First Concrete Step in Support of Petition from NJ Legislator
Assembly Member
Peter Biondi (R) representing Somerset County signed the petition shortly after
receiving a letter from Bob Witanek very similar to the one at this link:
http://studentadvocate-nj.org/sample_elected_official_letter.htm
As for Assemblyman Biondi, the next step is to follow up and urge him to start a
bipartisan letter circulating in the Assembly in support of the IDEIA 2004
petition drive or the points of the petition drive. You can write to him
at this address: AsmBiondi@njleg.org
Also, we need other Assembly members to join Asm. Biondi in a possible letter
effort - particularly if you are represented by a Democratic Assembly member -
invite them to sign the petition and step forward to generate a letter in
support of the petition points in the lower house.
June 21, 2005
Dear Assemblyman Peter Biondi,
Congratulations upon demonstrating your support for the 225,000 special education students in New Jersey and their families by signing on to the petition calling upon the Department of Education and the Acting Governor to support our children. By joining us, you are helping to hold the line and sending a message to the DOE not to make these changes that we know to be harmful to our rights and the rights of our children and the processes that our children need for success in public education in New Jersey. You are the first elected official at the New Jersey state level who has signed on. We are hoping that it is a sign that our message will be heard and that we can prevail upon the Department of Education not to implement the harmful changes.
I have noticed that you have checked off that you will be writing letters to your state representatives and to the Department of Education. If you so decide to make your communication public, you can share it with us. If you authorize, we can place it at our website and otherwise make it publicly known that you are standing firm with our children and our families.
I would also be interested in exploring with you the potential opportunity for a letter to be circulated and signed by Assembly members around the 11 points of the petition. I believe that such an action could help lead to further action and the protection of our children. Ideally, such a letter could be started with bipartisan support. We are hoping that our elected officials from both sides of the aisle can set aside political differences on behalf of our children and work together to reduce the challenges that our children and the families of children with challenges face every day.
Hopefully also, other elected officials will follow your strong example by standing up for our children by signing on to the petition and by making their own public statements and initiating other actions that could lead to a favorable outcome around the issues of the petition drive.
Once again, congratulations!
For Our Children,
Bob 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