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About Mothers From Hell 2
FAME - SHAME

Go to SHAME section.

FAME

FAME to Connie Habern, former diagnostician, who, though now retired, continues to hold my hand and advocate for my son during ARD/IEP meetings even though the school is a 30 mile drive from her home. When I didn't know where to turn for help, she helped me get set up with doctors appointments so I could get him diagnosed for treatment. She has ALWAYS believed in my son. She was willing to make sure that he wasn't written off as just another kid with behavioral problems. Though when Cody was in Kindergarten, she used to cringe to see me coming, we are now close friends and will continue to be for many years. Cody is now in 4th grade and doing very well, and I can't help but think where he would be if Connie hadn't been there in the beginning to teach me what to do. Thank you.

FAME: While recently making reservations for the dinner cruise on the Spirit of Dubuque river boat, I was asked, completely unsolicited I might add, whether anyone in my party had any mobility problems or dietary restrictions they should know about prior to the cruise. When I complemented the woman taking the reservations on this and explained what I do for a living, she quite matter of fact-ly said that "We do this for all our customers". She then went on to explain that they like to have adequate room for a person if they are using a wheelchair or walker to get to the buffet, restrooms, to the table itself, etc., and still have a nice seat for dinner. Pretty cool, huh? Maybe we should move to Iowa?

FAME to Ms. Ruggerio, my son's Pre-K teacher for 2 years, for her understanding, acceptance and will to fight for my 5 year old son who was diagnosed ADHD, Bi-polar and ODD at age 4. She has become a close friend to the family and we will never forget her.

FAME to Mrs. Harrison my son's Kindergarten teacher who took the time to develop a behavior plan that turned his classroom behavior completely around. She also had the acceptance and compassion that is hard to come by in the special education administrative atmosphere...

FAME to the parent who said "enough is enough" and pulled her daughter from the public school system, following a final IEP meeting that held 13 district employees and one parent. It has been more than two years since I pulled my daughter from public school. She still asks me why her last SED Resource Teacher treated her so badly. =(

FAME to The North Carolina legislature is currently considering new plans for a trust fund to assist the thousands of North Carolinians who suffer from mental illness, developmental disabilities and substance abuse problems. Contributing to these problems ever-increasingly is the use of alcohol during pregnancy. Sponsored by Senator Steve Metcalf, the trust fund would be built upon increased alcohol taxes. Monies will be generated by raising the tax on beer by 3 cents a can, the wine tax by 3 cents a glass and the liquor tax by 7.5 cents per drink. If approved, nearly $94 million will be set aside next year to improve a mental health system that by most estimates has more than $736 million in urgent, unmet needs. Supported by WNC Families CAN members and other parents of children with Serious Emotional Disorders, we appreciate Steve's initiative to bring funds to a system plagued by a greater need than the general public is willing to provide for.

FAME to Senator Jim Jeffords, newly Independent, Vermont, for standing on his convictions! Senator Jeffords helped create the special education program in 1975, and in order to remain in the GOP, asked the White House to FULLY FUND special education. When President Bush refused, Senator Jeffords said, "SEE YA!" Kudos to you Senator!!!

FAME to all the kids at Rockport MA middle school who don't bat an eye at the fact that my son has Down Syndrome and can't talk well they all understand him because they have taken the time to get to know him. He never sits alone at lunch and doesn't know how it feels to be made fun of by kids at school. They have given him the confidence to get angry at ignorant people who do! FAME to all the parents of kids in Rockport who never complain about a child with Down Syndrome attending classes with theirs in fact god bless them because they are always telling me how wonderful it is to have him in school with their kids and I whole heartedly thank them for raising such wonderful kids. FAME to the community of Rockport who have accepted my son as one of their own and are an embodiment of what the word "community" means. FAME to the staff at Rockport public schools who have done their best (with a little push now and then) to make inclusion work. This is not to say there haven't been bumps in the road there have been I have earned my Mother from Hell distinction but what the hey it feels good to look at the positive. FAME to Ryder truck company of Florida which has recently reversed its always resistant plan administrator, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and ordered full ABA benefits for the autistic son of a very needy family in Tennessee.

FAME also to Humana Health Systems in Tennessee for ordering ABA benefits for two families with an autistic child. This is a reversal of Humana's previous position on this issue in other states.

FAME to pediatric dentist Jeff Johnson who specializes in children with special needs in Rockford, IL. Even the most aggressive, violent, non verbal children can go to this dentist and actually enjoy their experience as Dr. Johnson uses current cartoon characters and a bedside manner comparable to none, along with his skill in treating the children with respect, great speed, and efficiency. My son Alex had a crown done without anesthesia and absolutely loves to go to the dentist! I don't have to go sit with him - I get to relax out in the waiting room! My only complaint would be that it's over too fast!

FAME to the 1st grade teacher in Rockford who keeps a log of all the awesome things my son does and presents it our "team" each week. She also keeps a log of all the things the Resource Teacher DOES NOT do and presents them to administration!

FAME to the entire student body at Luverne High in rural southwest Minnesota who in a secret ballot choose classmate Andrew Dooyema as king of the school and escort for their Homecoming Queen. It speaks well of Luverne that its teens didn't see Downs Syndrome as a bar to Andrew's coronation. (Now that he is king, Andrew has gently let friends and family know they must call him "King Andrew". )

FAME to the mom in Pennsylvania who, fed up with the school reneging on promises and not implementing the IEP tied herself to the flagpole for days. And a major SHAME (with a kick in the butt) on the school for driving her to that point. Submitted by Kate:

FAME to a middle school teacher in Belmont, NC. The TMH boy who was fully included in this 8th grade classroom was in dire need of positive behavior supports, and his teacher wiped the tears from the mother's eyes, and urged her not to despair that they could get through this.

FAME to my sons kindergarten teacher 6 years ago, Ms. Armstrong, for seeing in him a wonderful gift of imagination, and not destroying it! Thank you Diane

FAME to the teacher that yelled at the principal (during a TAPED IEP meeting) and threatened bodily harm to other staff members for being cruel to a child diagnosed with autism.

From Allison Burnes: FAME to the Developmental Psychologist and the pre- K special educator who taught me to help my son learn to communicate using Makaton and word chains to bridge the gap between silent gestures of frustration and words with meaning.

FAME to the Pediatric Neurologist who is helping me fight the insurance system see another child psychiatrist. Without her validation and help, I would have given my son up to the state. From Krista Long-Shroyer.

FAME to the grandmother who, instead of ranting over her autistic grandson's smearing feces on the wall, lovingly declared it the work of "Poopcaso".

FAME to the principal who implemented a class called "communications" which actually teaches our special children life skills such as how to order lunch at McDonald's and how to ask the bus driver for directions home.

FAME to the elementary school principal who told a parent on the phone who was worried about sending her CAPD son to kindergarten, "Please send him to us. We will take good care of him and do everything we can to help him".

Diane Poot wrote: FAME: To the Manhattan, KS Middle School TMH teacher that takes all his students out into the community because that is some day where they will LIVE. The wonderful man has been an excellent male role model for all his students and even a surrogate "daddy" to many of them. He also insisted that our kids were allowed to present a skit of "The Wizard of OZ" before the school play so that the other parents could see that his students can and do achieve. Education is all the richer by this professional's conduct in and out of the classroom and I am very grateful for the 4 years he has been my child's teacher.

FAME: FAME to a special education first grade teacher, who visited a former student every Christmas and helped the family decorate their Christmas tree. This was one of the highlights of Christmas for her former student.

FAME: FAME to the speech therapist, who incorporates her client’s favorite storybooks into therapy, and actually makes her client love articulation lessons!

SHAME

SHAME: I am in NY we refer to sped chair people as CSE chairperson...committee on special ed. The woman we have now is fantastic...but that was not always the case... CSE chairperson statement to parent at IEP meeting in regard to issues of the state regulations... CSE "Now I know what the problem is!!!" advocate "what?" CSE "you guys are following federal law......we are following state!".....parent..."didn't the south try that?" ( a year later this cse chair was removed from CSE ...but the school did give him tenure...before having the CSE position he was a hall monitor).  My name for IEP meetings in non compliant districts? Ring around the regulations.

SHAME to this teacher: My son's second grade teacher told us that she didn't think ADHD "really" existed, that it was a misnomer, but that our son should take Ritalin anyway...

SHAME: On the eve of school starting, my son’s school has turned into a “program” and there is no intent to hold IEP meetings to reflect that change! Now all the students on the campus will receive instruction in “basic skills” (reading, spelling, writing, math and social skills) but will have no access to core curriculum. Oh about those social skills, um…school started a week ago and they haven’t decided on a curriculum, one is for the campus as a whole (for kids with Severe LDs and are in Juvenile Justice, or the other option is one for kids with Asperger Syndrome teaching Theory of Mind (TOM)…each has it’s merit but we don’t need to teach TOM to the kids who have it) nor have they decided on what they would like to accomplish with whatever program they choose to buy. Did I mention that they would like all the students to be back at “comprehensive sites” within 2 school years but oh no! They will be even further behind their peers at the comprehensive sites since there will be no instruction in core curriculum (science, social studies, art, music, etc…)

SHAME on this attorney! -- As most parents of sp ed kids I had to hirer an attorney to fight for services for my son till 22, but on top of that I thought my attorney would fight for participation in the high school graduation ceremony but my attorney told me I couldn't have my cake and eat it too. Have you ever heard of that?

SHAME on the North Dakota school district who failed to offer Adaptive Physical Education to a child with a developmental disability (Cerebral Palsy) until she reached the 6th grade. And, SHAME to that same district who tried to remove the child from the middle school Adaptive PE program after the child's mother refused to allow the school to force the child to shower following PE class when NO OTHER 6th GRADERS were required to shower after PE!

SHAME on the North Dakota school district who failed to provide a child with large print text, as it was written into the child's IEP, stating that those students with greater vision problems would receive textbooks first (Mother called the North Dakota School for the Blind and had the textbooks in her home within one week after placing the call!).

SHAME on the Music Teacher, Elementary Principal, and SED Resource Teacher who banned a child from participating in the 5th grade Christmas program, due to the child's alleged "behavior," AFTER the district had labeled the child "severely emotionally disturbed!" Punishing a child for their disability! What's next? Once this child was 'labeled,' the district forgot all about the developmental disability.

SHAME on the SED Resource Teacher for using the one-on-one aide hired for and assigned to a specific child as a classroom aide for every other student within the classroom ... SHAME on the classroom teachers for taking advantage of the one-on-one aide and using her in their classrooms to assist other students!

SHAME SHAME SHAME AND SHAME SOME MORE!!!!-
Forrestville Valley School District in Illinois- read it here DID WE SAY S H A M E ?????

SHAME on this school district - Last year during our Due Process Hearing (for a child with severe autism). The school distr. assist superintendent and special Ed. Director turned me in for child abuse. She claimed I shoved my son to the floor, after I brought him in to our hearing to introduce him to the hearing officer. It was open to the public, parents and I invited the media as well. Of course with a room full of people no less. Like I mentioned our son has severe autism, and throws himself on the floor when he doesn't want to do something. Both have seen our son in the class room and signed off on his IEP that he has this behavioral problem. Well, it is a crime in our state to file bogus charges of child abuse. Penalty up to $10,000 dollars per person (their were two that did the dirty deed). Well, child welfare was out in two days to our house. We were all sick with some bug but I invited them in, they stayed for a entire 15 minutes. After I had our son demonstrate his behavior for 6 times, of throwing himself on the floor. They were ready to leave, I begged them to talk to my neighbors since we were having a neighborhood garage sell. I thought they would like to shop while they were in the area. I received my statement for no services needed ( nothing to prove that there was any child abuse going on). So with that file in hand I launched another law suit, for bogus charges.

Anyway, our hearing didn't start up for another 10 days later on our Due Process. To both the Special Ed Director and Assist Superintendent's surprise I had them both served at our hearing!!! I scared the Peee out of them! They both looked so ill the rest of the week. The school distr. attorney tried to try that case during our Due Process Hearing over multi- objections ( I think the hearing officer was asleep, she didn't understand anything, not even our due process hearing, but that's another story). He didn't understand what was going on, and thought I was just suing them for the heck of it. I later dropped the charges against them because I am too busy taking them to court on school issues. However I have two years to still sue them, my husband thinks the extra money would be nice to build a pool. Maybe next year I will be more freed up.

SHAME on Hallmark - I was looking for an e card to send last week and was surprised to come across one at the hallmark site that used offensive language to people with disabilities. It was under birthdays and had girls dancing and each girl you clicked on would say what kind of dancer she was. I was horrified that one said she was a "spastic" dancer." I wrote a polite but educational post to Hallmark, but they have not responded. Do they think I'm just a nut?

From A. in UTAH: SHAME on the principal at my child's school for canceling a prearranged meeting when my advocate from the Disability Law Center came with me because I had not "given him prior notice" that she would be attending. He refused to talk with her or I from that point on, saying he was not "prepared for that kind of a meeting" and that she would need to leave. I'm not sure what he meant; I only wanted to have the meeting we had planned. Once she left, he offered to have the meeting again. (which I attended, and audio taped)

And SHAME on whoever, from that meeting, in retaliation, reported me to Child Protective Services, for 'overmedicating my children" and used exact phrases from our meeting regarding the increase in medication my child requires for anxiety after spending a day in the classroom with no special education support, and a teacher with a hostile attitude; except conveniently left out the parts about the doctor instructing me to do this, and made it sound like I was buying these meds on the street corner and dispensing them at will.

And SHAME on the school and district for refusing to implement his IEP or give him a classroom aide and making this whole mess necessary in the first place.

SHAME on this school: "They have been sticking Dixie cups or a piece of PVC piping between my son's legs and calling it "adaptive toileting equipment." I thought I'd get 2 cans and a piece of string and make them a nice "interoffice phone" for Christmas hehe!"

SHAME on mothers with special needs children for refusing to work with the classroom teachers. Instead of spending so much time with your advocate groups, help the teaching staff with your child's special needs. You know them best. Yotter@aol.com. 

SHAME on the Burleson ISD for putting my four year old child with autism, speech delay equivalent of a 2 year old and motor skills delay equivalent also of a 2 year old in a room with ten other children (8 typically developing and 2 with special needs) and a teacher with no training in any disability whatsoever. Whereupon she became so increasingly frustrated with him that she screamed at me that "like he is, he will not fit into society", "he just needs discipline" and "I need a solution now!". All of this three weeks after I had asked for and emergency ARD meeting. After refusing to take him back to school until she had training or they had a different teacher, oh and a call to the Superintendent from TEA (Texas Education Agency), I had all kinds of apology calls and we scheduled the ARD. 6 days back in school, she again became frustrated and after dragging my son by his hand, plopped him onto an outside concrete porch, told me she couldn't handle him, and he ran into school traffic! We now attend school with him for his safety - don't think this didn't take a struggle either. When talking with the Asst. Superintendent I was told, "There are only two documented incidents." She's right, there are only two documented incidents because those are the only two I caught her in!" I was also told, "This is a teacher's livelihood we are talking about." I told her, "This is my four year old child with autism who can't tell me when he's hurt we are talking about. How many incidents does it take. What needs to happen to my child before you will do something? It would be child neglect on my part if I put my child in that teacher's hands again without my supervision. Do you honestly expect me to? Hey, if this were your child would you? Tell me, honestly, would you?" (Silence) I told her, "There's your answer. Don't ask me again to trust that woman again, period. She needs serious training or help." SHAME on them for not giving him the diagnosis or the help he really needs. I'm aSHAMEd of all the school districts, representatives, teachers, principles, etc. that have said or done such horrible things as those I've just read!

Big Fat SHAME on Nike

From the Nike website: "At Nike, we're thinking about the big idea behind diversity. How it's based on teamwork and what we can do together instead of apart. We're moving beyond how most people view diversity by not focusing on what makes us different. But on what makes us better."

Actual advertisement in Backpacker Magazine, October, 2000 for Nike ACG (All Conditions Gear) extreme sports trail running shoes:

"...Fortunately the Air Dri-Goat features a patented goat-like outer sole for increased traction so you can taunt mortal injury without actually experiencing it. Right about now you're probably asking yourself 'How can a trail running shoe with an outer sole designed like a goat's hoof help me avoid compressing my spinal cord into a Slinky on the side of some unsuspecting conifer, thereby rendering me a drooling, misshapen non-extreme-trail-running husk of my former self, forced to roam the earth in a motorized wheelchair with my name embossed on one of those cute little license plates you get at carnivals or state fairs, fastened to the back?'..."

Care to comment? You can contact NIKE at http://www.nike.com. You can also give them a call at their corporate headquarters: (503) 671-6453. Faxes can be sent to (503) 671-6300. The mailing address is One Bowerman Drive, Beaverton, OR 97005

SHAME on (allegedly impartial) Illinois Hearing Officers Charles L. Aschenbrenner, (a Special Ed Director for 30 years), who wrote in an opinion words to the effect that it did NOT matter that a school district committed to certain services in an IEP, since the school district personnel orally told the parents the school would not provide these services. The parents, according to Aschenbreener, had no right to rely on what was written down in the IEP!

SHAME on the unthinking woman who started dating a man whose daughter has Cerebral Palsy and asked me if there were any "special" places to take her for fun and recreation!!! I replied well yes there are!! ANYWHERE YOU WOULD TAKE ANY OTHER CHILD!!!!

SHAME - overheard at a conference unrelated to disability topics: obviously "having a swimming pool in your back yard is like having a retarded child - they both need constant care."

SHAME on the female dentist who, while working on a patient (along with her dental assistant, parent of a child with autism) discussed with the patient their children turning sixteen and learning to drive a car. The dentist looked up at the assistant and said “I guess you won't have to worry about that."

SHAME on Northern Illinois Association for denying the Mothers From Hell 2 a booth at a technology fair for parents and therapists and teachers - this was the very first exhibit booth that MFH2 had registered for. The reason given was that "schools are to be represented in only a positive manner during this event". It is just this sort of thinking that keeps real information from getting to the parents.

SHAME on Massachusetts, which as of January 2002 will no longer have “maximum feasible benefits” as the standard of service for students in special education. This standard required teaching a child to their full potential. Additionally, a change in eligibility rules that will result in an estimated 30,000 children will being dropped from the special education rolls (perhaps they will have been miraculously cured by the actions of the state legislature?)

What will Massachusetts be doing with all the money are not giving to special ed kids? Help build the Boston Red Sox a new stadium of course. What could be more important than baseball? Certainly not special needs kids. (To give credit where it's due, FAME to several representatives who risked the wrath of the house speaker and voted to retain the higher standard. And the Senate wanted to retain the higher standard, but soon realized if they didn't give in, the budget would never be passed and many needed programs would go unfunded.) (Can you spell H-O-S-T-A-G-E?)

SHAME: My son has ADHD and fine motor skill problems. When I asked the director of child study to provide OT, she said she couldn't because he was classified. When I asked her to classify him, she said she couldn't because he was too smart. Then she said, "Besides that, if we classify him, then he'd have to go to school with those retarded kids."

SHAME on the Assistant Superintendent of my son's school district who, in an IEP meeting, told me that, "Your son is nothing but a social misfit, and he will always be a social misfit." My jaw dropped to the floor and I was speechless for the remainder of the meeting.

FAME to the mom in Pennsylvania who, fed up with the school reneging on promises and not implementing the IEP tied herself to the flagpole for days. And a major SHAME (with a kick in the butt) on the school for driving her to that point.

SHAME ON THE AZLE ISD! They have played stupid since my son was in 1st grade, telling me he HAD TO FAIL before they could test him for ADHD. (not only was he ADHD he also has dyslexia).

To the principal, for saying to me "I had ADHD when I was young and I turned out OK without any special help."

For the school system telling me he couldn't be in the dyslexia class and also in the title 1 program. (MONEY)

To all the past teachers who didn't take the time to read his chart before calling me to complain about his inability to sit still and pay attention.

To the "higher-ups" that decided he was now "cured" of his dyslexia and was put back in a "normal class room" without ANY modification, only to fail once again.

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on the superintendent of any school who would let a special child be pushed through the system, so they didn't have to spend the time and money on them.

SHAME: I am ADHD. I worked with ADD/ADHD children. I also worked for the school as custodial/maintenance. We had three sided cubicles stored in the basement from a remodeling job. I worked in the hallways of our Primary School. The halls were noisy because of many volunteers and children working together. I asked our Principal for one of the cubicles to use for my ADHD kids while they read with me. Her statement was, "No, if you get one everyone will want one." I took the issue to our school board. This female Principal sat there, looked the board members in the eye and said, "I have talked to the teachers involved and they don't think this cubicle is the right way to go." She had never talked with them about this issue and this was proven by an investigation which proved she lied twice that day to the Board. I was accused of 'diagnosing' children. To my mind, if she can lie that easily, I won't put myself in the position of being lied about. These kids now have no one helping them. I'm afraid of what she might say about me and the kids. I honestly don't know how she sleeps at night. Someday she will get her deserved justice.

SHAME on MASSACHUSETTS: Okay, are you ready for this? Massachusetts used to have one of the highest standards of services for kids in special ed. It was called maximum feasible benefits. This standard required teaching a child to their full potential. For years the legislature tried to knock it down to FAPE. Parents fought valiantly and prevailed. Until this year. As of Jan. 2002, our standard will be lowered. Plus the right to an independent evaluation paid for by the school has been limited. Plus they've changed the eligibility rules. An estimated 30,000 children will be dropped from the special ed rolls. These must be the kids that the speaker of the house said are "riding the gilded Cadillac of education." What will our state be doing with all the money they've swindled from our kids? Help build the Boston Red Sox a new stadium of course. What could be more important than baseball? Certainly not special needs kids. (To give credit where it's due, several representatives risked the wrath of the house speaker and voted to retain the higher standard. And the Senate wanted to retain the higher standard, but soon realized if they didn't give in, the budget would never be passed and many needed programs would go unfunded.) (Can you spell H-O-S-T-A-G-E?) Anything else? Oh yeah. Massachusetts has instituted high stakes achievement tests called MCAS. If you don't pass this test, you don't graduate. For kids who, due to their disability, can't take the standard test with or without accommodations, they've come up with an alternative test consisting of a portfolio. Sounds good, doesn't it? Of course the Mass. Dept. of Mis-education representative stated at a recent training that most of the kids who take the alternative test will not score high enough to pass. (Kids in special ed have to meet the same standard as kids in regular ed). He went on to say that kids who have their curriculum modified due to their disability will be unable to pass. If you don't pass the test, you don't graduate. Welcome to the Bay State. CJ PS. Don't forget to vote! I suggest you check out where the candidates stand on the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sure, both say they support it, but in the last 2 recent attacks at the Supreme Court level (Olmstead Case, Garrett Case), Texas has submitted or joined briefs stating that states should be exempt from the ADA. Hmmmmm.

SHAME on the principal who expelled a kindergartner diagnosed with autism for aggressive behavior without a Functional Behavioral Assessment or a Behavior Intervention Plan in place. All of this with the mom being at school daily and offering any needed assistance.

SHAME: I couldn't leave out the early childhood social worker who put an entry into a report in my son's file that says "we need to address mom's need to keep her child young and disabled." Of course, I guess it's all my fault he was later diagnosed with AI, OCD, and ADD.

Heard through the grapevine: SHAME on the principal who declared (during an IEP meeting) that he wouldn't call MHMR when a 12 year boy with autism got aggressive, he would just call the cops!

SHAME to the woman who yelled at my deaf son, for not responding to her. Then when I explained to her that he couldn't hear, she told me that was no excuse for not teaching him manners!

A SHAME from Karen, a mother and school employee in Cleveland. Why do administrators admit they are breaking laws and are out of compliance, yet refuse to act to change things? ( ask me about the 8hour+ 2 day IEP with 8 district employees (9 when you count me) for my son, age 9 with DS and no speech. Could it be there are no teeth in the laws? One example; I am not too interested in mainstreaming for my son (he can't speak, no one at his school knows sign language, but his room has no textbooks, his last years IEP said he could go in the "regular class" for reading, this was to be 20 minutes twice a week, it wasn't followed, The principal said putting Special Ed with Special Ed is inclusion, and "they can't be in with regular students, they don't have the intellectual capacity (duh, but it is a law), and besides there was no aide in my son's MH room for 2 months as the aide had a broken foot (my son's classroom is located at the end of a maze on the 2nd floor, but the lower primaries (((the geniuses according to principal))) are on the first floor, (law broken here too, don't even get me started on the scars (on his eyelids and from his eyelid to jaw) ((( guess he will be eyeless too))) my son has from when his class was put in with the much larger kids in SBH when his teacher was out too) They were highly insulted when I said special ed kids would like to learn to read with real books too instead of all the homemade worksheets. It was a nightmare, at the end I got a copy of the unsigned resolution to buy the first 2 augmentative communication devices the district will buy, one for my son (this has "only" been on his IEP, since 97-98 school year) , and the other for a 14 year old girl, ask me anything about this girl and her families personal business, and school records, it was all attached to the form they gave me and I assume her family has mine. Oh did I mention that the IEP was written when I got there? And that they listed that he would get "at least 20 min of speech therapy a week either individually or in a group, this is Mikes entire oral vocabulary; " DAD, yeah". Everyone remarks on how clever he is, and how high functioning, but his MFE rated him about 2, because hey they can't communicate with him. (That 20 min weekly class is really going to help)! We can't have a textbook or EDmark reading or Distar, but we will be working on "Vocational Goals" hey who needs to read or speak?

From Allison Burnes: SHAME to the Principal who once told me that my daughter would not be allowed to come back to school in the fall unless she was on Ritalin. (No medical diagnosis had been made to indicate the necessity of such medication) When reminded that my son was an A student in her school and that he had been diagnoses ADD but performed well without medication she responded that she often thought he should be on Ritalin too. I asked her for her medical license. She did not produce one. I moved to a more responsive school district.

Submitted by Nancy: SHAME on the school district's Parent Pupil Director who said my son didn't need an IEP, he ONLY HAS A DISABILITY!

Contributed by Cathy Burke: SHAME on the special ed supervisor of our district who turned to me in a recent IEP meeting after the classroom teacher and school principal agreed that my son is a pleasant, well mannered boy: "Well at least you did something right!" I wonder what she thinks I did wrong? Why I oughta!

Contributed by Jody: SHAME to the school district for calling integration into a regular classroom 20 minutes of calendar time and 30 minutes in the afternoon after a 2 hour meeting and not pursuing integration after being on the IEP for 6 months.

Krista Long-Shroyer submits this SHAME. SHAME on the Medical Director of the Mental Health clinic who told me that my 5 year old son's problems can't possibly be biological because he behaved at school, and it must be a result of me and my husband's parenting skills. This was 2 weeks after he stabbed me in the back. She refused to call the doctor who had diagnosed him with Bipolar for a consultation. She also yanked all the respite and therapeutic support staff services we were receiving.

Submitted by Kathie Darby: SHAME on the inclusion support teacher who "forgot" to follow up on getting the Functional Behavior Assessment done on a student who was refusing to go to school. SHAME on the principal who, when after six months the mother became angry, directed the teacher to make a referral to the Student Attendance Review Board. The mother is ordered to appear to explain why her child is not attending school.

The review board agreed to wait until the behavioral assessment was completed, and the mother contacted a disability rights advocacy organization, which requested copies of the student's records from the school district. SHAME on the special ed administrator who, after the records request, informed the review board that the behavioral assessment is a separate issue, and the mother must still appear before the review board.

Submitted by Donna: SHAME on the school speech therapist that worked with my daughter for two months and stated, " I really don't think she ever had an auditory processing problem." Mind you it was diagnosed by four independent physician/professionals as well as their own school psychologist! (The change was due to the child completing FFW I & II with her private SLP.)

SHAME: Submitted by Debbi. Yesterday I spent my afternoon off work calling every agency possible to advocate for the respite I have been ordered totaling 8 hrs per week for my 8 yr. old son with Autism. It has not been provided due to staff shortages in over a year. After calling the service coordinator, the DSS, the Health Dept. etc. and getting nowhere I called the county administrator who said to me "It's a horrible job with very low pay. Would you want to do it?" I had to remind him I do it, 24/7, for approximately1.2 cents per hour before expenses.......and I didn't even apply for the job. God just assigned it to me. Then I told him I worked in Special Ed and Mental Health for many years with a college education for nearly the same pay these people who are only required a GED make. And they are paid during training. He had no reply when I added .....and those were the most satisfying years of my professional life.

SHAME: SHAME on the principal who said to a mother at an IEP meeting: “Do you realize your child is a novelty/” and then said she wanted medical proof there was a brain in the child’s skull cavity.

SHAME: SHAME on the therapist who told the mom of a child with autism, “What distinguishes people from animals is empathy and the ability to communicate. Autistic people don’t have that.” (And mostly, neither did that therapist!)