Greetings and welcome to truthaboutsped. The purpose of this blog is to provide periodic updates in regard to some of the disturbing happenings in the area of special education. Unfortunately, much of what I post will relate to my own personal situation.
I have been involved in special education (SPED) for several years in my role as the parent. As many may know, this area can get contentious. At the beginning my journey, I created a web site: http://www.truthaboutsped.org/
as a tool to confront what was happening to my family at the time. The creation of this web site and my vocal resistance to being bullied into submission by district administration caused my wife and myself to become victims of retaliation in a variety of forms, including public letters maligning us for advocating on behalf of our children.
After what appeared to be a short "Era of Good Feeling," I again find myself in the difficult position of having to fight in order to secure FAPE (free appropriate public education) for my children.
What seems to amaze people is how open I am about what has happened to me. For my entire life (before SPED), I was extremely protective of my privacy and that of my family. However, when I realized that this privacy had the potential to be used as a "tool" to keep me quiet, I realized that I needed to keep my eye on the greater good.
I will begin posting regularly to this blog. The most important advice I can give you is remain focused on what is best for your child. Do not be afraid or ashamed that you have a child with "special needs." Be proud and become your child's most zealous advocate.
Please visit the following web sites for additional support during what will surely be a difficult journey:
For my early experience with SPED, visit http://www.truthaboutsped.org/. Some of this information is a little outdated but may be helpful.
For an activist social change approach, visit http://www.spedwatch.org/. This is an EXTREMELY informative group with a broad range of experiences. I urge you to become a member.
The system is broken, both in Massachusetts and nationwide. Please become part of the solution!
No comments:
Post a Comment