Testimony of
Robert Colby-Witanek, 1/18/2006
On behalf of 225,000 special education children
from throughout the state of New Jersey,
I take this opportunity
To let this NJ school board know
That we are citizens and residents
Who are valuable
To this society, this state and this nation!
The full potential that we
offer
And our very survival
Depends upon our full empowerment
On our rights
And the rights of our parents to advocate for us!
Any effort to undermine our
rights
By this school board
By the Department of Education
And by our scandal ridden congress
Is an attack on our
opportunity
On our ability to reach our full potential
And for many thousands
On our very survival
We need Short Term Objectives
We need Mid year progress reports
We need our regular teachers at the IEP meetings
We need stay put
Stay put must staaaaaaaaaay put!
We need Manifest Determination protections
We need to always be notified of our rights
What we don’t need are Three year IEPs
We don’t need longer time spans wasted in isolation lock up
We don’t need to have our legal right limited to 2 years – we deal with the consequences for a lifetime.
We don’t need to be hung up for months by forced state mediation.
The process that brought us
here was carried out by a scandal ridden congress
With lobbyists running a muck and bought off millionaire politicians
To seek the lowest common
denominator
Is to ally our selves with that scandalous process.
Remember, Rosa Parks was alone when she sat down on the bus
But many feet marched toward desegregation
We might feel lonely but
remember
Every boiling pot starts with a single bubble
Every thunderstorm starts with a single drop
To the petitioners, the testifiers and the organizers
I want to remember your names
Get the word out to the other students that we have power to wield
And should we be ignored
Help us to remember the names
Of those in Congress who defiled our rights
Of those in the Statehouse who preside over these processes
Of those in the Department who implement these oppressive changes
And of those who sit on this board who now have a choice . . .
To stand up for our rights,
to rewrite the regs, and to respect the petition
Or serve as a rubber stamp for this ill begotten process
That will serve only to crush our hopes and our dreams
And to all the good advocates
Who fight for my rights
I close with this thought
As we celebrate the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birth date
Dare to struggle, Dare to WIN! Dr. King, Live Like Him!
Dare to struggle, Dare to WIN! Dr. King, Live Like Him!
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