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Special Education Abuses in Texas

c henry, advocate & parent

817-565-8765

I  have been writing to Federal as well State (TX) politically influential people (supposedly) for over a year  now in regard to the issue of abusive treatment of special needs children in schools.  They all want to direct the issue  to another office or department.  They all want to wash their hands of the blood of innocent people whom they could possibly keep from being oppressed.

This last person I spoke with was some woman from Kay Granger's office.    Her offering was that I RE-send information regarding my issues of concern.  She said she had NO clue anything of the sort was going on in Texas.  She had no clue what an ARD was nor an IEP.  She had no clue parents have to fight for their children to get the so honored IDEA , No child left behind services.  SO WHAT...if someone spent time making those rules and laws up.  If the parents of special needs children have to pay attorneys and  advocates to get them, how much good are they?

85 %  of  the parents that go to DUE Process...LOSE  !    TEA is the one who has the attorneys....as well as the well-funded school districts !   IF  they would just give help to the kids that need it - they would spend much less money on legal fees.  The mediators are sent and paid  by the TEA as well.  The TEA is merely a cushion and protection for the Texas school districts.

I get calls from all over this area.  The Weatherford School district kicked one parent off campus by threat of criminal trespassing, with a police escorting her in front of her child’s peers -down the Elementary school hall ... after the student Svc Director found out she was on campus. The mother had been signed in and with office personnel permission - peacefully observing her Autistic child after the ARD  - during the time( 10-day period ) before she signed the IEP.    She was only there 45 minutes  after lunch on a Friday afternoon - when  this happened.  THEN  she was restricted from going on the school grounds. I spoke with the officer - just afterward - and he said she was not causing any disturbance (and the school had told him just that ) - they just wanted her to leave.)  NOT  one person told her, nor inferred, nor  suggested  they did not want her there.  It was a BAIT - so they could treat her badly for advocating for her Autistic 9 year old son.

Another woman  - with her second grader - got barricaded into  her child's classroom by four of the school personnel - including the Principal - because the little boy was having a melt down and knocked over a couple of chairs.  They stood 4 people wide and would not let her leave the room !  Outside of school walls - that is called  kidnapping...or holding someone against their will without  cause.

Why is it that the Districts  do not have to follow by standard  criminal, civil laws ?  

One little  special ed girl was injured  while getting off of a  public school bus.  The mother  asked  one  of the  bus monitors what happened, and she  informed the mother that the other bus monitor got impatient and pushed her out the  door. The little girl has a problem with balance and difficulty with manipulating her joints.   The mother confronted the school Principal about it and got the same monitors in there in the meeting, but that time the monitor lied about it.

I understand there is a school in Azle, TX - Silvercreek Elementary that treats the special ed children  with aggressiveness - in  roughly forcing their  little heads down on the desks at rest time, as well as other aggressive  force.  Who is going to covertly check on that?   This was told to me by a  friend I go to church with... a NEW special ed teacher  expressed her concern to  my friend.  The Special Ed teacher  is afraid to tell - because she does not want to lose her job. 

I have heard reports of teachers getting reports from the kids on the playground of  bullying - and the teachers just telling the kids to go play - so they could hob-nob socially with each other - and not  have to tend the children.   This was  a repeated incident at Seguin Elementary in Weatherford,TX - with various children.  I have  heard from parents  at that school  who have a couple of children they drop off at the same time in the morning - one is marked late  12 times - the other is not marked late at all (the one marked late is the K - child - who is in the closer hall to the front drop  off ) .   The parent inquired and desired it be removed from the child's record - and it was denied.

Another  older Autistic child In Joshua ,TX  had his ankle broken - because  teachers were ignoring a bullying incident  during recess.

I have recently been interacting with a mom who has a 9 year old boy who cannot even read nor write.  The child has played at my house  a couple of times...  I KNOW  he could at least read & write  SOME - if a special teacher  sat with him one on one  and  tried to teach him in the WAY  he learns best.  The school has him as PDD_NOS.  He is clearly Autistic.  I have asked the mom why she  doesn't try to get better  services for him ? The mom ( really his Aunt with custody ) says she is just tired.  She cleans houses all day...and she is over 50. 

So -  financially strapped people, who deal day to day with their disabled children... and are just doing the best they can... have to sit back and  watch  these things happen with their children.  IF they try to do something - they are demonized  and suffer retaliation. 

One school district is  collaborating with the  opposing side  in a child custody case THAT INVOLVES A  special ed child.    They have cooperated  and stated in a  deposition  that   the mom is   hostile for advocating for her child in the school.   They made a statement that she is  impeding the 9 year old  Autistic child from independence.    I  know the woman.  SHE IS DETERMINED, FIRM, AND  PERSISTENT... BUT... SHE IS NOT HOSTILE.  No teacher, nor  counselor, nor therapist is involved in the deposition - just the  Administration, and the Principal.

The  system is completely UPSIDE DOWN !        The people who are supposed to be served by the PUBLIC  servant -  are being, in fact,  abused and oppressed.

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