American Bar Association Juvenile Justice Policies Report on Zero Tolerance
http://www.abanet.org/crimjust/juvjus/zerotolreport.html
"Education on Lockdown: The Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track" is a 64 page report on Zero Tolerance and its effects on students in three metropolitan areas. The recommendations might be useful to delinquency and Juvenile defenders, special education advocates, parents and educators even in areas not a part of the study. http://www.advancementproject.org//reports/FINALEOLrep.pdf
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Bullying and Harassment Notifying School Administrators
Parent Training and Information
The following are 10 suggested steps to follow when parents choose to formally notify school administrators about their concern of harassment based on the child's disability.
1. In writing, address the notification to a specific person and date the letter.
2. Write the letter to a person who has the authority to investigate and the authority to correct the wrong.
3. Note that the school district is a recipient of federal financial assistance.
4. State the past or continuing discriminatory activity against your child.
5. State that the school district has control over both the site of the discrimination and over any school personnel involved.
6. Explain that the discrimination was not a single acct but was severe and pervasive.
7. Tell how the discrimination excluded your child from continued participation in school or denied your child the benefits to which other students in school have access.
8. Explain, as well as you can, what you would like the school to do to stop the discrimination or to remediate the harm the discrimination has done to your child.
9. Ask for a copy of a school district grievance procedure under Section 504 (even if your child has an IEP under IDEA). Not having this information may result in continued discrimination.
10. State that if the person receiving this letter does not investigate or does not take effective corrective action, that you may claim that the district showed deliberate indifference to the discrimination. You may also want to add a date you expect to hear back from the district in regards to your letter.
These steps are adapted from attorney Reed Martin's "10 steps to making a successful complaint".
This information is educational and not intended to be legal advice.
The following are 10 suggested steps to follow when parents choose to formally notify school administrators about their concern of harassment based on the child's disability.
1. In writing, address the notification to a specific person and date the letter.
2. Write the letter to a person who has the authority to investigate and the authority to correct the wrong.
3. Note that the school district is a recipient of federal financial assistance.
4. State the past or continuing discriminatory activity against your child.
5. State that the school district has control over both the site of the discrimination and over any school personnel involved.
6. Explain that the discrimination was not a single acct but was severe and pervasive.
7. Tell how the discrimination excluded your child from continued participation in school or denied your child the benefits to which other students in school have access.
8. Explain, as well as you can, what you would like the school to do to stop the discrimination or to remediate the harm the discrimination has done to your child.
9. Ask for a copy of a school district grievance procedure under Section 504 (even if your child has an IEP under IDEA). Not having this information may result in continued discrimination.
10. State that if the person receiving this letter does not investigate or does not take effective corrective action, that you may claim that the district showed deliberate indifference to the discrimination. You may also want to add a date you expect to hear back from the district in regards to your letter.
These steps are adapted from attorney Reed Martin's "10 steps to making a successful complaint".
This information is educational and not intended to be legal advice.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lost at School by Dr. Ross Greene
From "lost at school", "In the same way that kids who are delayed in reading are having difficulty mastering the skills required for being proficient in reading, challenging kids are having difficulty mastering the skills required for becoming proficient in handling life’s social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Why have we been so zealously over-applying consequences to kids with behavioral challenges? Because we didn't realize they had a developmental delay.” Dr. Ross Greene
I stumbled upon this book while looking for another at Borders last week. It is amazing. I actually cried when I read the first chapter because it is exactly what has happened to my child and so many others. Too many times educators don't understand the challenges that these kids come to school with, nor do they have the support. Administrators all too often don't take the time to understand or figure it out. Parents are being blamed and ignored and the everything is coined as being the child's fault. If this child makes a difference with just one child, it is a saving grace for our children. Please take the time to review this book and add it to your reading list for early 2009!
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Accommodations are adjustments in the presentation of information or tasks that enable children with disabilities to complete the same work as their peers. Examples include sitting near the teacher or extra testing time.
