Writing letters to school boards and legislators

[Guest guest]

Yep, pretty disgusting. What that would do for kiddo's receiving special

education services.......

What it is going to take though - to change things - is EVERY parent writing

to the Education Committee in Austin and their Legislators.

I spent the entire day yesterday doing that - and it's just going to take

everyone doing that. Sending a letter to each member of the Senate and House

Education Committees and to their Senator and Representatives and to their

Superintendants and School Board Members.

When a member of the Education Committee replied that he wasn't my senator,

etc., I replied back that I was aware of that and did address that concern to my

senator as well, but that I was writing to him as a member of the Education

Committee and wanted a reply to my concerns from him as a member of that

committee...

Just persistence - and lots of it.

Maybe there should be a month each year that in in all school districts in

this area - that parents of children with disabilities all attend that school

board meeting in that month - to just voice concerns, etc. I think it's like 3

minutes you get. Everyone prepare a statement and go there and share

concerns.... If you absolutely cannot attend the meeting - send a letter to

that committee in that month....

It's like everything with us -- we have the least time of anyone - but we must

do the most.

That's why we still have institutions in Texas - because those parents who

have their children/adults there for whatever reason -- HAVE the time to write,

call, and visit Austin lobbying for more such institutions.

Those of us who are home caring for our loved ones willingly and lovingly - do

NOT have the time to write, call, and visit Austin to say that we need more

community support in the home.

But - we have to. We have to call, write, and visit, - as often as we can -

if we ever hope to change anything.

I don't know -- maybe make MAY the month we ALL call, e-mail, or write our

legislators and school boards on the issue of Special Education Services and our

schools.

" MAY my child please have an appropriate education! " - so to speak....

Ok I'm a dork at times -- but you get the picture.

School Boards have to read e-mails or letters sent to them. They send them on

to the Administrators over that specific area -- if we all write to them - alot

of people will be reading about the concern.

When I write to our school board, I always do it as a partnership. Explaining

how the current system of funding creates a finger-pointing atmosphere. The

parents point the finger (no comments on which finger please) to the schools to

appropriately educate the child. The school points the finger to the parent

that they don't have the money to do that, whatever excuse.

ALL the fingers need to be pointed to the Legislators in Austin instead. They

are creating the conflict in many instances.

So - despite the fact that there is division on what will fix the problem, we

all agree that there is a problem.

Let's write to them about that!

Sincerely,

Guppy

mark colditz wrote:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5687425.html

Houston schools Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra pocketed nearly all

of his performance bonus this year, earning $75,000 of a potential

$80,000.

M. Guppy

My autism journey isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning

to dance in the rain.... Texas Autism Advocacy: www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org

" There are some aspects of a person's life that we have no right to

compromise. We cannot negotiate the size of an institution. No one should live

in one. We cannot debate who should get an inclusive education. Everyone

should. We cannot determine who does and who does not get the right to make

their own choices and forge their own futures. All must. "