The Cerebral Palsy Network

Over one year ago Congress passed the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This Act came into existence over 20 years ago, and was to be renewed after 20 years. The reason it came into being was because millions of children were falling through the cracks educationally. Many were institutionalized where they languished. Even just from the viewpoint of fiscal responsibility it was a disaster, as these children did not reach their potential and become independent self-supporting citizens. They needed a hand up, (not to be confused with a handout). Two years ago there was bitter wrangling, as parents were determined that the bill should hold districts more accountable for delivering meaningful services to children. Districts fought such changes tooth and nails. Finally, a bi-partisan committee, with members representing congress, educators, administrators, parents, advocates, and people with disabilities managed to come up with a strong but fair bi-partisan bill. The bill was so bi-partisan that it literally flew through Congressional approval and was signed into law.

Then came the process of the U.S. Dept. of Education writing federal regulations interpreting the law. Input was sought from all segments of the country, and everyone could and did have their say. The final date for input was Jan. 21, 1998. Little were we as parents aware for several months that what we thought was a "done deal" was being sabotaged quietly but savagely. We found out that districts across the country were pouring huge dollars into pressuring our congressional representatives to demolish certain parts of the bill.

The discipline section of the bill is the heart and soul of IDEA for any child with a disability who has any behavior issues. The amendments that keep popping up and being attached to large bills would once again put our children's future into the hands of local officials for final decision. If your child's behavior is "on the list" than schools would be able to expel that child--permanently. Folks that is why IDEA came into existence in the first place. Literally millions of children were being denied services for one reason or another. They were going without an educational, and in many instances were institutionalized. I have found that when a child is given the support and intensive help he/she may need in the area of disability those behaviors often drop dramatically. When you think about it, how many of us as adults do well day after day in a situation where there is no chance of success or recognition. How many of us could hold up to public ridicule by peers day after day, month after month, year after year?

The new IDEA would hold the district accountable as well as the child and the parent, (which in my experience is where schools love to place all the accountability.) If a child had serious behavior issues that the school could not cope with than the district would be responsible for recommending a behavior assessment. That assessment would include positive interventions not punitive interventions. Personnel would be required to document those interventions that worked and which ones did not. Behavior plans and alternative discipline plans would be carefully crafted to teach that child to new behaviors. Does that work? You bet it does. I have taken part in such team efforts over and over and seen the results. Parents and school work hand in hand in a cooperative effort. It works--if the child also has the academic supports needed to be successful.

In the new IDEA, Congress wrote the horrible static's for children who fall through the cracks. There is a high rate school drop outs and high crime rates among uneducated youth. They saw and stated how these new changes in IDEA are needed. These children are also at high risk for gang activity and illicit drugs. When they bottom out with no support from school as well as home, their self-esteem hits rock bottom. We must remind Congress that it is much cheaper to support these children to reach their maximum potential than it is to support them in jail or hospitals. Besides, it is the right thing to do!

One voice can make a difference. It has to be your voice, my voice, and the voice of friends and family. Our district is already talking about all the things they won't be accountable for come December. Are we going to let that happen? Parents and advocates mounted a huge effort to beat back two previous attempts to destroy IDEA. The most ominous attempt is just ahead. The Appropriations Bill is just around the corner. Tacked onto that bill are not one, not two, but three amendments tearing IDEA apart. If each of us will promise to contact our personal representatives in Congress, flood them with personal stories about how IDEA has protected our children, and plead with them to not make any changes to this law, we can beat back this mean-spirited self-serving attempt to destroy IDEA.

What the opponents will try to do is use scare tactics about kids killing kids. How many of you have a kid who killed a kid? Of course we want our schools safe. But the answer is not to punish a who segment of our population for what a very few children have done. We need to tell them to stick to the facts. Should all our children with disabilities be punished because of a few children who obviously needed help and did not get it? So send pictures of your kid, and tell your story. Try to hold it to two pages in all, or it will not make as strong an impact. Tell your parent story in heartfelt terms. Tell them not to make changes to IDEA. What ever you do, do not go over two pages in all. When we get close to the vote we want to flood them with faxes and our concern. If one person tells ten, that ten turns into 100 and that one hundred quickly turns into 1000. Make the commitment now. We will not have another chance for 20 years.

Go to National Parents Network for Disabilities and sign up for their weekly e-mail fax if you want to stay on top of this issue.

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Last updated 03/24/03

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