Ann Arbor News: My Letter to the Editor

Letter to the editor -

 

Parents are supposed to send their children to school with the basic belief they will return home, safe, sound and without physical or emotional signs of abuse.  This is not the case in the Wayne Intermediate School District (WISD) and for far too many Michigan students with disabilities (and without) in both our public and private schools.

 

Physical and emotional abuse, seclusion, restraint, physical harm and even death have and are occurring in our schools, and far too often than written about in our newspapers or in complaints filed by parents.  Two Michigan children with disabilities have died due to abusive practices by education personnel and yet our State has no law that prohibits these practices in our schools.  The State Board of Education passed “standards” that prohibit only the use of “restraint” and with no requirements for teacher or staff training on positive behavioral plans, strategies or interventions. 

 

What will it take in Michigan before Governor Granholm (in her two remaining years and eventual legacy) and our all-too-term-limited Legislature; propose, pass and sign a law that protects all Michigan children with and without disabilities, from potential abuse and abusive practices in our public and private schools?  How many more children will suffer?  How many more will die?  And when will we be able to focus on the meaningful education of our students with special needs (30% drop out of Michigan schools); instead of the devastating distractions of physical and emotional abuse? 

Marcie Lipsitt

Seclusion and Restraint: America’s Children with Disabilities in Crisis

The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), known to parents of children across America as their states’ Protection and Advocacy agencies, has issued a formal call to action with their January 2009 report, “School is Not Supposed to Hurt: Investigative Report on Abusive Restraint and Seclusion in Schools.” 

Parents are supposed to send their children to school with the basic belief they will return home; safe, sound and without physical or emotional signs of abuse.  This is not the case for thousands of America’s students with disabilities in both public and private classrooms in schools that cross all socio-economic lines.  Physical and emotional abuse, seclusion, restraint, physical harm and even death, has no idea if your child is attending a private or public school; if this school is located in an urban, rural or suburban area, or if it is wealthy, middle class or economically-disadvantaged. 

So what is “seclusion and restraint?”

Read more HERE

It is time to hold the national media accountable to students with disabilities!

In the 1976 film, Network, a nightly news anchor played by actor Peter Finch, says, “”I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” And while I have no desire to meet the same fate as Mr. Finch’s character and be shot to death for my passionate stance on America’s abysmal special education programs, services and student outcomes… Nor will I be silent.

My reference to Mr. Finch’s decades-famous quote would be comical if not so disturbing, as my rant pertains to the egregious reporting of special education by a large majority of our national and local news media. I am sick and tired of misinformed staff-writers on our large city and national newspaper education beat…Literally, beating up the students with disabilities.  On a regular basis, there is another poorly written, inaccurate article about how America’s students with learning disabilities and AD/HD are bringing down their schools’ standardized test scores and ability to make “adequate yearly progress” under the No Child Left Behind. 

Read more HERE

What is the Difference between a Pit Bull and a Parent Advocate/Education Activist?

What is the difference between a pit bull and a parent advocate/education activist?  Well, with no intended slight to former Republican vice presidential nominee, Governor Sarah Palin or her comparison of pit bulls to hockey moms…the answer is still, lipstick.

I’ll admit, I had not thought a lot about Governor Palin’s statement other than to wonder why we would want a pit bull in the White House.  I was unabashedly and passionately an Obama supporter.  I also did not know much of anything about pit bulls (I have 3 wonderful rescue dogs but none are even part pit bull) and had not yet been the recipient of this label and persona. At least not to my face! So last week when a parent of one of the children I am currently representing referred to me as “our pit bull” I must admit it stopped me in my tracks. 

Read more HERE

Don’t Forget Your Power Drill in Your Special Education Tool Kit!

Have you ever felt like or actually found yourself grinding your teeth during an IEPT (individual education planning team) meeting?  Or maybe in your sleep and during the nightmares that are more like autopsies of bad meetings and terrible results?  IEPs (individual education plan) crafted and signed to deliver anything but the federally required “free and appropriate education” (FAPE) under IDEA 2004 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004).    

Read more HERE