Posted by Mark and Ellen Maulding on 5/9/2005, 8:40 am I know this may sound a bit strange, but we are the parents of a 13 year old young lady who has Down syndrome and we need your help. Currently, we are in a legal battle over her education. For all of her pubic school experience she has been in all "regular" classes except for some speech for the past two years. She did very well until her mother came to vist her in her classes one day in the year 2003. She found out that our daughter was not being in the regular related arts classes, but instead in a self contained situation. Math was also this way even though her IEP stated otherwise. After her mother questioned the IEP team concerning this all hell broke loose. The IEP team decided they wanted our daughter in segregated, all self-contained classes. They took us to Due Process concerning this. Even though we had over 6,000 documents and 20 hours of testimony to support the facts that; 1. our daughter was receiving educational benefit 2. when the mother found out the the IEP was being violated, the school pulled all supports and services out from under their daughter, wouldn't allow parent/teacher conferences, wouldn't allow classroom visitation, and wouldn't allow for parents to communicate with teachers and visa versa, we lost. Our hearing officer is paid by the school districts through funds they get from our state's state dept. of edu. so they more often than not, rule infavor of the Districts. We are appealling. This is where we need your help. If you would be interested in contributing to our daughter's legal fund or know someone who would, please feel free to e-mail us at grace4kids@comporium.net If we win legal funds in Federal court, then all donations will be refunded. We believe that from the moment a person steps foot into the public school system, they start to form ideas of where they belong in society and where others belong in society. If we continue to segregate those who have disabilities from the so called "normal" population in our public schools, then we will continue to produce a segregated society. One which does not naturally think of the supports neccessary for all to live life. On the other hand, if students with and without disabilties are educated sitting right along side eachother and given the supports and services that the law provides, then we will produce a truly integrated society. One in which those with and without disabilities will become doctors, lawyers, rabbis, pastors, resturant owners, recreational facility program directors who will naturally think to design their practices, services,resturants,businesses, and recreational programs that will automatically incoorporate the "supports" needed to include everyone. As the system stands now, society thinks in terms of segregated programs at best. And usually these opportunities are not equal. Please let us know if you are interested, Sincerely, Mr. and Mrs. Maulding
206.74.31.233
To all of you,
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