey, City of Zephyrhills, Broward County Public Schools, Florida Department of Health, City of Lakeland, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and of course one of our most frequent visitors, the Zephyrhills Police Department."
Public Schools Are Part Of The System
Transparency is a word that seems to have fallen into the world of political obfuscation.
It is coming more and more obvious to me that the only entity that can, or will, create transparency and accountability of our public agencies.
Public agencies fight being transparent and accountable. Shutting up the public is one way they do it. They use some ingenious and strong acts to insure that the public shuts up.
The scary part is, our leaders of our public agencies abuse their power and authority when they don't like what citizens do, even when the citizens are doing exactly what our leaders of our public agencies should be knowledgeable of and supportive of.
Read this link, and make sure you read the link at the bottom where the Police Captain makes a report because the citizen received information that the Police Captain's agency freely gave the citizen after the agency refused to respond the a public records request.
For those who have ever had to deal with a public school system, this story seems all so real.
Captain Robert McKinney
It is coming more and more obvious to me that the only entity that can, or will, create transparency and accountability of our public agencies.
Public agencies fight being transparent and accountable. Shutting up the public is one way they do it. They use some ingenious and strong acts to insure that the public shuts up.
The scary part is, our leaders of our public agencies abuse their power and authority when they don't like what citizens do, even when the citizens are doing exactly what our leaders of our public agencies should be knowledgeable of and supportive of.
Read this link, and make sure you read the link at the bottom where the Police Captain makes a report because the citizen received information that the Police Captain's agency freely gave the citizen after the agency refused to respond the a public records request.
For those who have ever had to deal with a public school system, this story seems all so real.
Captain Robert McKinney
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Learn This: "Does It Matter?"
I don't know Joel Chandler, but I have written about him before. I haven't checked his website for a while, but for some reason I decided to check it yesterday. He hasn't posted anything for months, but he is back at it again.
One aspect of what Joel writes about resonates with me because of how some people within the Hillsborough County District Schools treated me over the years. If you read the recent set of Joel's blog entries, you will note that he tries to bring to light the issue of how at a least a few of those in power positions such as those who work in law enforcement and school systems seem to disrepect the laws and the citizens that they are supposed to be serving.
My understanding of what he writes is that he does not make a blanket condemnation of all of those who work within the system. However, the fact that the system seems to tolerate by rationalized reasons and lack of action those within the system that appear to be repeat offenders should give us cause to think that it matters.
What brought me to spend thousands of dollars and hours over a span of fifteen or more years of my life trying to advocate for my disabled child was being lied to and intimidated by those within the school system that had a cavalier attitude about the special education laws that they were supposed to be in compliance with.
I like the phrase that Joel uses when someone uses their position of assumed authority to ask questions that are aimed at intimidation more than fact finding. The question is, "Does it matter?".
To see first hand how Joel asks this question, watch the video found here:"...free enough....": "'...free enough....'"
After reading the other recent blog post's by Joel, it does give one reason to question the very ones that are sworn to uphold the law, and their own policies.
We should all be asking "Does It Matter?"!!!
One aspect of what Joel writes about resonates with me because of how some people within the Hillsborough County District Schools treated me over the years. If you read the recent set of Joel's blog entries, you will note that he tries to bring to light the issue of how at a least a few of those in power positions such as those who work in law enforcement and school systems seem to disrepect the laws and the citizens that they are supposed to be serving.
My understanding of what he writes is that he does not make a blanket condemnation of all of those who work within the system. However, the fact that the system seems to tolerate by rationalized reasons and lack of action those within the system that appear to be repeat offenders should give us cause to think that it matters.
What brought me to spend thousands of dollars and hours over a span of fifteen or more years of my life trying to advocate for my disabled child was being lied to and intimidated by those within the school system that had a cavalier attitude about the special education laws that they were supposed to be in compliance with.
I like the phrase that Joel uses when someone uses their position of assumed authority to ask questions that are aimed at intimidation more than fact finding. The question is, "Does it matter?".
Polk County Sheriff's Office Asks Odd Questions....:
"Within a couple of hours Public Information Officer Wood called to ask if I was a member of the media. I asked “Does it matter?” She replied “Yes, it does.” She went on to explain that many law enforcement records are exempt and that she needed to know if I was member of the press.
It is true that some LE records are exempt. The list is not as all encompassing as Ms. Wood was trying to make it sound.
I told her that I was making the request as a private citizen as provided by the Florida Constitution and FS 119. She again asked “Are you a member of the press? Are you a member of the print media or a news station in Tampa Bay?”
What possible difference would any of that make? The “Press” is not afforded some special set of public records privileges that the rest of us are not. To even ask seems inappropriate. I’m making a PRR because I can. That’s it. I’m not asking because I’m part of a group or because I make living in a certain way.
Public officials should not ask questions about the requester of a public record. They should do their job and produce the records. If that is too demanding then they should seek to change the law or find another line of work."
To see first hand how Joel asks this question, watch the video found here:"...free enough....": "'...free enough....'"
After reading the other recent blog post's by Joel, it does give one reason to question the very ones that are sworn to uphold the law, and their own policies.
We should all be asking "Does It Matter?"!!!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
How School Systems Can Spy On Bloggers
Maybe there are other ways to motivate school systems to get a computer to every desk.
Just think of the power and control that paranoid school administrators could maintain if they could track every word, and, which is what would be more important, be able to "verify" or "validate" the source of these words. Maintaining a strict learning environment without the distractions of negative ideas from students, parents, teachers and disenchanted administrators is paramount for those who see their world under attack.
Here is how one school system did it:
FBI Investigating School District Accused Of Secretly Activating Webcams Inside Students' Homes - cbs3.com: "Days after a student filed suit over the practice, Lower Merion officials acknowledged Friday that they remotely activated webcams 42 times in the past 14 months, but only to find missing student laptops. They insist they never did so to spy on students, as the student's family claimed in the federal lawsuit."
Just think of the power and control that paranoid school administrators could maintain if they could track every word, and, which is what would be more important, be able to "verify" or "validate" the source of these words. Maintaining a strict learning environment without the distractions of negative ideas from students, parents, teachers and disenchanted administrators is paramount for those who see their world under attack.
Here is how one school system did it:
FBI Investigating School District Accused Of Secretly Activating Webcams Inside Students' Homes - cbs3.com: "Days after a student filed suit over the practice, Lower Merion officials acknowledged Friday that they remotely activated webcams 42 times in the past 14 months, but only to find missing student laptops. They insist they never did so to spy on students, as the student's family claimed in the federal lawsuit."
"The Pennsylvania case shows how even well-intentioned plans can go awry if officials fail to understand the technology and its potential consequences, privacy experts said. Compromising images from inside a student's bedroom could fall into the hands of rogue school staff or otherwise be spread across the Internet, they said.
"What about the (potential) abuse of power from higher ups, trying to find out more information about the head of the PTA?" wondered Ari Schwartz, vice president at the Center for Democracy and Technology. "If you don't think about the privacy and security consequences of using this kind of technology, you run into problems."
"Blake Robbins told CBS3 on Friday that a school official described him in his room and mistook a piece of candy for a pill.
"She described what I was doing," he said. "She said she thought I had pills and said she thought that I was selling drugs."
Robbins said he was holding a Mike and Ike candy, not pills.
Holly Robbins said a school official told her that she had a picture of Blake holding up what she thought were pills."
Thinking Of Exploiting My Disabled Kid
The state fair will be gone soon, so it is too late for this year. But it will be back.
My 26 year old CHARGE son has taught me more than any one else has. At least, he has caused me to be taught by many more people than anyone else has.
So, he owes me.
I may have figured out how he can pay me.
Today, he and his mom were talking (sign language) and somehow the topic of birthdays came up. She came and asked me if my birthday, which is in June, is on a Saturday. I had to open up the little link on the bottom right hand of the computer screen, and after a minute or so of clicks, sure enough, I confirmed that my birthday is on a Saturday. So, we then proceeded to verify the weekdays of some more birthdays. Mom. Brother. Sister. Grandmother. Uncles. Aunts.
Not last year week days. The coming year birthdays.
He became interested in something else, so we quit asking, but there may be a gold mine in this.
We have always known that he has a Rainman kind of memory when it comes to dates. Now we see he seems to have an uncanny insight into future dates and the day of the date. Is it only for dates that he knows? Or, if given any date, can he tell us what the day of the week is, or was?
If this pans out, I can't wait to get one of those booths at the next Fair.
I am thinking of a script right now. "Step right up folks. See if you can stump the Wizard. A chance for you to win $100 by getting a ticket. Yes, folks, for this one time chance to win $100 for free, simply donate $5 to see this young man display his skills. Seeing is believing. If he misses the day, you win $100."
In the mean time, I will think about the school psychologist who told us my son had a 74 IQ. Something about standardized test scores protocol. Something about the psychologist being trained in assessing children and something about him being apologetic for the state of denial that my wife and I were in.
Maybe I could make money on pitting that school psychologist with another psychologist that said my son had "peaks" of intelligence in the 130's. I will be the first to admit that those must be some mighty sharp peaks, but I hear the view of the world is spectacular from those vantage points.
My 26 year old CHARGE son has taught me more than any one else has. At least, he has caused me to be taught by many more people than anyone else has.
So, he owes me.
I may have figured out how he can pay me.
Today, he and his mom were talking (sign language) and somehow the topic of birthdays came up. She came and asked me if my birthday, which is in June, is on a Saturday. I had to open up the little link on the bottom right hand of the computer screen, and after a minute or so of clicks, sure enough, I confirmed that my birthday is on a Saturday. So, we then proceeded to verify the weekdays of some more birthdays. Mom. Brother. Sister. Grandmother. Uncles. Aunts.
Not last year week days. The coming year birthdays.
He became interested in something else, so we quit asking, but there may be a gold mine in this.
We have always known that he has a Rainman kind of memory when it comes to dates. Now we see he seems to have an uncanny insight into future dates and the day of the date. Is it only for dates that he knows? Or, if given any date, can he tell us what the day of the week is, or was?
If this pans out, I can't wait to get one of those booths at the next Fair.
I am thinking of a script right now. "Step right up folks. See if you can stump the Wizard. A chance for you to win $100 by getting a ticket. Yes, folks, for this one time chance to win $100 for free, simply donate $5 to see this young man display his skills. Seeing is believing. If he misses the day, you win $100."
In the mean time, I will think about the school psychologist who told us my son had a 74 IQ. Something about standardized test scores protocol. Something about the psychologist being trained in assessing children and something about him being apologetic for the state of denial that my wife and I were in.
Maybe I could make money on pitting that school psychologist with another psychologist that said my son had "peaks" of intelligence in the 130's. I will be the first to admit that those must be some mighty sharp peaks, but I hear the view of the world is spectacular from those vantage points.
Defining the Meaning Of The Word "Cutting" When You are On The "Cutting" Edge
I don't know what is going on, but it sure makes the buds on my red bud trees blossom when I am asked to comment on issues within the HCDS. Two requests in two weeks is quite interesting.
Someone asked me to comment on the statistical interpretations of numbers regarding the use of money that our beloved local district EFFECTIVELY puts into teaching behavior. For those who are in the know, there is a huge difference between what is put on District checklists and what really happens on a school site. For those who are in the know, bean counters and courts usually go by what the paperwork says, not what the people who live and work in the trenches report as the truth.
How many of you have heard that behavior problems keeps students and teachers from being effective?
For those who are in the know, there is a push towards teaching behavior.
For K-12, we have this:FLPBS Home
For Early Intervention, we have this: TACSEI
And it is right smack dab in the middle of Hillsborough County.
One would think that there would be more participation within the County, as opposed to counties that are further away. Yet, when one clicks on the link and looks at the data, Hillsborough as one school that is committed to learning how to teach behavior, compared to other districts which some have several.
It looks like Hugo Schmidt Elementary has been learning to teach behavior since 2004.
FLPBS Model Schools: "HillsboroughHugo Schmidt Elementary - Gold"
It looks like Egypt Lake gave up on learning how to teach behavior. They made the list in 2004-2005. If you click on the link "implementation comments", it looks like it was too much work. In other words, they must have cut out.
FLPBS Site Redesign: "Egypt Lake Elementary (Hillsborough)"
So, we are left with one elementary school in HCDS that is on the chart by the entity that is providing the service. A statistical significance to most honest people. Let's see, one out of x number of elementary schools. Then there is one of y number of total elementary, middle and high schools. Then there is one out of the 3rd(?) largest school district with the state of Florida.
I am willing to bet that a school spokesperson will say that every school in Hillsborough County is trained in teaching behavior.
District Check mark.
Learning to teach behavior effectively takes more than a six hour workshop.
Reality Check mark.
With all of the complaints that I hear about ESE student's behavior impeding access to everyone's curriculum, you would at least think that all of our schools with special ed "centers" (not that Hillsborough segregates students by ESE Labels) would have total buy in to learning how to teach behavior.
Hillsborough spokespeople will say that Hillsborough fully supports inclusion.
District Check mark.
There are countless numbers of classrooms across the School District of Hillsborough County that solely contain students that have a specific ESE label, and you cannot find a typical student in that classroom.
Reality Check mark.
The school system seems to believe that "including the ESE students" means that the ESE students get to eat in their own little area within the lunch room at the same time that the typical students roam around the lunch room, or the ESE students get their own little area next to the typical students during P.E. time. Furthermore, this wrong-minded concept is perpetuated by - wait for it- paperwork. Well, everyone knows that, right there on the LRE form (Least Restrictive Environment) is the little check boxes that say that the inclusion needs of the student with disabilities needs will be met through their 20-30 minutes of lunch plus another 20-30 minutes of P.E..
The wrong-minded paperwork is destructive to the intent of inclusion under IDEA. Try this out. A child labeled with Downs syndrome has this disability more than 30 minutes day. According to the paperwork, if a child has a need for specialized instruction due to their disability for more than 30 minutes (or is it 15?), then they are taken out to the resource room. If a child has a need for specialized instruction due to their disability for more than 60 minutes (or is it 45?), then they are placed in a class that is designed to meet the unique needs of the student.
Many years ago, I learned to say in IEP meetings that my son was and deaf and legally blind all at the same time, all day long. I learned to say that so the really smart school people would quit (hopefully) telling me that my son received his hearing services during one class period and his vision services during another class period. One teacher told us that she was a hearing impaired teacher and that "Vision takes care of his other problems." Those endearing people made me who I am today.
Here is one for you, and if you can't do it, just pass it forward. See if you can get an honest answer on how many Down's Syndrome children are fully included within the Hillsborough County District Schools?
Not District check mark included.
Really included.
Then answer this question. If a student is labeled Down's syndrome within Hillsborough County, are they automatically segregated out of typical classrooms for more than 30 minutes, or is it 15, a day?
Classrooms - not lunch rooms.
Classrooms. Not P.E..
This means one has to go out and look to see where the student really is. It does not mean ask your ESE department to tell you how many of your Down's sydrome students are "included."
Remember, bean counters and courts rely on paperwork, not the truth.
I know. I know. Cut that out.
Someone asked me to comment on the statistical interpretations of numbers regarding the use of money that our beloved local district EFFECTIVELY puts into teaching behavior. For those who are in the know, there is a huge difference between what is put on District checklists and what really happens on a school site. For those who are in the know, bean counters and courts usually go by what the paperwork says, not what the people who live and work in the trenches report as the truth.
How many of you have heard that behavior problems keeps students and teachers from being effective?
For those who are in the know, there is a push towards teaching behavior.
For K-12, we have this:FLPBS Home
For Early Intervention, we have this: TACSEI
And it is right smack dab in the middle of Hillsborough County.
One would think that there would be more participation within the County, as opposed to counties that are further away. Yet, when one clicks on the link and looks at the data, Hillsborough as one school that is committed to learning how to teach behavior, compared to other districts which some have several.
It looks like Hugo Schmidt Elementary has been learning to teach behavior since 2004.
FLPBS Model Schools: "HillsboroughHugo Schmidt Elementary - Gold"
It looks like Egypt Lake gave up on learning how to teach behavior. They made the list in 2004-2005. If you click on the link "implementation comments", it looks like it was too much work. In other words, they must have cut out.
FLPBS Site Redesign: "Egypt Lake Elementary (Hillsborough)"
So, we are left with one elementary school in HCDS that is on the chart by the entity that is providing the service. A statistical significance to most honest people. Let's see, one out of x number of elementary schools. Then there is one of y number of total elementary, middle and high schools. Then there is one out of the 3rd(?) largest school district with the state of Florida.
I am willing to bet that a school spokesperson will say that every school in Hillsborough County is trained in teaching behavior.
District Check mark.
Learning to teach behavior effectively takes more than a six hour workshop.
Reality Check mark.
With all of the complaints that I hear about ESE student's behavior impeding access to everyone's curriculum, you would at least think that all of our schools with special ed "centers" (not that Hillsborough segregates students by ESE Labels) would have total buy in to learning how to teach behavior.
Hillsborough spokespeople will say that Hillsborough fully supports inclusion.
District Check mark.
There are countless numbers of classrooms across the School District of Hillsborough County that solely contain students that have a specific ESE label, and you cannot find a typical student in that classroom.
Reality Check mark.
The school system seems to believe that "including the ESE students" means that the ESE students get to eat in their own little area within the lunch room at the same time that the typical students roam around the lunch room, or the ESE students get their own little area next to the typical students during P.E. time. Furthermore, this wrong-minded concept is perpetuated by - wait for it- paperwork. Well, everyone knows that, right there on the LRE form (Least Restrictive Environment) is the little check boxes that say that the inclusion needs of the student with disabilities needs will be met through their 20-30 minutes of lunch plus another 20-30 minutes of P.E..
The wrong-minded paperwork is destructive to the intent of inclusion under IDEA. Try this out. A child labeled with Downs syndrome has this disability more than 30 minutes day. According to the paperwork, if a child has a need for specialized instruction due to their disability for more than 30 minutes (or is it 15?), then they are taken out to the resource room. If a child has a need for specialized instruction due to their disability for more than 60 minutes (or is it 45?), then they are placed in a class that is designed to meet the unique needs of the student.
Many years ago, I learned to say in IEP meetings that my son was and deaf and legally blind all at the same time, all day long. I learned to say that so the really smart school people would quit (hopefully) telling me that my son received his hearing services during one class period and his vision services during another class period. One teacher told us that she was a hearing impaired teacher and that "Vision takes care of his other problems." Those endearing people made me who I am today.
Here is one for you, and if you can't do it, just pass it forward. See if you can get an honest answer on how many Down's Syndrome children are fully included within the Hillsborough County District Schools?
Not District check mark included.
Really included.
Then answer this question. If a student is labeled Down's syndrome within Hillsborough County, are they automatically segregated out of typical classrooms for more than 30 minutes, or is it 15, a day?
Classrooms - not lunch rooms.
Classrooms. Not P.E..
This means one has to go out and look to see where the student really is. It does not mean ask your ESE department to tell you how many of your Down's sydrome students are "included."
Remember, bean counters and courts rely on paperwork, not the truth.
I know. I know. Cut that out.
Bus Drivers Can Compute The Stress Level Going Down
Wi-Fi Turns Arizona Bus Ride Into a Rolling Study Hall - NYTimes.com: "Wi-Fi Turns Rowdy Bus Into Rolling Study Hall By SAM DILLON Published: February 11, 2010"
This school system seems to be matching their money with conventional wisdom as opposed to "we still do it the way we always did it" way. This school system appears to be willing to teach students vicariously by smartly manipulating the environment. This school system seems not to employ the "shut up and sit down" approach to dealing with student behavior problems.
School systems bitch and complain about student behavior problems. "Good Teachers" get accolades for "good classroom management", but when the classroom is at a loss for behavior that is conducive to learning, suddenly "behavior" is the sole responsibility of the student and their parent.
How many times have we heard that teachers/bus drivers are not "baby sitters?"
There is an interesting concept. Calling a adolescent or a teenager a "baby" tells a lot about the person doing the calling. And maybe there lies the problem. My experience tells me that calling a child a baby seldom advances the child. It may be a cathartic expression of my frustration of not knowing what else to do, but it doesn't help the child learn for tomorrow how not to repeat what went wrong today.
Hey, there is another interesting concept: "a cathartic expression of my frustration of not knowing what else to do."
I bet the bus drivers in the above school system, the one where they placed the Wi-Fi system, had said "I don't know what else to do", regarding the student behaviors.
"I don't know what else to do" is a red flare signal complete with an auditory alarm that tells me I had better bring in resources to figure out "what to do" or else I am failing my job.
Computers are where kids are at today.
Meeting the students where they are at is a hell of lot cheaper on the system than calling them babies, no matter how much authority and power you think you have.
This school system seems to be matching their money with conventional wisdom as opposed to "we still do it the way we always did it" way. This school system appears to be willing to teach students vicariously by smartly manipulating the environment. This school system seems not to employ the "shut up and sit down" approach to dealing with student behavior problems.
School systems bitch and complain about student behavior problems. "Good Teachers" get accolades for "good classroom management", but when the classroom is at a loss for behavior that is conducive to learning, suddenly "behavior" is the sole responsibility of the student and their parent.
How many times have we heard that teachers/bus drivers are not "baby sitters?"
There is an interesting concept. Calling a adolescent or a teenager a "baby" tells a lot about the person doing the calling. And maybe there lies the problem. My experience tells me that calling a child a baby seldom advances the child. It may be a cathartic expression of my frustration of not knowing what else to do, but it doesn't help the child learn for tomorrow how not to repeat what went wrong today.
Hey, there is another interesting concept: "a cathartic expression of my frustration of not knowing what else to do."
I bet the bus drivers in the above school system, the one where they placed the Wi-Fi system, had said "I don't know what else to do", regarding the student behaviors.
"I don't know what else to do" is a red flare signal complete with an auditory alarm that tells me I had better bring in resources to figure out "what to do" or else I am failing my job.
Computers are where kids are at today.
Meeting the students where they are at is a hell of lot cheaper on the system than calling them babies, no matter how much authority and power you think you have.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Computing The Obvious
My uncle was a sage. He had wisdom nurtured by attention and respect for reality of what he experienced.
Over thirty years ago, one of the many insightful concepts he told me was to do something that I enjoyed if I wanted to be successful.
I have heard that many times from successful people. My wife doesn't go to work. She goes to do what she loves to do. For those who are interested, ask around about what child care center in Hillsborough county is known for inclusion. With a track record of success.
Which brings me to a question du jour. What do kids enjoy today? Computers. Everyday.
What? Some kids don't have computers at home? You mean the same kids that don't have football uniforms at home? You mean the same kids that don't have text books at home? You mean the same kids that don't have hall passes at home? You mean the same kids that don't have cars at home? The same kids that don't have culinary tools at home? The same kids that don't have condoms at home?
Educational institutions bitch and complain about the competition they have to engage students. Educational institutions bitch and complain about the lack of buy-in that students, and parents, have with what the educational system offers. Educational institutions bitch and complain that kids spend too much time on computers. ???!!!!!!
Facebook. Computer. Twitter. Computer. You Tube. Computer. Direct link to kids. Computer.
Yet, the United States educational system continues to tell the public what is best for the public. The US educational system is as arrogant as the the US government. The arrogance has even made it to the point that the educational system and the government controls the climate. Or weather. WTF.
What do think would be the outcome if educational systems hooked up with what computers hook up with students with.
Nike supports quadratic formulas. Abercrombie supports sentence structure. Hollister supports geometry.
What did you say? Students have to learn the way we did to maintain the integrity of the education institution?
Here I am, an old man close to 60 years old who learned computer programming using punch cards. I learned BASIC and wrote a payroll program for my company back when I had a Radio Shack computer with a cassette tape storage system. And yet today, I operate a blog and have no clue how it is done. I don't have to prime the pump to get water. I don't have to walk up hill both ways to school, carry a hot potato to school and eat it cold for lunch. But I am engaged with a computer.
Education systems have plenty of money to engage students. Do they spend the money wisely? Compute that.
Over thirty years ago, one of the many insightful concepts he told me was to do something that I enjoyed if I wanted to be successful.
I have heard that many times from successful people. My wife doesn't go to work. She goes to do what she loves to do. For those who are interested, ask around about what child care center in Hillsborough county is known for inclusion. With a track record of success.
Which brings me to a question du jour. What do kids enjoy today? Computers. Everyday.
What? Some kids don't have computers at home? You mean the same kids that don't have football uniforms at home? You mean the same kids that don't have text books at home? You mean the same kids that don't have hall passes at home? You mean the same kids that don't have cars at home? The same kids that don't have culinary tools at home? The same kids that don't have condoms at home?
Educational institutions bitch and complain about the competition they have to engage students. Educational institutions bitch and complain about the lack of buy-in that students, and parents, have with what the educational system offers. Educational institutions bitch and complain that kids spend too much time on computers. ???!!!!!!
Facebook. Computer. Twitter. Computer. You Tube. Computer. Direct link to kids. Computer.
Yet, the United States educational system continues to tell the public what is best for the public. The US educational system is as arrogant as the the US government. The arrogance has even made it to the point that the educational system and the government controls the climate. Or weather. WTF.
What do think would be the outcome if educational systems hooked up with what computers hook up with students with.
Nike supports quadratic formulas. Abercrombie supports sentence structure. Hollister supports geometry.
What did you say? Students have to learn the way we did to maintain the integrity of the education institution?
Here I am, an old man close to 60 years old who learned computer programming using punch cards. I learned BASIC and wrote a payroll program for my company back when I had a Radio Shack computer with a cassette tape storage system. And yet today, I operate a blog and have no clue how it is done. I don't have to prime the pump to get water. I don't have to walk up hill both ways to school, carry a hot potato to school and eat it cold for lunch. But I am engaged with a computer.
Education systems have plenty of money to engage students. Do they spend the money wisely? Compute that.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Renee Whaley, 66, blazed a trail for disabled students - St. Petersburg Times
While I owe a lot to many that helped me advocate for my son, this lady was the first person I spoke to that showed me that there was a road that must be traveled.
Renee Whaley, 66, blazed a trail for disabled students - St. Petersburg Times: "Renee Whaley, 66, blazed a trail for disabled students"
After the IEP meeting in Dec. of 1996 at Mann Middle School where I realized what a scum-bucket entity I was up against, I started desperately looking for resources to deal with the insanity. I reached out to my network. I was given the name of an attorney, which I found out later was the Whiteheads's attorney. I was given the phone number to the OCR in Atlanta. These gifts were anonymous from those who worked within the system and knew the truth.
My sister from Seattle sent me some books. One book was written by Barbara Bateman:Special Needs Education Advocacy Books (not sure is this is her first book). Another book was a legal reference to IDEA.
I realized that the school system played by a different set of rules, not honesty. It took me a few years to realize that being honest with laws was not a strong suit of the system.
I digress.
Somewhere in the first quadrant of 1997, I was honing my advocacy skills. One of the necessary requirements in parental advocacy is to know how to access your child's records. Needless to say, it is not as easy as it sounds. Those of you who follow the local blogs should understand how the paperwork game is a vicious animal and will bite you if don't handle carefully.
Closer to the point.
As a practice run in accessing my child's records, one day I went to my eldest son's high school at East Bay. I simply walked in and asked to see my son's cumulative file. Since he was in "gifted", (save that topic for another crock of simmered stew), I knew that he was supposed to have a written plan to address his status.
The first reaction was something to the effect of "Please wait while I get someone to help you." I waited. While I waited, my thoughts were remembering what I had read about how the system makes it difficult for parents. After about a 20 minute wait, I was finally met by the Guidance Counselor of my son.
She asked what I wanted and I said I just wanted to see his file. She asked what for, and I, with my recently found knowledge, politely said I just wanted to look at it to see what was in it. I knew that I didn't have to have a reason, but instead of giving the system something to label me like being an asshole, I played the game.
The Guidance Counselor and I went into a room with the file in her possession. We sat, and she asked me what specifically did I want to look at. I knowingly, with a bit of assertiveness in my voice, replied that I wanted to hold the file. She hesitated and then handed it to me. I opened it and saw that on the left side was my son's identifying records. On the right side, right on top, was a piece of paper that immediately got my attention. True to my new training, I didn't flinch, and continued through the file. When I had made it to the last page, the counselor asked me if there was anything else. I calmly replied, "yes, I would like a copy of that first page."
I thought I perceived an anxious look on her face. My thoughts were that since I seemed so calm and assured, she was not willing to challenge me. She left the room.
Minutes passed.
My mind was racing. Would they destroy that paper while I just sit here? Should I have insisted that I go with her to copy the paper? Now that I know that it is true that "they" have marked me, what else is there that I don't know. Suffice it to say that this was just one more moment that created the person that I am today.
After another 20 to 25 minute wait, the counselor returned with the Principal. The Principal politely asked me what it was that I wanted. Maybe I had forgotten. No, I made the same request for a copy of that page, which I identified as to content and author. The principal acknowledged that I may have a reason to be interested in that particular page, but that I should be reassured that her administration was looking out for the best interests of my son, and that is how I should perceive this situation.
I continued to be polite and agreeable, and again asked for a copy to be given to me.
She asked me what was I going to do with the copy.
I replied that it was part of my son's file, and I simply wanted a copy of it.
The Principal instructed the counselor to go make a copy. Again I wondered, will it be destoyed? Within a few minutes, the copy appeared. I thanked them, and left.
That same night, I went to a meeting at Chamberlain High School to attend a meeting the District was having where they were providing propaganda to parents about special ed laws. This was the third or fourth meeting that I had attended in this series, and they were prepared for me. They isolated me with a woman District personnel to keep me occupied so I wouldn't challenge what they were spewing.
That night, I had had enough, again.
The aforementioned paper was written by the guidance counselor to all of my eldest son's teachers. It effectively told the teachers that Mr. Hancock would be asking them questions about his son's Educational Plan (EP), and that they, the teachers, should be knowlegeable about the plan and not to give Mr. Hancock any false information.
Thank God, at least one parent wasn't going to be given false information.
The next day, again in search of help in how to deal with this insanity, I drove to St. Pete and met Ms. Whaley.
She knew the truth, as she had lived it for years. I was just beginning to see the truth, and she helped put a framework to the truth.
The article says that Ms. Whaley knocked down doors. I will attest that knocking down doors is nothing to the bulldozers that public school systems use.
Ms. Whaley frequently told the story of a school person who said that they could not name one redeeming quality about Renee's son. An all to common attitude of too many school employees that undoes all of the hard work of the professionals, and parents, who understand the challenge.
Too many people think that Renee and her ilk are overbearing. What too many people don't realize is that Renee, and her ilk, are fighting for their most prized children. And this fight is against power with ignorance.
I personally know all of the people mentioned in this article. If more people knew what all of the kids that are involved in this article have accomplished because their parents "knocked down doors", maybe there wouldn't be so many damned doors.
Renee Whaley, 66, blazed a trail for disabled students - St. Petersburg Times: "Renee Whaley, 66, blazed a trail for disabled students"
After the IEP meeting in Dec. of 1996 at Mann Middle School where I realized what a scum-bucket entity I was up against, I started desperately looking for resources to deal with the insanity. I reached out to my network. I was given the name of an attorney, which I found out later was the Whiteheads's attorney. I was given the phone number to the OCR in Atlanta. These gifts were anonymous from those who worked within the system and knew the truth.
My sister from Seattle sent me some books. One book was written by Barbara Bateman:Special Needs Education Advocacy Books (not sure is this is her first book). Another book was a legal reference to IDEA.
I realized that the school system played by a different set of rules, not honesty. It took me a few years to realize that being honest with laws was not a strong suit of the system.
I digress.
Somewhere in the first quadrant of 1997, I was honing my advocacy skills. One of the necessary requirements in parental advocacy is to know how to access your child's records. Needless to say, it is not as easy as it sounds. Those of you who follow the local blogs should understand how the paperwork game is a vicious animal and will bite you if don't handle carefully.
Closer to the point.
As a practice run in accessing my child's records, one day I went to my eldest son's high school at East Bay. I simply walked in and asked to see my son's cumulative file. Since he was in "gifted", (save that topic for another crock of simmered stew), I knew that he was supposed to have a written plan to address his status.
The first reaction was something to the effect of "Please wait while I get someone to help you." I waited. While I waited, my thoughts were remembering what I had read about how the system makes it difficult for parents. After about a 20 minute wait, I was finally met by the Guidance Counselor of my son.
She asked what I wanted and I said I just wanted to see his file. She asked what for, and I, with my recently found knowledge, politely said I just wanted to look at it to see what was in it. I knew that I didn't have to have a reason, but instead of giving the system something to label me like being an asshole, I played the game.
The Guidance Counselor and I went into a room with the file in her possession. We sat, and she asked me what specifically did I want to look at. I knowingly, with a bit of assertiveness in my voice, replied that I wanted to hold the file. She hesitated and then handed it to me. I opened it and saw that on the left side was my son's identifying records. On the right side, right on top, was a piece of paper that immediately got my attention. True to my new training, I didn't flinch, and continued through the file. When I had made it to the last page, the counselor asked me if there was anything else. I calmly replied, "yes, I would like a copy of that first page."
I thought I perceived an anxious look on her face. My thoughts were that since I seemed so calm and assured, she was not willing to challenge me. She left the room.
Minutes passed.
My mind was racing. Would they destroy that paper while I just sit here? Should I have insisted that I go with her to copy the paper? Now that I know that it is true that "they" have marked me, what else is there that I don't know. Suffice it to say that this was just one more moment that created the person that I am today.
After another 20 to 25 minute wait, the counselor returned with the Principal. The Principal politely asked me what it was that I wanted. Maybe I had forgotten. No, I made the same request for a copy of that page, which I identified as to content and author. The principal acknowledged that I may have a reason to be interested in that particular page, but that I should be reassured that her administration was looking out for the best interests of my son, and that is how I should perceive this situation.
I continued to be polite and agreeable, and again asked for a copy to be given to me.
She asked me what was I going to do with the copy.
I replied that it was part of my son's file, and I simply wanted a copy of it.
The Principal instructed the counselor to go make a copy. Again I wondered, will it be destoyed? Within a few minutes, the copy appeared. I thanked them, and left.
That same night, I went to a meeting at Chamberlain High School to attend a meeting the District was having where they were providing propaganda to parents about special ed laws. This was the third or fourth meeting that I had attended in this series, and they were prepared for me. They isolated me with a woman District personnel to keep me occupied so I wouldn't challenge what they were spewing.
That night, I had had enough, again.
The aforementioned paper was written by the guidance counselor to all of my eldest son's teachers. It effectively told the teachers that Mr. Hancock would be asking them questions about his son's Educational Plan (EP), and that they, the teachers, should be knowlegeable about the plan and not to give Mr. Hancock any false information.
Thank God, at least one parent wasn't going to be given false information.
The next day, again in search of help in how to deal with this insanity, I drove to St. Pete and met Ms. Whaley.
She knew the truth, as she had lived it for years. I was just beginning to see the truth, and she helped put a framework to the truth.
The article says that Ms. Whaley knocked down doors. I will attest that knocking down doors is nothing to the bulldozers that public school systems use.
Ms. Whaley frequently told the story of a school person who said that they could not name one redeeming quality about Renee's son. An all to common attitude of too many school employees that undoes all of the hard work of the professionals, and parents, who understand the challenge.
Too many people think that Renee and her ilk are overbearing. What too many people don't realize is that Renee, and her ilk, are fighting for their most prized children. And this fight is against power with ignorance.
I personally know all of the people mentioned in this article. If more people knew what all of the kids that are involved in this article have accomplished because their parents "knocked down doors", maybe there wouldn't be so many damned doors.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Put Me In A Room With Your Experts, and Let's Have At It
Florida & Tampa Bay schools blog - The Gradebook
I am a parent that graduated from East Bay High School, Hillsborough.
I am a parent who was a seventh in my class.
I am a parent who was in NHS.
I am a parent who was I'st chair trumpet player.
I am a parent who was I'st chair, undefeated, chess team.
I am a parent who was a member of the student council.
I am a parent who was the Drum Major.
I am a parent who lettered 3 years in baseball.
I am a parent who was a senior notable, voted "Most Likely To Succeed."
I am a parent who graduated from college.
I am a parent who is a recognized business owner of 33 plus years in my community.
I am a parent who is the president of a corporation.
I am a parent who was taught not to trust the local school system because of the countless numbers of lies they told me over a span of 20 years.
I am the parent of a disabled kid.
What else do you have?
Posted by: Bring It On | October 24, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Point Is About ESE and the 6/7 Plan
Someone made a post that supports the point that ESE teachers need a lot of time. If you follow Goader's link: Repeal 6 Of 7 Instructional Schedule : Goader, it appears we are all on the same page.
Can we at least agree on the point that in order to carry out the needed duties within an ESE classroom, the teachers need a 5/7 day?
Now for my response to the post.
First of all, I will repeat what I have said before about the need to pay attention to the detail of words, especially when it comes to law. Law makers spend hours debating one word. If you ever go to court, you will understand the parsing of one word. I urge anyone who deals with ESE in any area to become as familiar as they can with the true wording of the law. Use an on-line source of the federal laws. Do not rely on your local education agency to explain the meaning and context of IDEA.
They are not INDIVIDUAL education plans. They are INDIVIDUALIZED education plans.
The commenter states they disagree with me. I ask, "about what?"
Don't I get points for what I said here:
Can we at least agree on the point that in order to carry out the needed duties within an ESE classroom, the teachers need a 5/7 day?
Pro--
As an ESE escapee--there are many of us who left GE to enter ESE because the idea held so much potential, then returned to GE disillusioned because everyone EXCEPT teachers in the classes working every day with every student made it impossible to achieve that potential for most of the students, I MUST disagree with your position due to the above. There are many teachers that stay who somehow find enough reward in the unbelievably difficult situation they find themselves to do so. Those teachers have seen caseloads rise, have lost an extra planning period to enable them to conference with other teachers--ESE and GE, parents and students in their classes and caseloads, plan and collect data and then write those INDIVIDUAL Education Plans, update records, plan with co teachers,observe and test ESE and potentialstudents, attend meetings to refresh them on the "new" standards/practices and whatever changes are occurring that year--and there are more every year--AND--they still teach the same number of periods GE teachers teach and have the same other "teacher" responsibilities. Pro-- you have ONE child--they have many children/students. You have the time for that ONE child--they have children of their own, yet take untold hours away from them trying to keep up with all the extras for those many. No matter if your child is out of the system--support those teachers--work on changing the system that failed your child and continues to fail those teachers and other parents' children.
Now for my response to the post.
First of all, I will repeat what I have said before about the need to pay attention to the detail of words, especially when it comes to law. Law makers spend hours debating one word. If you ever go to court, you will understand the parsing of one word. I urge anyone who deals with ESE in any area to become as familiar as they can with the true wording of the law. Use an on-line source of the federal laws. Do not rely on your local education agency to explain the meaning and context of IDEA.
They are not INDIVIDUAL education plans. They are INDIVIDUALIZED education plans.
The commenter states they disagree with me. I ask, "about what?"
Don't I get points for what I said here:
PRO on HCPS: 25 Or 6 to 7 - Or is it a life time? - TIME takes Time: "I, as a parent of a kid with a disability, can empathize with the number of hours that a teacher needs to meet the individual needs of the disabled kids. I, as a parent of a deaf/blind kid, only have to deal with one. And furthermore, I don't have a 1' thick federal publication that outlines all of the federal requirements that school systems are supposed to meet. Not that they do, mainly because in order to meet the law, it would cost too much time."
Deformed Link
Maybe I am the only one that reads the minutes of the HASA organization.
I have tried, through six different locations, to get the link to work for the September minutes to no avail.
Maybe they are taking a page out of the Obama administration and are controlling their information that gets out to the public.
Just askin'.
Archived Minutes
I have tried, through six different locations, to get the link to work for the September minutes to no avail.
Maybe they are taking a page out of the Obama administration and are controlling their information that gets out to the public.
Just askin'.
Archived Minutes
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Tampa's Hillsborough County Public Schools Makes The Drudge Report
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Stimulus: $2.3 million for Tampa comsmetology, massage schools...
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Stimulus: $2.3 million for Tampa comsmetology, massage schools...
Is there any way to track these funds? Are they really going to take all of that money and put it towards the intended outcome?
Does this have anything to do with the number of massage parlors in Tampa?
Does this give a whole new meaning the phrase "cover up?"
Will they 'make up' a line item or will there be a 'massaging' of the budget report?
Gotta' trust!
Stimulus: $2.3 million for Tampa comsmetology, massage schools...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stimulus: $2.3 million for Tampa comsmetology, massage schools...
Is there any way to track these funds? Are they really going to take all of that money and put it towards the intended outcome?
Does this have anything to do with the number of massage parlors in Tampa?
Does this give a whole new meaning the phrase "cover up?"
Will they 'make up' a line item or will there be a 'massaging' of the budget report?
Gotta' trust!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
I Am Asking For A Lesson In Lesson Plans
Perhaps those who work within the teaching industry could help me out on this one.
How much time does a typical middle school or high school teacher need to develop a lesson plan?
Is there a sense of lessening demands over time, in other words, once you get the first one, be it day, week, month, or year, do the following time sets follow the template?
How much time does a typical middle school or high school teacher need to adjust, modify, or review and revise their lesson plans?
My last question for the day is, do the typical middle school or high school teachers write lesson plans for the class, or one for each student?
How much time does a typical middle school or high school teacher need to develop a lesson plan?
Is there a sense of lessening demands over time, in other words, once you get the first one, be it day, week, month, or year, do the following time sets follow the template?
How much time does a typical middle school or high school teacher need to adjust, modify, or review and revise their lesson plans?
My last question for the day is, do the typical middle school or high school teachers write lesson plans for the class, or one for each student?
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