An encounter
with Candidate Doug Forrester on behalf of our children . . .
by Bob Witanek
The following letter was handed to a campaign aide of Republican Gubernatorial candidate Doug Forrester on June 18, 2005 at the POAC picnic. I was able to talk to candidate Forrester at that event.
I told him that many are unhappy with the way these issues are being handled by NJ DOE. I suggested that he could have the ability contribute to the correction of this issue by raising it as a concern. I explained that we need more than vague references to children with disabilities, and that we need specific support for the issues of concern in the petition drive. He seemed interested and receptive. He also seemed to take notice as people came to the table and signed the IDEIA 2004 petition while I was talking to him. I referred him to the letter that I gave to his campaign aide and let him know that our organization would focus attention on any steps he took on behalf of our concerns around IDEIA 2004. He stated that this issue should be addressed not as a partisan issue but out of concern for the best interests of our children. Hopefully it was more than a whisper in my ear.
APIECE
A Parents' Initiative For Every Child's Education
PO Box 1214, Belle Mead, NJ 08502 *
APIECE@APIECENJ.org * 908-881-5275
"We Can! We Will! Together!"
June 18, 2005
Dear Doug Forrester,
Congratulations with your nomination and best of luck with your campaign.
I am writing to make you aware of an issue of utmost importance to the families of 225,000 special education students in the State of New Jersey. You can begin to make a difference on this issue even before obtaining the highest office in the State of New Jersey, if you were to raise this issue in your challenge to the current administration and your opponent in this race.
In December of 2004, the federal government enacted legislation changing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. While improvements are part of the new law, in many areas, rights of students and their parents are being withered and processes that are vital to the achievement of a free and appropriate public education are being undermined. The way the law works, states such as New Jersey have the option of leaving current stronger law intact in areas where the new law would allow weakening.
Our organization, A Parents’ Initiative for Every Child’s Education (APIECE) is coordinating a petition drive and already 1000 NJ residents have united around 11 concerns. About 95% of the special education parents approached are signing on – our challenge is finding a way to reach them all. The current administration has sought input from the school districts but has not made a direct attempt to reach out to the parents of the 225,000 special education students for such input.
The petition opposes the following changes.
- Elimination of short term objectives.
- The changing of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) period from 1 year to 3 years.
- Regular education teachers would no longer need to attend IEP meetings.
- Midterm assessments of progress toward objectives can be eliminated.
- Stay put provisions prohibiting unilateral district placement change while an issue is in dispute would be eliminated.
- Manifest determination rules can be weakened making it easier to suspend or expel a child with a behavioral disability.
- Increasing the time for which a child can be removed to an “alternative learning environment.”
- Decreasing the frequency parents must be notified of their rights.
- Imposing a statute of limitations for holding a district legally accountable.
- Imposing a state run resolution meeting on due process procedures.
- Increasing the age for transition service from 14 to 16.
Our children with disabilities are some of the most defenseless citizens of the state of New Jersey. Their rights are being trounced because lobbyists for organizations with billions in their coffers went to DC to lobby against our kids. Our children need a champion – someone who will raise the issue of IDEIA 2004 and maintaining strong parental rights around these specific points. We need more than vague reference to children with disabilities but instead specific calls upon the Statehouse to comply with the points of the petition drive. You can review some of the signers and what parents of children with disabilities are encountering across the state of New Jersey by visiting http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org . You can even sign on to the petition.
Our organization will make sure that any support you provide to our children gets the utmost attention among our constituents.
For Our Children,
Robert S. Witanek
Ask the Advocate
NJ Complaint Form (MS Word)
(PDF)
On Line Public Hearing on IDEIA 2004
Survey on NJ OSEP Complaint
Process
Past Activities
IEP Wkshp
Rec. Programs for
those w/ Disabilities
An Evening of Educational Advocacy
September 8, 2005 Edison, NJ
What The Student Advocate Has Done for Our Children
Lately . . .
NJ IDEIA 2004 Organizing Committee
Minutes of IDEIA 2004 meeting on Thu., May
26
Student Rights Radio
Discussion, October 31
Effort to
Reach Gubernatorial Hopefuls and Acting Governor / Candidates
IDEA: An Update
Dec. 5, 2005
Middletown
January 18,
2006: Hold a Candle Light for Our Children's Rights
50 Strong For Our
Children
No. Jersey Radio Interview Aired, 1/22
Petitioning for Rights Children: Legal in Princeton
Interview on NJ IDEIA Rights
- Racial Disparities in Sp-Ed
Call
is Heard in Montgomery Twp: Inclusive Recreation
NJSAU Minutes 2/18/2006
Playing and Singing for
Our Rights, 4/1/6
Better IDEA Laws for Special Education
Students?
Better IEPs? Anything is Possible!
April
1 Report: Student Advocacy Union - Fundraising Concert
Mobilization for Rights
of Our Children, May 17, 2006, Trenton
Nationwide Internet Radio Rally for Sp-Ed Parent Rights
9pm EST, Sat. May 20
Parents’ Rally @ Statehouse in Trenton Thursday, June 8, 2006
Piscataway Parents Mtg, June 19, 2006