Evening Meeting January 18? NJ Board of Ed Might Respond to Call of Parents / Advocates
By Bob Witanek http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org 908-881-5275. advocate@studentadvocate-NJ.org
Also – tomorrow is last day to sign up to testify at Wednesday, December 21 hearing – see below for details.
While it could be a small victory for parents of advocates, it certainly is not enough and it is not definite yet, it was learned today by this student advocacy organizer that the NJ School Board is considering rescheduling the Wednesday, January 18 school board hearing to occur from 6 to 9 pm. In September 2005, this organizer wrote in the New Jersey Student Advocate newspaper (see: http://www.studentadvocate-nj.org/NJSA_V001N001_HearingComment.htm ) and at the Student Advocate Website as well as on various discussion forums about the scheduling of hearings around IDEIA 2004 revisions by the school board that coincide with the very busy and inclement Christmas, Chanukah and school break season. I called upon parents to write to the school board and Office of Special Education Programs to schedule hearings that are more accessible to parents who are most affected. I also wrote several letters my self to OSEP and school board officials. The Statewide Parents Advocacy Network (http://SPANNJ.org ) also issued similar critique, also wrote to the board and also called upon parents to send similar letters to the state.
When I called to schedule my testimony at the Wednesday, December 21 hearing, I used the opportunity to refer to the hearing process as currently set up as a sham. I questioned the wisdom of having this hearing on “Christmas Eve” (the woman was quick to correct me since it is not quite Christmas Eve), at 3 pm while parents need to be at the curb waiting for their children to get home from school etc. She was a bit defensive and assured me that the schedule of board meetings is set a year in advance and that only the topics are assigned as meetings approach more closely. After I pressed the issue as to how the appearance is that the meetings are set up to avoid our input, the person spoke with (I will provide her name to anyone interested as a follow up – I left the paper I wrote her name upon at another location) stated that *the board is considering scheduling its Wednesday, January 18 meeting in the evening from 6 – 9 pm to allow more accessibility to parents*.
While such a step comes no where near what is needed to fully engage parents of special education students and our supporters, it is movement and it is a response to our outcry. The person related that there has been a large number of folks who have raising this issue with the board. I asked when this is to be announced and she stated that she is waiting for final approval along those lines.
*So if you have not already – please do call the School Board to express support for such action and to call for an even more inclusive process*
Contact the NJ DOE Board of Education at (609)
984-6024 or in writing at New Jersey Department of Education, Office of the
State Board of Education, P.O. Box 500, Trenton, N.J. 08625. Fax (609)984-8422
Write also to Acting Commissioner of Education and Assistant Commissioner(s) of
Education, P.O. Box 500, Trenton, N.J. 08625, (609) 292-4469 Fax (609)984-8422
On-line letters:
https://www.state.nj.us/njded/parents/contact.htm
Send letters to Barbara Gantwerk Barbara.Gantwerk@doe.state.nj.us and Robert Wohle Roberta.Wohle@doe.state.nj.us to keep them in the loop.
*Let’s
Mobilize!*
While I am attending the hearing next week and I encourage everyone who can to
attend – I did not put a big push personally to trying to get folks there since
it will be an almost impossible date to organize a mass presence at.
*Press
Conference*
However, I do suggest that we get there at 2 pm for a press conference. Please
let me know if you are interested in helping and possibly speaking at such a
press conference.
*All
Out for January 18*
Once we confirm January 18 as an evening meeting – let’s mobilize and organize
to be there by the hundreds or thousands! Let’s rally outside before the
meeting. What better way to honor and respect the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.’s by carrying on the civil rights struggle – by following in
his footsteps – now on behalf of our special education children whose rights are
being trampled in IDEIA 2004 revisions. Whoever is interested in helping to
organize around that date – please let me know by writing to
advocate@StudentAdvocate-NJ.org and calling 908-881-5275.
*Call
upon Corzine / Legislature to Act*
We also need to prepare for the eventual possibility that the school board does
not respond to our call. Now we need to be calling upon the legislature to in
both the Assembly and Senate to call a round of legislative hearings around
these code revisions. We also should call upon Governor-Elect Corzine to attend
and speak at next Wednesday’s meeting and to otherwise act on the behalf of our
children.
*The
Dec. 21 Hearing*
Tomorrow is your last chance to sign up to speak at the hearing. Your
presentation should be 3 – 5 minutes long and you should bring 8 copies of your
written version of the presentation. The hearing starts at 3 pm Wednesday,
December 21 in the School Board building. IT will likely last about 2 hours.
There are currently 30 signed up to speak. I don’t know how many are parents
vs. district representatives.
*Draft
Your Written Comments*
It is of utmost importance for you to get written comments to the board starting
Monday, December 21. See:
http://studentadvocate-nj.org/50_strong_for_our_children.htm
IF you are interested in any or all of these activities, feel free to write me at advocate@studentadvocate-NJ.org or call at 908-881-5275.
For All of Our Children,
Bob Witanek http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org 908-881-5275. advocate@studentadvocate-NJ.org
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