Why remove Mariah from PUBLIC EDUCATION in Broward County, Florida?

WHY?
....This decision to remove my daughter from PUBLIC Education in Broward County, Florida is not something I ever thought I would be doing, especially with SB 1108 passed into law and going into effect on July 1st for parent rights at the IEP. 
FLORIDA SENATE BILL 1108 SUMMARY
http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2013/html/474

The way I have been treated as an involve parent in my daughter's education here in Broward County, especially at the IEP "team" table is not anything I would wish on any parent!!! At this time, I have to do what is right for my daughter Mariah! She (we) need to get back to basics without so many district level hands in the decisions happening at the IEP table and of course with the many "glitches" with their computer EasyIEP program and then certainly in relation to my daughter's academic education via the IEP process here in Broward Public Schools as been nothing but a roller-coaster ride of bullshit and unnecessary stress!! 

This coming up Tuesday 5/28/13 will have been the 10th IEP MEETING for me this year!!! Really? Currently the PLACEMENT OPTION discussion and decision for Mariah is to have her sent to the MOST RESTRICTIVE PLACEMENT!! (aka FULL TIME ESE Classroom) ...for ALL of Mariah's classes except not for her STEM classtime!! The MOST RESTRICTIVE CLASSROOM PLACEMENT WILL BE - FORCED ONTO Mariah's IEP Document no matter what this Momma Tiger suggests, wants or advocates for! Those that know me, know this is not an option for Mariah!!! 

The direction and the way things have gone via anything pertaining to ESE at the Middle School level is so wrong on many levels. My input, my concerns, my ideas, and my suggestions to help my daughter be academically educated and for her to be all she can be is not welcomed or taken seriously at our many IEP "team" tables. *Parent Team vs. School Team....certainly not ONE TEAM in support of and for my daughter's education.

How can it be right to have parents be subjected to so many contentious IEP ROUND-TABLE discussions trying to get the proper supports and things in writing on how to educate their Child for a school year? With way too many school district employees being paid to attend all these IEP meetings and calling themselves the professionals at least once or twice in the course of our IEP meetings, to justify why their input is what... more important or better that what a parent suggests or wants? What do parents know? How can it be right that ALL those school professionals never seem to agree to what the Parent suggests, brings up or wants written onto their Child's IEP document? 

It's time to walk away from the IEP boxing ring...Mariah needs to leave now. I am not up for filing a 2nd Due Process in the same school year! That's what they encourage and tell you to do anyway! This District is going to do what they are going to do when it comes to HIGH PROFILE Parents like me...parents that ADVOCATE for their Children's Special Educational needs. I have given way too much of my Mommie Volunteer Hours this entire school year!! I have been spent a great deal of my volunteer time working on just the cat & mouse email games that go on. *Emails & Paper documents are the only evidence you have when you have s DUE PROCESS. So my advice to my many parent friends is for you to keep on top of your emails and hold your Child's school accountable for every little thing they are doing or not doing! Document it all in writing your emails. 

I'm sure there will continue to be some GLITCHES in the EasyIEP Program pertaining to my daughter's FINAL IEP Document. The May 2nd, May 3rd, May 14th interim IEP's are all still in a DRAFT form. What could have been the coming up 10th IEP for this school year....which is suppose to be held on Tuesday May 28th....what will they do now? I'm pretty sure they will go ahead and proceed without me even though Mariah will NOT be a Broward Public School Student come Tuesday May 28th, 2013. Who knows what FUNNY FUNNY stuff they (this District) will do now to her FINAL IEP document even though it was never finalized and was still as a DRAFT doc., as of the May 14th meeting. 

No matter what happens now....I am NOT AGREEING OR TRUSTING TO ANYTHING THIS DISTRICT WANTS TO FORCE ON ME OR PROPOSING FOR MY DAUGHTER'S EDUCATION OR PLACEMENT AND/OR WHAT THEY WANT TO GET WRITTEN INTO HER IEP Document. 

It seems as if this district in not interested in what the parents have to say about their Child's education...at least that's been my experience, and what I have been part of and witness to, when I attend my other IEP meetings. 

It has been pure craZiness via the "IEP Process" this ENTIRE school year more so than previous school years...absolutely!!! 

What's different? What is happening at the ESE District level? Is it because I FILED A DUE PROCESS? What is going on with ESE in Broward County Schools? Something or someone is controlling what is or isn't "allowed to happen" at our Children's IEP meetings!!!! These are INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PLAN = IEP meetings...what has happened with the INDIVIDUAL?

These last 12 months ~ from May 2012-May 2013 in Public School District of Broward County has been nothing but contentious, hateful, manipulating the IEP goals and closing them out and completely removing her goals without my full parental participation or an actual sit down resolution meeting. I have certainly felt bullied at times and it seems as if IEP's are district level controlled now with the Due Process Coordinator making all the final decisions and that person is not even sitting in or attending our IEP meetings!  

I have had to Advocate for my daughter's educational rights like never before this past year! In fact May 30th will mark the one year anniversary when my daughter's end of her 5th Grade IEP document was part of a hostile-take-over last May and this was as she was going into Middle School. I had signed her up to participate in the STEM Magnet Program and she was accepted into it. This is a school I thought was the best fit for Mariah to grow academically throughout her Middle School years. The ESE Staff in place at this school will not be a good fit for me for another 2 years!! Why? Why not change to another public school? .....because they all get their directives from the same top level management from downtown!! It would be more of the same at a different school, with the same "ESE/IEP" crap!


Mariah and I found a perfect little Christian School for her to attend. I am "retiring" from the IEP "process" that Broward Public Schools puts good parents thru!!! Those sitting in leadership positions here in this district don't seem to care at the mess ESE is in here. Not one person sitting on our school board gives a noodle about the nonsense the ESE Department dictates and put parents and families thru and ultimately it's the student that misses out...misses out in the opportunity to be educated to earn a high school diploma!!! I want to get back to basics without SO MANY PAID DISTRICT EMPLOYEES CONTROLLING how or what gets written onto my daughter's IEP document!

Mariah has made some friends with several students at her Middle school. Many students have come up to me out in the community and tell me Mariah is so nice and they like her. I am grateful for the students that have accepted Mariah and are friendly to her. Isn't that what it's all about too? Making friends in school? ....especially in Middle school!


Mariah and I are both HaPpY there will be no more IEP meetings or her going to Parkway Middle school anymore! She and I know what we are doing and what we need to do!! Everyone needs to either support us or get out of the way!! Mariah is looking forward to her NEW SCHOOL in the Fall!! A nice little private Christian school!

*This goes hand-in-hand with the how the ESE Department treats ESE Families in Broward. Hibbs challenge to Mr. Runcie and the Broward County School Board.

http://youtu.be/DrHjXDqfNKs?list=PL6sB2rcvqtoDvQIwZnELfODhqksNgJlTw

Reposting from:
Juliet Hibbs YouTube.com Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/HibbsforChange
Published on Hibbs4Change

I submitted today (5/24/13) on BCPS form, my WITHDRAWAL from PUBLIC EDUCATION at PARKWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL in Broward County!!!

I submitted today (5/24/13) on BCPS form, my WITHDRAWAL from PUBLIC EDUCATION at PARKWAY MIDDLE SCHOOL in Broward County!!!

"Toast-to-that!!!" 

 ......Now give me the FINAL IEP document that was CLOSED!!!!! ...and please no illegal deletion or adding things...please...NO FUNNY STUFF with her IEP Document that was LAST C L O S E D !!!! 

I am DONE PLAYING with BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ESE & LEGAL DEPARTMENT peeps!!!

Stand Up for What You Believe In and Be Proud To Be An American Advocate! The James Kaleda story~removed from testifying before the New Jersey Senate!

James Kaleda is A True American Advocate we should be proud of! If you had been sitting there in the New Jersey Senate chambers that day on April 30th, 2013, would you have been the one that STOOD UP 4 CHANGE and supported him? See the woman in the 2nd video clip at the bottom of my post today. 

Breaking News Story: James Kaleda ejected from hearing by New Jersey State Troopers



Published on May 8, 2013
James Kaleda explains that the proposed NJ Gun Bills will not save any lives but will endanger them. He is ejected by Committee Chair Senator Norcross. This took place at the NJ Senate gun control hearings in Trenton on April 30, 2013.

Be Sure To Read The Top Comments!

My gut feelings watching and seeing this happen, turns up all sorts of emotions to exactly how it seems to have gotten at IEP meetings this past year in Broward County. My PARENT VOICE, MY PARENT INPUT to her IEP document, my suggestions for her yearly educational goals, my advocating for my own Child for her educational needs and her right to receive a quality education and to be educated to learn so she too can earn a REAL HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA at the end of her school years. My ideas and suggestions go on deaf ears with public school employees aka the 'educational professionals' and their idea of what 'they think is best'. Parents know their Child the best in all areas of their Child's life. Speaking up for my own daughter is also about speaking up for many many other students with *IEP's! Mariah and I testified before the Florida Senate Education Committee, WE WERE HEARD & SUPPORTED by the Florida Senate and the House!
*Individual Education Plans


Why Parents Could Get More Control Over Their Child’s Special Education Plan http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2013/04/22/why-parents-could-get-more-control-over-their-childs-special-education-plan/ 
Hear the words spoken so perfectly by Mariah Harris as she read her first Pubic Speech as she testified before the FLORIDA SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE on March 18th, 2013 on SB 1108.


If James Kaleda, seen here in this You Tube Video, testifying before the New Jersey Senate on a proposed Gun Control Bill being looked at and all those in the audience didn't get up and stand up for him as he was denied his First Amendment Right to speak.....is shameful that "We The People..." are not supporting each other when one is speaking out for the people.

The COMMENTS to this are worth reading as well, because the comments support James Kaleda and our FREEDOM OF SPEECH!

Stand Up for What You Believe In and Be Proud To Be An American Advocate!

We need to Stand UP and Support Each Other!


Published on May 8, 2013
After a late start, and a "ten minute break" that lasted more than a half hour, the NJ Senate committee on gun control decides to cut off public comment on the proposed gun control bills at 4 o'clock. The chairman and most of the committee then refuse to honor the pledge of allegiance. This took place at the NJ Senate gun control hearings in Trenton on April 30, 2013.



YES!!! THEY ALL STOOD UP TOGETHER AND RECITED THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! 

Support those that speak up on your behalf!

Thank you James Kaleda-a true American Advocate!

NDSS ~ MY GREAT STORY! One Siblings Act of CHANGE.

Published on Mar 21, 2013
The National Down Syndrome Society's (NDSS) My Great Story Video Project features 10 short videos are based on submitted stories to the NDSS My Great Story public awareness campaign. The goal of the My Great Story campaign is to ignite a new way of thinking about people with Down syndrome by sharing stories written by and about them. NDSS and the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at UMass Boston collaborated with Emmy Award winning filmmaker, Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, to create the Video Project.

One Sibling's Act Leads to Change stars 9-year-old Trent Briggs and his 12-year-old sister Megan. When he discovered that Scholastic Dictionary had used the word "retarded" in its definition of Down syndrome Trent took action. He wrote to Scholastic and asked them to change the definition using the term "intellectual disability" instead. Trent and Megan show the rest of us how one person can inspire another to create positive change.

Learn more about the My Great Story Video Project at www.ndss.org/storiesvideoproject.