Autism Advocate Faces 150+ Years in Prison

[Guest guest]

" Autism Advocate Faces 150+ Years in Prison "

Over School District

Intimidation Tactics.

By Barry , AutismNews.com

Ray

Parenteau is a parent of a child with autism and the co-founder

of

AutismAdvocate.net . He has stood up countless times and

advocated for

the educational rights of children with autism and

other disabilities in this

small central Arizona town of Prescott

for the last several years.

In

just the last 90 days he has filed and prevailed in 8 Arizona

Department of

Education complaints and one due process complaint

while representing 6

students.

Yesterday he met with Prescott Unified School

District's

superintendent Kapp and officials the Department of

Justice

from Denver Colorado and came to a resolution agreement

concerning

the discrimination of a hearing impaired child with down

syndrome.

It was there second time out in a little over a year.

In

this case the principle of the junior high school told a students

parents

" that it would be too upsetting to the regular students " for

the disabled

child to attend here " the family was told. The student

was unable to attend

his home school for over one month while the

problem was sorted

out.

At 7am this morning Mr. Parenteau he was awakened to a half

dozen

plain clothes detectives with guns drawn serving a warrant for

his

arrest He was charged with 1 count of fraud and 31 counts of

forgery

resulting from a contract between his company and the district

from

a due process complaint to educate his son.

" I have done nothing

wrong. " This is a clear case of intimidation

between the Prescott Unified

School Distinct and myself to prevent

me from helping the kids that need it

the most. " states Mr.

Parenteau. I was just trying to hold them (the

district)

accountable and give the kids a chance to succeed. "

READ

MORE AT: (copy and paste)

(That is if you want to read the biased version  -

Mike)

http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1 & SubSectionID=1 & ArticleID=62649 & TM=3\

2274.19

AutismNews.com

PUSDinCRISIS.com

Please

send this email to everyone you know. Ray is my advocate for

my two kids with

autism. I know it is a smear campaign and he will

be found

innocent!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Now

in this case this Advocate/Father is looking at a century and a

half behind

bars for coming to a settlement (that means it's

settled..right ?  Wrong...)

with the district regarding payment for an

inhome program.  Who knows how

long this father paid for

it out of his own pocket.  But because he paid

someone half of what

the district gave him AND because he is an Advocate.. he

is facing

fraud charge and other charges based on keeping part of what he

was

probably already owed, and that 'part' is the key word.    We

must

send a message to our President Elect, to all of those that wish to

go

after Advocates like we are some kind of 'wanted' people on

pictures in

the post office.    If someone were to break the law and

take some funds that

they were owed back to them in an 'unwritten

agreement', would they be

charged with anything.. and would they have

even broken the law. Just as an

Advocate is not allowed to directly

quote the law based on a circumstance

(Although we do), A school

district that admitted they had not given the

child

his Civil Right  should as well be accountable.   This father has

done

nothing more then what should have warranted a warning or at the

most

a lawsuit asking for the funds back..then he could have countered

on

the fact they owe him even more.

Instead state troopers come in with

guns in hand and ready to shoot a

Father of a child with Autism who wants to

help others.. and instead

of going after him for helping others they are

making a media parade

about how he 'helped himself' and omitting the fact

that they did not

help the child which led to a due process which led to a

settlement -

a far cry from someone committing a crime that would call for

even a

day and a half behind bars.. let alone 150 years.. When are we

just

going to say " ENOUGH ALREADY !!! " I have already stated this

and

will continue to do so.

In this last week we've seen the CNN

reports at

 http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/17/seclusion.rooms/index.html  and

now

that we see this - Have we heard of any pending charges in that case

?

 They want all Advocates to shake in their shoes.  I will not.

Instead

we shall shake their shoes, vote for the Autism Reform ACT and

let them

know.. this isn't a request to further my agenda.. the ACT is

already in the

lead by far, but I think we should

" lay the hammer down " on this and let

our future President know that

we shall not be intimidated through tactics

such as this.  I refuse to be.

http://www.change.org/idea/view/accept_and_sign_the_autism_reform_act_of_2009

E. , Sr, The Office of Advocacy for Autistic Children

I appreciate

your support in helping children with Autism and

other

disabilities.

Another very strong idea that should be looked at by

all to help so

many that need this.. Regarding Medicaid Waivers being fully

funded .

please look at this and vote accordingly - this will change the

future

of many.. the site for the Medicaid Reform is at:

http://www.change.org/idea/view/fully_fund_medicaid_waivers_for_the_developmenta\

lly_disabled

...