Response to Question

[Guest guest]

Haven asks

Do parents (taxpayers) also have the right to file a FOIA request with

districts to find out how much they spend of taxpayer money to attend an

ARD for the sole purpose of intimidating the parents?A: Typical yes, as it is taxpayer money you have the right to know . Depending on the scope and nature of your request, that may be some limitation. Just send a request in memo form to the supt. Basic example below_____________________________________________________________________To: Supt From: Concerned Taxpayer ( your name) Date: August 1, 2012Re" Record Request - HISD Attorney Billing 2010-2012I am requesting the billing totals for ISD attorneys from 2010 - to the present. ( if there is specific information you are seeking make the request specific as possible such as per year , per campus, or per student)SincerlyConcerned TaxpateyMore background on public records request at https://www.oag.state.tx.us/open/index.shtml Beinke

Director of Advocacy

http://www.cirkielaw.com/

http://www.stopschoolbullyingnow.com/

[Guest guest]

I want to know how much they paid him to be there to intimidate us when the meeting was only about whether my son still qualifies for service, and I want to know how much they have totally paid him in this matter as I am pretty sure it would have been much cheaper for the taxpayer to look at the standardized testing we provided that showed he made substantial academic progress (which they refused to even look at) and provide the same RPM academic instruction so he can continue to progress.  I am certain that for what they have paid this attorney since we asked for an ARD would have paid for at least half a years tutoring.  There was also gossip in town that made me realize that for them, this is about beating his parent(s) and not about the needs of the child.  Evidently, this lawyer told the district that he would " use a scorched earth approach with this parent. " I thought it was supposed to be about the child?  No matter how much they tell people not to talk, this is small town and gossip abounds and people still say something and then say don't tell anyone, but gossip here runs like wildfire.

A teacher has also violated privacy laws by discussing certain issues that were supposed to be settled with other parents.  Her version of the story is very detrimental to our son.  I believe her remarks have sparked this tunnel vision of the district focusing on the IQ of my child. they seem determined to say he is ID whether he is or not, or there intent is to disagree with us on every point and push for DP on every little point in order to break us.  Remedies?  We told them we were more than will to have them do testing, but we were against IQ testing.  We feel the determination of providing the service he needs (academic tutoring) can be provided by doing standardized academic testing.

We were also told that they NEVER do FIE's without IQ testing and we know for a fact this is a lie.  Parents who just agree with whatever the ARD committees suggest do not have to subject their children to IQ tests.  As my son has autism, he will not perform well on an IQ test.  I fear their label will later hurt his chances for college down the road (and I can see their eyes rolling as I say that), and we know an ID label will cause teachers to ignore him and think of him as unteachable. No child can make college if people fail to teach them.  

I think it will help to know what they are spending on the attorney.  It is hard to believe a district when they say they want to forget the past, rebuild trust with the parents, and move forward when they have a lawyer sitting there and all they want to focus on is implying our son is ID and not autistic. 

Thank you for the advice.

[Guest guest]

if you get the numbers I would bring it to the news station so the public can see what these schools who claim they have no money to pay teachers or have certain activities and such are really doing with the money. Sent from my iPhone

I want to know how much they paid him to be there to intimidate us when the meeting was only about whether my son still qualifies for service, and I want to know how much they have totally paid him in this matter as I am pretty sure it would have been much cheaper for the taxpayer to look at the standardized testing we provided that showed he made substantial academic progress (which they refused to even look at) and provide the same RPM academic instruction so he can continue to progress. I am certain that for what they have paid this attorney since we asked for an ARD would have paid for at least half a years tutoring. There was also gossip in town that made me realize that for them, this is about beating his parent(s) and not about the needs of the child. Evidently, this lawyer told the district that he would "use a scorched earth approach with this parent." I thought it was supposed to be about the child? No matter how much they tell people not to talk, this is small town and gossip abounds and people still say something and then say don't tell anyone, but gossip here runs like wildfire.

A teacher has also violated privacy laws by discussing certain issues that were supposed to be settled with other parents. Her version of the story is very detrimental to our son. I believe her remarks have sparked this tunnel vision of the district focusing on the IQ of my child. they seem determined to say he is ID whether he is or not, or there intent is to disagree with us on every point and push for DP on every little point in order to break us. Remedies? We told them we were more than will to have them do testing, but we were against IQ testing. We feel the determination of providing the service he needs (academic tutoring) can be provided by doing standardized academic testing.

We were also told that they NEVER do FIE's without IQ testing and we know for a fact this is a lie. Parents who just agree with whatever the ARD committees suggest do not have to subject their children to IQ tests. As my son has autism, he will not perform well on an IQ test. I fear their label will later hurt his chances for college down the road (and I can see their eyes rolling as I say that), and we know an ID label will cause teachers to ignore him and think of him as unteachable. No child can make college if people fail to teach them.

I think it will help to know what they are spending on the attorney. It is hard to believe a district when they say they want to forget the past, rebuild trust with the parents, and move forward when they have a lawyer sitting there and all they want to focus on is implying our son is ID and not autistic.

Thank you for the advice.