Representatives Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) and Jim Langevin (RI-02) along with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) announced the introduction of the Protection and Advocacy in Education Act (H.R. 9100), legislation that would help students with disabilities receive the educational support to which they are legally entitled.
This bill would provide Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As) with direct funding to ensure the rights of students are upheld.
The P&A system is a congressionally-mandated, state-implemented program that provides legal and advocacy support to people with disabilities to help them gain access to health care, employment, housing, transportation, financial benefits, and education and to protect them from abuse and neglect.
P&As are part of a larger network of organizations that are dedicated to providing support to students with disabilities and their families. While 30% of P&A cases are focused on individuals with disabilities in education settings, there is currently no dedicated funding for P&A education work.
The Protection and Advocacy in Education Act would correct this by providing funding specifically for education cases.
This legislation is supported by National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems, as well as The Advocacy Institute; Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates; National Center for Parent Leadership, Advocacy, and Community Empowerment (National PLACE); PACER Center; and SPAN Parent Advocacy Network.
The last paragraph has all of these organizations that have names that would indicate they are helping people with disabilities so what are they not doing that more help is needed.
Ricardoh: In a case I am familiar with, a child had multiple issues needing help with motor skills and speech calling for occupational therapy and more. Despite medical doctor’s written recommendations and those of therapists, the district offered a couple of hours here or there, not anywhere near what was needed. Their response to a slow starter was to put the kid in a slow class of basically baby-sitting to put them even further behind. Parents had to pay themselves and transport the kid to multiple sessions weekly for occupational therapy and hire tutors, all at their expense, in places as far apart as Lafayette and Todos Santos plaza. The priceless statement from the administrator in response to complaints that the district did nothing, was that they offer the Chevy of care and not the Cadillac of care. Parents got zero help from the district so that is their Chevy, and it can be argued they materially harmed the kid by isolating her in slow classes. You know something is wrong when the administrators refuse to let the meetings on this be taped, and it became obvious they do as little as they can until the parents force it with legal action. If the schools are not going to provide help to disabled kids, just admit it and say all parents are on their own and the district doesn’t give a damn if a kid is disabled. The parents spent large amounts of money and altered their jobs to get the kid up to speed, and eventually she caught up to her grade level. Instead of lying about support programs, they should just be honest and admit that parents are on their own.
To Do List I have two questions. What are all of those organizations
in the last paragraph doing for anyone? Do you think for a minute that what DeSaulnier is doing will change anything. Judging from the test scores of all of the schools around here the whole system is failing.
Ricardoh: I don’t recall the names of any of those organizations and I assume they are carefully designed to make it appear they are addressing whatever problems need be, without actually doing anything except employing administrators. As far as your question about DeSaulnier, I think you know my opinion of him. I got to go to the central valley today and the thought of him actually doing useful will keep me laughing until I get to the 5.
I’m sure this is just more bureaucracy created by politicians trying to justify their jobs…
there is/are already federal guaranteed monies for this, but it doesn’t get to the children.
Unofficial poll:
1) Yes, S… But this time it will be different
2) Yes, S… Never trust politicians
3) Fill in the blank: _____________________________________
The next advocacy act will aimed at “protecting” trans-kids.
We need the “Protect Kids from Pedophile Teachers Act” and the “Protect Kids from Sex Change Perverts Act”
WELL SAID, WC!!
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… just another govt (expensive) program.
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Pretty much EVERYTHING that DeSaulnier says and proposes is meaningless and worthless.
What these two loser (Weenie-Weiner and DeSau) are accomplishing is promote more useless application of funding and our stolen tax money!!
I’d like this congressman, who is always championing these corny ideas, to instead explain to us why the president authorized the purchase of anti radiation pills for the entire population in the same week these talk about nuclear war. It has a lot of us very uneasy! (And you know darn well, guaranteed, that had president Trump said and did similar the news would be on it 24/7 and there be activists in the streets) Are we silently going to war? Please explain that congressman DeSaulnier!
I am tired of not having a say on where my tax dollars go.