Re: IEP meeting didn't happen

[Guest guest]

Stick to your guns on the suspension data.  The schools often try to create their own definition to suspend more than the law allows. Sometimes they try to add up partial days to count as only one day when in fact, each day that they remove him from his placement is a separate removal or suspension.

I personally made an OCR complaint when the school was doing this baloney to my son.  But each parent has to decide for themselves. I found they were much more willing to follow the law after the complaint because most parents believe the school line about the suspensions, or don't push it and either pull their kids out, transfer them, or just give up.  Now they still treat the other kids the way they shouldn't but they know better for my son.  Except when we changed from the elementary to the high school, they 'forgot' and I had to wave the big OCR stick again.

Kathy J.On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 7:16 PM, s_hansen34 <s_hansen34@...> wrote:

 

Well, just wanted to let you all know that the IEP meeting we were suppose to have today didn't happen. Schools were closed due to snow. This really bites because this just drags the whole situation out longer.

In the meantime the principle is still trying to say my son wasn't suspended on Dec 10, when I was even threatened if I didn't pick him up they would call juvenile authorities. All because he refused to do his work.

She said because he was at school for the 3 hours and 16 minutes by law to be counted present that it wasn't a suspension! I cannot believe the nerve of her!

We wrote her back and again quoted her message still on my husband's phone where she clearly said suspension. We also quoted the district's Student Conduct book on the definition of suspension. Again, we requested for the paperwork we were suppose to get. Curious to see what she will come back with this time.

I'm thinking if after all this she still insists it wasn't a suspension that I will have to file a complaint. I just can't believe these are people we have to entrust our children to.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

ne

[Guest guest]

Thank you Kathy, I actually used the "change of placement from the IEP" in our response to the principle based on your last reply to me. I hadn't thought of that before you mentioned it, so thank you very much for that.

We are seriously thinking about filing an OCR complaint. I have already placed a call to them about two months ago explaining our situation and back then they even agreed we had legitimate concerns. Since then the school has done even more. I'm just afraid of the retaliation that they might do towards my son. You know what they say about "crap rolls downhill" and who is at the bottom most of the time? Our children. How did you handle your situation? Did they retaliate against you?ne

Well, just wanted to let you all know that the IEP meeting we were suppose to have today didn't happen. Schools were closed due to snow. This really bites because this just drags the whole situation out longer. In the meantime the principle is still trying to say my son wasn't suspended on Dec 10, when I was even threatened if I didn't pick him up they would call juvenile authorities. All because he refused to do his work. She said because he was at school for the 3 hours and 16 minutes by law to be counted present that it wasn't a suspension! I cannot believe the nerve of her! We wrote her back and again quoted her message still on my husband's phone where she clearly said suspension. We also quoted the district's Student Conduct book on the definition of suspension. Again, we requested for the paperwork we were suppose to get. Curious to see what she will come back with this time. I'm thinking if after all this she still insists it

wasn't a suspension that I will have to file a complaint. I just can't believe these are people we have to entrust our children to. Does anyone have any suggestions?ne

[Guest guest]

Retaliation is another OCR violation so you want to mention in your complaint that you fear retaliation also.  Then everyone is on notice that if there is even the appearance of retaliation things can go much worse for the school.  One thing I did before filing my complaint was sweetly go into the school office with a written note requesting complete copies of all my son's file including any notes.  The office person asked me what it was for (even though I am entitled to ask) and I just said that we wanted to make sure we consider all my son's needs for his upcoming IEP.  When they gave me the file I discovered that some of the school staff felt so entitled to use negative behavior methods that they actually bragged about things like stomping on his feet in notes in his file. I kept the copies for use with the negotiations about my son's placement and IEP and the OCR complaint.

Kathy J.On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 8:07 PM, susanne hansen <s_hansen34@...> wrote:

 

Thank you Kathy, I actually used the " change of placement from the IEP " in our response to the principle based on your last reply to me. I hadn't thought of that before you mentioned it, so thank you very much for that.

We are seriously thinking about filing an OCR complaint. I have already placed a call to them about two months ago explaining our situation and back then they even agreed we had legitimate concerns. Since then the school has done even more. I'm just afraid of the retaliation that they might do towards my son. You know what they say about " crap rolls downhill " and who is at the bottom most of the time? Our children. How did you handle your situation? Did they retaliate against you?

ne

 

Well, just wanted to let you all know that the IEP meeting we were suppose to have today didn't happen. Schools were closed due to snow. This really bites because this just drags the whole situation out longer.

In the meantime the principle is still trying to say my son wasn't suspended on Dec 10, when I was even threatened if I didn't pick him up they would call juvenile authorities. All because he refused to do his work.

She said because he was at school for the 3 hours and 16 minutes by law to be counted present that it wasn't a suspension! I cannot believe the nerve of her! We wrote her back and again quoted her message still on my husband's phone where she clearly said suspension. We also quoted the district's Student Conduct book on the definition of suspension. Again, we requested for the paperwork we were suppose to get. Curious to see what she will come back with this time.

I'm thinking if after all this she still insists it

wasn't a suspension that I will have to file a complaint. I just can't believe these are people we have to entrust our children to. Does anyone have any suggestions?ne

[Guest guest]

See what type of reply you get. Remember, save everything! If you have to I would go above her ...talk to the Superintendent of Special Education. I would suggest you meet with the Superintendent and tell him/her everything that has happened. Again, be Professional. Try to keep your emotions out of it. Be firm but polite. Have everything with you in writing and replay the message on the cell phone. Ask him/her for assistance in this situation. I would explain very nicely that this needs to be resolved before it goes any further...

Schools don't want lawyers involved or the state...

Jan

"In the Midst of Difficulty lies Opportunity" Albert Einstein

Success is not measured by one's position but by the obstacles one has overcome to obtain that position

From: Kathy <rrabbits@...> Sent: Tue, January 11, 2011 10:32:43 PMSubject: Re: ( ) IEP meeting didn't happen

Stick to your guns on the suspension data. The schools often try to create their own definition to suspend more than the law allows. Sometimes they try to add up partial days to count as only one day when in fact, each day that they remove him from his placement is a separate removal or suspension.I personally made an OCR complaint when the school was doing this baloney to my son. But each parent has to decide for themselves. I found they were much more willing to follow the law after the complaint because most parents believe the school line about the suspensions, or don't push it and either pull their kids out, transfer them, or just give up. Now they still treat the other kids the way they shouldn't but they know better for my son. Except when we changed from the elementary to the high school, they 'forgot' and I had to wave the big OCR stick again.Kathy J.

On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 7:16 PM, s_hansen34 <s_hansen34@...> wrote:

Well, just wanted to let you all know that the IEP meeting we were suppose to have today didn't happen. Schools were closed due to snow. This really bites because this just drags the whole situation out longer. In the meantime the principle is still trying to say my son wasn't suspended on Dec 10, when I was even threatened if I didn't pick him up they would call juvenile authorities. All because he refused to do his work. She said because he was at school for the 3 hours and 16 minutes by law to be counted present that it wasn't a suspension! I cannot believe the nerve of her! We wrote her back and again quoted her message still on my husband's phone where she clearly said suspension. We also quoted the district's Student Conduct book on the definition of suspension. Again, we requested for the paperwork we were suppose to get. Curious to see what she will come back with this time. I'm thinking if after all this she still insists it

wasn't a suspension that I will have to file a complaint. I just can't believe these are people we have to entrust our children to. Does anyone have any suggestions?ne