Yes - the fall fund-raising season is upon us! Warm up with the I-Care Run/Walk on August 18th, then celebrate the kids going back to school with a cruise and dance for Andy Wakefield September 4. That should leave you in fine fettle for the Rett Syndrome dinner/dance September 9. Carbo load, as September 23 you can bike ride up to 40 miles as you raise money for Cure Autism Now. But save a little energy, for September 25 you need to dash between two golf courses, swinging clubs to raise funds for the Autism Society of Illinois and/or the research of Michael Chez, M.D. (do both if you have the stamina! )
More information on all these worthy events contained within.
Any updated info will be disseminated via the AutismNews on-line list as available. If you have email access yet haven't joined the list - let me add you! You can always leave if you do not find it useful - I have had only a mere handful of folks leave, though, over the past couple years. We are now up to 184 members! To join the list just send your request to: fishstep@autismnews.net
Thanks to all of this month's contributing Newsletter Moms and Dads!
Anybody with news to share, deadline is more or less the third Monday,
monthly, for the next issue.
JFS(ask to join the local AutismNews on-line list! )
P.O. Box 5551
Elgin, IL 60121-5551
To subscribe to this snailmail version of AutismNews donate $15 for
12 issues, checks made out to "JFS". Extra donations to help send complimentary
copies to other first-time readers appreciated.
All contents herein copyright 2001 by the Newsletter Mom. Freedom to recopy and share information fully granted as long as you credit the Autism Newsletter. Typos probable, as it is so hot and humid my fingers are sticking to the keyboard.
August 5, Gurnee 9 - 10:30am
Come join Eric and all the other chapter members at the annual pool
party, to be held in Grayslake. Please RSVP ASAP to Eric at 847/543-4502.
August 7, Skokie 7:00pm
North Suburban ASI chapter meets at Skokie Village Hall , 5127 W. Oakton
, Lower Level - Community Room. Michael: 847/541-9969 or email NorSubAsi@aol.com
August 7, Park Ridge 7:00pm
Parent-2-Parent for Special Students meets at the Maine Twp. Admin.
Bldg. , 1700 Ballard Road, Park Ridge. This month's topic is NON-COMPLIANCE
of IDEA in ILLINOIS. Is your school in compliance with the laws? Have you
ever filed a complaint with the Illinois State Board of Education? If so,
did they investigate your complaint? Parent-2-Parent for Special Students
is reaching out to other advocacy groups and parents throughout the state
of Illinois. We hope to combine efforts and take a stand against non compliance
here in Illinois. If you are interested in joining this effort please come
to our next meeting. We will have a petition ready for all interested parties
to distribute and attain signatures. We will discuss a possible protest
at the Illinois State Board in Springfield. If you are unable to come to
the meeting but wish to be a part of this movement please contact us at:
(847) 699-1223 or write to P2PSS- PO Box 4205 - Des Plaines - IL- 60016.
Email: SpecEdparents@aol.com
August 9, Algonquin, 7:30
Parent support group meets at Northwest Pediatric Therapy, 1320 Chase
St. Kim: 847/352-7678.
August 11 , Rockford 9:30 - 11:30am
The Northwest Illinois Autism Support Group will learn about toilet
training this month. Come to Children's Development Center, 650 N. Main..
Note that from now on you need to register in advance (by August 8) to
attend this meeting and to reserve free on-site kidkare. Call Patty Hobbs:
815/965-6745
August 12, Chicago
Chicago South Side ASI chapter not meeting formally until Sept. - but
come join us at our pool party to be held in Bolingbrook).. Call for more
details - Wanda: 815/469-5870
August 13, Chicago 6:00pm
Parent support group of Illinois Masonic meets at The Pediatric Development
Center, 3040 N. Wilton, 2nd fl. Kidkare is available IF you RSVP ASAP.
Val: 773/296-5854.
August 14 , Peoria 6:30-8:00pm
Parent support group will meet at Faith Missionary Church, 1825 S.
Airport Rd. in Bartonville (close to Peoria). Tonight is a review of services
and supports available. Contact: Lauri 309/697-3300 or chilope@juno.com
August 14, Romeoville
Parent support group meets at R.C. Hill Elementary School, 616 Dalhart
Ave. Miki:815/886-0080
August 14, Villa Park 7:00pm
Parent support group meets at DuPage Easter Seals . Limited on-site
free kid-kare if you rsvp asap - please call Sharon Pike at 630/620-4433.
August 14, Chicago 6:00pm
The ASI Metropolitan Chicago Chapter meets at the Easter Seal Therapeutic
Day School, ITT campus, 3424 S. State St. Grace: 773-233-4716.
August 21, Gurnee 7:00pm
Well, make that the Vernon Hills group this month, as the group meets
for dinner and networking at Olive Garden!. Call Eric for more info at
847/543-4502.
August 28, Schaumburg 7:30pm
Northwest Suburban ASI Chapter meets at the Township of Schaumburg
Meeting Hall, 25 Illinois Blvd., in Hoffman Estates. Randee : 847/884-9194.
August 30, Oak Lawn 7:00pm
Parent support group meets at Hope Children Hospital, sw corner 93rd
& Kostner. There is a new person to call for info about this group
- Jean:708/229-0653 (thanks, Sharon, for this info!!!)
Oak Park
Asperger/High-Functioning Autism Support Group taking August off -
see you Sept. 16! Debbie: 708/383-1209
Bolingbrook
Far West Suburban ASI not meeting until Sept. 630/969-1094.
Flossmoor
Chicago South Suburban ASI Chapter not meeting this month, save for
a board meeting for board members. Marie: 708/206-0379.
Hoffman Estates
Parents of daughters with Rett Syndrome can contact Paul at 847/310-8876,
email: PJochim@aol.com. or go to : www.RettIllinois.org for more info about
this group that will only sporadically have meetings.
Wheaton
Advocacy 200 not meeting this month. Brian: 630/690-6385 or 630/462-1980
Elmhurst
Parent group taking the summer off. Evelyn: 630/530-8551, ext. 108
Geneva
Parent support group taking the rest of summer off. For more info check
the CTS website; www.commtx.com or call Shelley Swanson:630/208-8880
Freeport
Networking For Families will take some time off to look for a new "home".
If you need info about this group or have an idea where they could meet
call Nancy: 815/235-7553.
Plainfield
Support group not meeting until September. Lupe: villasenor@westerncom.net
or call 815/293-0529
Cary
GFCF diet group not meeting this month. For more info about this group
contact Kelly at : kweav@mc.net (preferred) or call 847/639-2858.
Are you part of a group that is not listed here? Let me know about it, so I can include you each month. You may get some new members that way, you never know. Anyway, there is no charge.
NOTE - StarNet workshops give priority to parents living within their region. If there is a workshop you wish to attend but it is not in your region - let your local StarNet folks know - you folks in, say, Region II can exclaim: "Hey, Region VI gets Nan Negri! We want her too!"
August 7, Peoria
"Asperger's Syndrome - Characteristics, Identification and Instruction"
Diane Twachtmen-Cullen discusses the above. Cost for non-MCA sponsored
folks about $54. For more info contact Shirley Crowe at 309/672-6715.
August 8, Matteson
"Instructional Formats for Teaching Young Students with Autism Spectrum
Disorders"
Steve Goodman, Ph.D. will cover strategies of discrete trial training,
incidental teaching, direct instruction and precision teaching along with
discussing each strategies implementation, benefits and limitations. For
info call StarNet VI at 708/342-5370
****September 11, Galena
A little bird told me that there will be a big education rights meeting
for families , with folks from ISBE, Family Ties, Project Choices, etc.
So far all I have is the contact number of a Marci at RAMP in Freeport
so if you call 815/233-1128 you may learn more about this. I hope to have
updated info next month.
****September 12, Naperville
"IAAMR 2001 Annual Conference - Avenues to Success"
O.K., this conference is not designed for us parents, but some of the
workshops in the multi page brochure I have look interesting: "Give Me
Five! Inclusive Social Skills Groups for Children and Adolescents"; "The
Healthcare Surrogate Act, Guardianship and Consent Issues" (well, these
kids are going to be grown-up some day. How and what kind of guardianship
is needed if our child can not live independently?). Best of all, (I am
biased!) will be the presentation of keynote speaker Beth Randall, President
of Mothers From Hell 2!!! Interested? Contact the Illinois Chapter of The
American Association on Mental Retardation at 708/863-3803, ext. 316 (ask
for Jim).
****September 14, Dixon
"Legal and Future Care Planning for Your Relative with a Developmental
Disability"
Theresa Varnet, M.S.W., J.D. and parent of an adult with a disability
offers this workshop frequently throughout the year. She is good - and
we all need to attend at least once while our kidlets are still minors.
Sponsored by the Arc of Illinois, so buzz them for more info at 708/206-1930.
September 14 - 15, Normal
"You Can Make a Difference"
All the StarNets are sponsoring this day of family-focused workshops
that will address topics including Transitions; Writing Effective IEPs;
Sibling Issues, and more. For more info call your local StarNet office:
Region I and III: 800/227-7537(Use these numbers too to obtain info on the October 10 Madelyn Swift workshop listed on the next page).
Region II: 847/803-3565
Region IV: 618/397-8930
Region V: 773/553-3413
Region VI: 708/342-5370
September 17, Glen Ellyn
"ABC's and 1,2,3's of Autism: What is It? Where Do I Start? How Do
I Plan?"
Peg Mazeika leads this introductory workshop that explores the basic
learning characteristics of children with autism. The use of positive planning
and instructional strategies will be emphasized, along with environmental
and social supports. This is a StarNet II workshop so pester the good folks
at 847/803-3565 for more details.
****September 17, 2001, Tinley Park
From Both Sides Now: "How to Teach Social Understanding & Gray's
Guide to Bullying"
Carol Gray. Call Future Horizons 1-800-489-0727 or www.FutureHorizons-autism.com
****September 21, Downers Grove
"The IEP Process - What's It All About, Really?"
Staff from Everyone is Welcome will present this first of eight in
a series of workshops designed to make parents more effective members of
their child's IEP team. One goal of this first workshop is to enable you
to discern the difference between a measurable and specific IEP and and
IEP that is neither. For more info about this workshop series contact the
folks at Everyone is Welcome: 630/584-0970, EIWelcome@aol.com.
September 21, LaGrange
"Supporting and Educating Students with Asperger's Syndrome / High
Functioning Autism"
Cathy Pratt tackles the problem of "challenging behaviors" and will
discuss positive behavior supports and the role of functional assessment
in behaviors and strategies for teaching alternative appropriate behaviors.
This useful workshop comes from the folks at StarNet II, and they await
your call at 847/803-3565 to ask for more information.
****September 21 & 22, Matteson
"How Does Your Engine Run? The Alert Program for Self-Regulation"
Sherry Shellenberger & Mary Sue Williams present this two-day workshop,
sponsored by TherapyWorks, Inc. of Albuquerque, N.M.. The number for TherapyWork(ask
for Ron) is 505/897-3478. Or - check out their website: www.alertprogram.com
for more info and a registration form.
****September 27-28,
Kansas City, MO
"Midwest Autism/Asperger's Super Conference"
Temple Grandin is the keynote speaker at this regional conference,
which will also feature Eustacia Cutler - (Temple's MOTHER) on what it
was like raising Temple back in the "refrigerator mother" bad old days;
Betsey Brunk on music therapy; Christy Magnusen on "Succeeding in the Least
Restrictive Environment", and more. Seating is limited at this Future Horizons
conference, so call 800/489-0727 to register or to obtain more info. You
can also go to www.FutureHorizons-autism.com
October 10, Springfield
"A Day with Madelyn Swift"
Madelyn Swift, M.Ed., will discuss aspects of Discipline in the Classroom
(including what works, and why), and Dealing with Angry People: How to
be Heard without Shouting (h'mmmm, learn some tactic here before that next
IEP!). All the StarNet Regions are co-sponsoring this workshop, seating
limited to 20 folks per region so call your local region (phone numbers
on page 2) today! Folks attending the "Sharing a Vision" conference listed
next please note this workshop with Madelyn Swift requires a separate registration!
October 10 -12, Springfield
"Sharing A Vision: Expanding the Possibilities"
7th Annual Illinois Collaborative Early Childhood Conference. For a
multi-page brochure listing all the workshops, and info on registering,
call Susan Ferry at 217/824-4776 or email sharingavision@aol.com
****October 12, Downers Grove
"What Now & Do I Need an Adult Services Broker?"
Second in the series from the good folks at Everyone is Welcome, this
workshop addresses the problem of what to do after school is over; what
is and is not available for adults with disabilities in Illinois; and how
to begin planning for your child's future now. For more info about this
workshop series contact the folks at Everyone is Welcome: 630/584-0970,
EIWelcome@aol.com.
****October 19, Downers Grove
"Evaluations - How to Interpret and Effectively Use Testing"
Third in the EIW series, this all-day workshop will cover the different
tests schools use as part of a case study, how to interpret the reports
and scores, and how to effectively use this testing in preparing your child's
education plan. For more info about this workshop series contact the folks
at Everyone is Welcome: 630/584-0970, EIWelcome@aol.com.
****October 23, Matteson
"Social Stories"
Nan Negri will present this workshop for StarNet Region VI. More info
to be available shortly; registration does not begin until mid-August.
If you are not on the StarNet VI mailing list call 708/342-5370 for more
info.
October 26, Oakbrook Terrace
"Effective Programs for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in
the Schools"
Cathy Pratt, Ph.D. is the keynote speaker for the 17th annual conference
of the Center for Speech and Language Disorders. Conference brochures to
be mailed in August - call 630/530-8551 to be sure they have your address!
The Autism/PDD Training and Technical Assistance Project is collaborating with Little Friends, Inc. to provide training to parents in the areas of self help communication, recreation leisure and community. This training will be offered at Little Friends Krejci Academy in Naperville and at their training center, which is located in the western suburbs of Chicago, Carol Stream Illinois. The training will focus on increasing parents' skill levels for working with their children with a goal of keeping children with autism in their communities.
Trainers include: Patti Boheme, Mary Crissman, and Carol Paske.
This training is offered several times per year to parent participants. The training is free of charge to the participants. However, parents will be responsible for obtaining and paying for their lodging if travel is required.
For parents who are unable to travel to these training locations, a
one-half day Parent Workshops may also be available in your area. Interested
parents should contact Kathy Gould, Project Director, Illinois Autism/PDD
Training and Technical Assistance Project, 708-354-5730 or e-mail her at:
kathygould@illinoisautismproject.org
The series below is designed to assist parents to teach their child
with autism/PDD or other communication disorders through the use of structured,
visual systems and environmental supports:
September 11, Carol Stream
"Introduction to Autism and Visual Strategies for Children with Autism and Other Communication Disorders"November 14, Carol Stream
The Adolescent and Young Adult (14-21 years) with Autism/PDDDecember 4-5,Carol Stream
Discrete Trial for Games/Recreation/LeisureFebruary 26, 2002, Carol Stream
Introduction to Autism and Visual Strategies for Children with Autism and other Communication Disorders
TBA: Activity Schedules
Future 3 Day Parent Trainings -
October 16-18, 2001
January 29-31, 2002
For more info call Kathy Gould at 708/354-5730 or visit
http://www.illinoisautismproject.org/
6:00-7:15 am registration/packet pickup
RACE STARTS AT 7:30 am
8:30 a.m. Kid's grab bag run
This year's race is sponsored by I-CARE (Illinois Curing Autism through
Research and Education)
a newly formed non-profit to serve the families of Illinois.
For more information or to pre-register call: 708/798-0923
or see our website at:
www.irunwalkforautism.org
Mark your calenders for a fun evening, cruising the water's of Lake
Michigan off Chicago's scenic shore on Chicago's First Lady. 120 folks
will enjoy dinner and dance to live jazz while raising funds to help support
further research by Dr. Andrew Wakefield. All this to happen Tuesday,
September 4 - extend that Labor Day weekend! Ticket price $225 per person
- only 120 seats will be sold! For more information, or to offer to help,
please contact Betsy Prohaska at 847/854-6039.
The date for the ASI Golf Outing will be September 25, 2001 and it will be at the Seven Bridges Golf Course in Woodridge. Volunteers will be needed. The ASI office at 630-691-1270 can give you more information. They will be looking for financial sponsors and volunteers to help with the day of the event. Plans are well underway already and this should bring in a lot of money for the organization.
The Rett Syndrome Association will be having its 13th Annual Dinner, Dance and Auction
at Drury Lane in Oak Brook on September 9. They will have a new raffle,
with a chance for participants to win some big monetary prizes, this year.
For more info contact Anthony Izzo at 847/253-6045 or Barry Minerof at
773/762-2000.
Contents
Sponsored by Racconto, Imported Italian Foods.
The North Branch bicycle trail, which starts at Bunker Hill,
will head North to the Chicago Botanical Gardens and is approximately at
40 mile round trip ride.
Shorter routes will be posted along the way.
Registration and Walk-Up 8-10 am
PASTA DINNER 2-5pm RAFFLE 4-5 pm
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT featuring MISTAKEN IDENTITY AND SAFEHAVEN 2-4pm
Pre Registration Deadline August 27, 2001
Adult $25.00 Child $15.00
Includes tee shirt, food and Entertainment
Late Registration: $30/$15
Phone 708 771 8522 Fax 708 771 8505
e mail mugnolofdn@yahoo.com
Cks payable to : The Mugnolo Scholarship
and Children's Foundation
7919 W North Avenue , Unit A
River Forest, IL 60305
Harborside International Golf Course
11001 South Doty Avenue East, Chicago
Cost: $400 per player.
For more info or for corporate
sponsorship details please contact
Chris at 847/413-1616 or
Hugo at 312/983-8915
October 7th is the date for the fifth annual dinner and auction to be held at Indian Lakes Country Club to benefit Giant Steps Illinois, Inc., a therapeutic day school for children with autism. More info, including a contact number, will be available soon.
In the July issue of its journal, Pediatrics, The American Academy
of Pediatrics said that doctors and parents should STOP using mercury thermometers.
While an unbroken mercury thermometer can not harm anyone, if broken the
mercury vapors can be easily absorbed by the human body. Folks should take
their mercury thermometers to a hazardous-waste collection center (do NOT
throw them into the trash - the mercury will end up adding to the general
miasma of pollution around us if you do so).
We will all keep our eyes on this one......
The Associated Press recently reported that four Oregon families,
believing their children to have been harmed by mercury contained in vaccines
(thimersol - a preservative containing mercury, has been used since the
1930's*) filed a lawsuit against 12 companies that make drugs or distribution
them. Note that drug companies have been phasing out the preservative because
of concerns about mercury risks to some children - still, if you need to
have your child receive a vaccination ask to see the vial first and make
SURE there is no thimersol listed - thimersol-containing vaccines have
NOT been recalled!
* when someone comments that "well, I had vaccinations with mercury in them when I was a kid and it never hurt me!" point out that we adults had far FEWER vaccinations as tots, hence a far lower overall dose of mercury, than kidlets born in the last ten years, who also got them at an earlier age.
There is a reason that the NYS Department of Health studied ABA/Lovaas and determined that it was effective, but ONLY for pre-school students.
The reason was because NY public school districts and the NYS Education
Department are inherently strongly opposed to research demonstrating that
ANY methodology is effective (and conversely, that ANY methodology is ineffective).
The NYS Ed. Dept. has stated (in a response to a management audit by Controller
Carl McCall, which noted that school districts' outside "independent" evaluations
of various programs, mostly federally-funded, did not typically evaluate
progress on the things the programs were funded to do or improve, like
reading improvement in Title I programs) that it is not NYS Ed.'s job to
recommend or require any specific methodology to a public school district.
The anti-methodology bias extends to virtually every public school
district in the country, as well as to most state educational agencies
and the US Department of Education. If you look hard, you will see that
US DOE does not fund research into effective methodologies.
I guarantee that US DOE has worked to get NIH away from behavior treatment methodologies.
Remember that if one can show that a particular methodology "works" while statistics show that any particular school district's program or methodology doesn't Ê"work" for a discrete group of students, parents can use this data to place children in private programs and litigate against school districts for tuition reimbursement. Ê
Similarly, in districts (like NYC) which are large enough to have specific programs for discrete groups of disabilities (SIE III for autistic kids, for example), methodology research would provide data that could easily be used for class actions on behalf of all kids with the particular diagnosis in question. Ê(I remember once attending a graduate education seminar taught by the head of the National Institute for Disabilities in Albertson, LI. ÊHis comment on the NYC Bd. of Ed.'s SIE III program was simple and cogent: Ê"I was asked to observe this program and did so. I saw no education going on."
So, for virtually any discrete, diagnosable disability, you run into the same problem: Êthe research showing effectiveness either isn't there or, if done on a small-scale preliminary basis, hasn't been funded for large-scale expansion.
I'm not sure this problem is surmountable, given the concerted anti-effectiveness research bias of public school districts and state educational agencies, at least with the federal government's research grant program. Consider going to the large foundations for funding. Remember that in New York, Senator Schumer's wife works for the NYC Board of Ed. and Hillary Clinton and the UFT are, for all intents and purposes, joined at the head.
Dee Alpert
Member, Professional Advisory Board,
Long Island Tourette Syndrome Association
[Editor's note: for more information on the current law of methodology, see the article on the www.autismnews.net home page.]
"Care Simply is a confidential and secure website that helps you
create, manage, and share health care information, and coordinate activities
of your entire care team--increase quality of care by reducing frustration
and confusion. Secure and confidential access any time. No more lost notes
or files All your health care information in one place. Instant information
and documentation on demand Only $9.95 per month! "
I looked at this site - could be useful, IF you could keep it updated
by yourself and participating therapists, doctors, etc. (and if they all
had computers and internet access.) Worth a look - http://www.caresimply.com
or write them for more info at:
Care Simply
1320 Centre Street, Ste. 102
Newton, MA 02459
Contents
Are you on the Autism Resource Network, Inc.'s mailing list? No?
Alas, then you will miss out on their catalog of over 500 autism-related
books, toys, and educational items. Of special interest may be the section
of items (including many, MANY photo cards) useful in a PECS or other image-based
communication system. To obtain a catalog contact Autism Research Network,
Inc. at:
904 Mainstreet #100
Hopkins, MN 55343
952/988-0088
Given that Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the most effective and appropriate way of reaching and teaching most children on the autism spectrum, Raising a Child with Autism can serve as a handy primer* for parents who need to know what ABA is, how it works, and how to start using it NOW. No one book can replace the extensive training and experience the best of consultants can bring to a home-based ABA program. Richman, however, has done a credible job in clearing and concisely presenting the basics of ABA in language understandable to a (harried) parent. After reading this book a you should also be able to use ABA principles to tackle the elimination of the most undesirable behavior of their child, or to teach a needed skill (I would recommend attempting only one thing at a time, with reference to the guide book as needed, until success is achieved.)
* this book is far shorter than the Maurice tome, which covers far more material. I recommend parents also obtain Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism (1996).
The disability community hasn't done a good enough job of making its
case. We need to do more, much more. We must show that (1) children with
disabilities have not been involved in violent incidents; (2) current law
allows children with disabilities to be removed from the classroom if they
do act up; (3) any changes should be considered carefully next year when
IDEA is up for reauthorization; and (4) it is short-sighted public policy
to deprive any child of education services.
1. Act NOW. It is important to act today.
2. WRITE A LETTER to your Senators and Representative saying you oppose
the legislation and explaining why. Tips for letters are provided below.
You can find your Senators' address at http://guide.lp.findlaw.com/10fedgov/legislative/senate/members.html
and your Representative's address at
http://guide.lp.findlaw.com/10fedgov/legislative/house/members.html
3. SEND the Council Of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) A COPY
OF YOUR LETTER(S). This is important because COPAA needs to let our friends
in Congress know about the letters parents have written. FAX or mail a
copy of your signed letter to COPAA's liaison, Robert Berlow, Esq., 805
Fairfield Estates Court, Crownsville, MD 21032. His fax number is 301-912-2282.
It is best to fax after 5:00 P.M. EDT.
4. FOLLOW UP UNTIL THE MATTER IS CONCLUDED. Write (or call) more than once. A letter today and a call, or a reminder letter, when the issue is actually being voted on will show just how important you believe this issue is. We will alert you when the vote is being taken.
5. SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION. If your Senator or Representative has previously
voted against these changes, please thank her or him in a short letter
and ask that she or he work to get the amendments taken out in conference.
Members of Congress need to know that their constituents appreciate their
votes, especially since you can bet they are hearing from the other side.
Briefly, the amendments (referred to as Sessions and Norwood amendments)
repeal the discipline protections of the IDEA, Section 615 of the Act,
20 USC 1415(k).
The Norwood Amendment provides that a child with a disability who commits an aggravated assault, brings a gun or drugs to school or a school function can be expelled or suspended like any other child. There is no manifestation determination and no FAPE during the period of suspension or expulsion.
The Sessions Amendment is in some ways worse because it goes beyond violence and drugs. It gives SEAs and LEAs the authority to "establish and implement uniform policies regarding discipline and order applicable to all children under the jurisdiction of the agency." It requires a manifestation determination but requires removal of a child before that determination whenever the school's "uniform" policies are allegedly violated. If the manifestation determination is lost, the school doesn't have to provide FAPE to the child. If it is won, FAPE can be provided in an alternative setting. So for example, if school rules prohibit smoking and your child gets caught with a cigarette and that's not a manifestation of his/her disability, suspension or expulsion occurs without FAPE.
For more details on Norwood and Sessions please read the side by side
analysis on the COPAA website homepage http://www.copaa.net
(see ALERT box on left).
* Tell your Senators and representative that that you agree that
school safety is an important issue, but that no children with disabilities
have been involved in "Columbine-like" cases.
* Remind your Senators and Representative that depriving any children of the education they need is short-sighted and bad public policy.
more tips.....
* Tell your Senators and Representative that the Sessions and Norwood amendments should be removed from HR 1 because the appropriate time to address any problems that might exist with € 615(k) is during reauthorization of IDEA.
* If you can give an example of how your child was helped by the current law, you will help counter the anecdotes provided by the proponents of Sessions and Norwood.
* The National Council on Disabilities, part of the Federal Government,
found no State was in compliance with the law, and the federal General
Accounting Office found discipline of special education students was not
a problem.
H.R. 1 will reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
IDEA is scheduled to be re-authorized in 2002. So why amend Section 615(k)
now? The simple answer is that Congress has heard from school administrators,
teachers, parents, even children who think that children with special education
are unfairly being treated differently and that the safety of children
and school employees is imperiled. While these statements are either untrue
or only partially true, these complaints have been heard in numbers far
greater than has our support for current law or opposition to the proposed
changes. The anecdotes also demonstrate that schools are not complying
with the law as it is already written to prevent the behavioral issues.
To see sample letter, go to the COPAA website:
http://www.copaa.net/policy/sample_norwood-sessions_letter.html
Or - read the letter Newsletter Dad wrote last night to send to our
Representative (copy on the next page of this newsletter). Copy what you
like from COPAA and/or us - just get thee a letter in the mail TODAY!