...there we stood in the doorway We heard the mission bell and we were thinking to ourselves "This could be heaven or this could be hell" Mirrors on the ceiling The pink champagne on ice. And she said: "We are all just prisoners here of our own device." (Eagles)

Friday, December 26, 2008

It's Not Just Me - A Special Christmas Song - Why Do Parents Feel This Way About The System?

I know there are a few within the public special education system that will continue to first blame the student and then blame the parent. I even live in a county that is "on Santa's naughty list" for labeling kids in need of specialized education, sending them off to a more restrictive environment in a special education center, and then, just to prove that the kids are too far gone to benefit from those professionally written IEP's that are designed to meet the individual needs of each child, have the kids arrested.

I don't make this stuff up. Read the arrest complaint.


And the good special education teachers are in the same boat as the kids and the parents.

Here is a link to a yuletide song, probably written by a parent who lives in a county that has a good PR program going:

Special Education Law Blog

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Becoming Effective 12/22/2008 = How Many Will Know?

I know:

The District needs some good PR.

The District Administrators don't know about ESE issues.

There is a common complaint that Hillsborough County is just too big for everyone to be up to date on the latest laws.

That somehow in an apparent attempt to explain changes in law, the District "breaks it down", and that in this translation, the original intent of the law is missed.


The majority of the public is clueless and depends on the professionals for the truth.



Maybe this link could be sent directly to all District employees on the new fangled system that is being developed to let every one know what the good things are in HCPS. This way, no one can be accused of providing misinformation, and they can read the truth themselves. This way, everyone can compare what the real rules are to what they thought they were told through the grapevine or one of those dummied down presentations.



These rules come into effect 12/22/2008. Merry Christmas.


6534228, 6A-6.03411 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register – FAC, FAW, eRulemaking


Click On Final Adoted Rule to read the goods.

How Does Any Of This Make Sense?

PRO on HCPS: Ding, Lady Justice is Done

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Hillsborough County Special Education Employees Read This

Today, I was reminded of how I came about having this blog. This blog progressed to my other two blogs. Today, I was reminded of how contemptuous and ignorantly isolated the Special Education system is in Hillsborough County.

When someone tells me that I can say things that employees of the system can't say, it taps into the anger I have about the system. I mock those who say they are "professionals" yet hide behind the smoke and mirrors of the system.

I, and the increasing number of others who see the truth, can not respect a system that flaunts it's contempt towards kids with disabilites who have needs that won't be met.