By Jim Long Santa Monica
I am writing to agree with Tricia Crane’s comments in the article “Special ed has changes in its near future,” page 1, Sept. 6-7. Crane is absolutely correct. The $80,000 spent by the school district on an independent audit that is now filed away could have been used to make needed improvements, including hiring competent staff. My experience is that the current special education staff was trained by Tim Walker to smokescreen parents. Secret deals were then used as a quick fix. While Walker is gone, nothing has changed in the school culture.
The entire IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process is flawed now as then. It’s a begging session on the parent’s side and a “maybe we will or maybe we won’t” attitude on the district’s side.
I recently filed a complaint with the state and this district was found to be out of compliance with federal law and corrective actions were required. Those actions have been initiated, but in the meantime my fragile daughter has regressed. The coordinators who are responsible for the violations of my daughter’s rights should have been fired. As far as I am concerned, all of the current special education staff should be fired. My child is being warehoused with “the other” special ed students.
The best solution would be to hire a competent staff with the existing funds available instead of bringing in more consultants to make it look like we are taking action. No one is fooled. What we need in special education are educators who are proactive, not reactive.
They should care about what is right for their students. I can only hope the discrimination ceases and that changes are made. I applaud Tricia Crane and other special education advocates for telling the truth about how our “World Class” schools are treating our students with challenges.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 13, 2008. Read the original PDF.