A HUGE win for special education family and an embarrassing loss for #WESELPA attorneys from @F3Law -- A Federal Judge just smacked down attempts by the law firms of Fagen, Friedman and Fulfrost to sanction an attorney who represents a family of a student with disabilities in
@AltaLomaSD. @F3Law continues to employ the sanctions tactic unsuccessfully, despite a unanimous decision by the #WESELPA Superintendent’s Council not to pursue a sanctions policy in the WESELPA.
I believe FFF is marketing these motions because they get paid by the
#WESELPA Joint Risk Fund win or lose. It is almost certain that @F3Law got paid with special education dollars to pursue such motions. Please email your school board and urge them not to turn a blind eye to the injustices being perpetrated by FFF against children in the WESELPA.
Ask them to ensure your district’s education dollars are being spent in the classroom and not in the courtroom.
OBTAINING EMAILS/TEXTS ABOUT YOUR CHILD. Emails and texts are NOT considered "student records" but parents CAN obtain them via PUBLIC records. I've created a little background fact sheet so you can understand why that is. The main issue is that FERPA says only records that are
identifiable and are MAINTAINED are student records. The courts have defined "maintained" as in a physical file. So, emails and texts (and Google docs communications, etc), unless they are printed and put in a physical file, are not considered "educational records." However,
they are PUBLIC RECORDS which you can get via a Public Records Act request. Remember to request ALL COMMUNICATIONS since the district staff also use things like Google Docs to communicate, as well as text messages. (You can even get text messages sent on personal cell phones!)
Selpas need their own audit, independent auditor says-- See SEALs email to #WESELPA Administrator @RickyAlyassi.
Dear Ricky,
Hope you had a nice holiday season. I wanted to let you know that this past Monday, the San Bernardino County Board of Education heard a report from an
independent auditor. During the presentation, I asked the auditor regarding the SELPA's responsibility to perform an audit. I asked the auditor if the audit presented to the County Board encompassed all of the programs of the SELPAs since SELPAs have their own board. The auditor
specifically stated that the audit to the County Board did not cover all of the SELPA programs and that SELPAs are responsible to perform their own audits. I also confirmed that any program receiving over $750,000 per year in federal awards, is required to conduct an audit.
ONLINE PRESENTATION ON HOW TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD
It is clear that most school board members don’t really care about our special education issues. That could be largely due to the fact that they don’t have a child in
special education or some personal connection. Well we do and we need a voice on the board!
We need parents to run in our upcoming school board elections in 2022! Join us online Saturday, June 19th for an online presentation on how to run for your local school board presented by
a parent that has been elected to both the San Bernardino Board of Education as well as the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District!
ACTION ALERT-- Blow the whistle on WESELPA wrongdoing and speak up for children with disabilities
Dear Friends,
Please support children with disabilities and their families by speaking up on their behalf. You do not need to be in the WESELPA area to support our cause.
Please DM for email distribution list.
Suggested language (feel free to add your own details):
Dear School Board Members,
I wanted to express my disappointment in how your Superintendent voted on your behalf today at a meeting of the West End Special Education Local
Plan Area. Your Superintendent voted to be a rubber stamp for the WESELPA Administration and ignored comments from many parents and students with disabilities. Specifically, your Superintendent approved a contract with the Department of Rehabilitation sight unseen.
Special Education during COVID-19 Webinar
Please join us for an educational presentation about IEPs during COVID-19 and how the California Department of Education can be a helpful resource for parents.
Saturday, February 6, 2021 6:00-7:30pm
Click on the Registration Link below to
register and receive the link to the webinar: forms.gle/L5nqVNgBZfY4yN…
NOTE: We are asking people to verify that they are parents/caregivers by providing a REDACTED first page of their child's IEP.
We are trying to preserve confidentiality. We have had many attempts by school
district administrators to attend our events and parents do not feel comfortable participating or attending knowing that there are district people watching. We are trying to be sensitive to the concerns from parents. Please know that the information you provide for verification
Thank you to all who have made comments in support of children with disabilities in the #WESELPA. I urge you to continue our advocacy tomorrow. You do not need to be in WESELPA to comment. Your support is important as some of the decisions made at WESELPA may eventually spill
over to other areas.
Please send email by 9:00 am tomorrow to karen.johnson@sbcss.net
Two ways to comment:
1—Live via phone; send Karen Johnson email before 1/22 9:00 am, requesting to speak on Item B—Public Comments
2—Submit your comments via email before 1/22 9:00am to
karen.johnson@sbcss.net and they will be read into the record.
Please see attached suggested comments and let me know if you have any questions.
To join meeting (start time is 9:30 am)