"Mariah speaks" ~ Before Broward County Public Schools over the Summer on July 23rd, 2013.

Mariah speaking before Broward County Public Schools over the Summer on July 23rd, 2013. M_07_23_2013 Her speech although unclear, was provided in writing to the Superintendent and all the School Board members so they knew what she spoke about at the podium. 

Mariah speaking before the School board over the Summer was something she wanted to do....by herself, without me standing next to her. She and I discussed what should she talk about if she was no longer a Broward County Public School Student. I withdrew Mariah from Public education in Broward before the school year ended on May 24th, 2013.

I didn't give up on Public Education... 

...Broward Public Education 

GAVE UP ON MARIAH!!

Although I filed a State Complaint pertaining to her school holding an illegal 10th IEP ~ 4 days after she had been withdrawn from attending Broward schools and was no longer a Student in this district. Naturally, I lost the State Complaint.....enough is enough of the games this school district and the State has put me thru in my trying to secure a 'real education' for my daughter, Mariah. 

This video provided by BeconTV is the entire July 23th, 2013 School Board Meeting. The Pubic Speakers begins on the Video at 143:00 with School board Chair, Laurie Rich-Livenstein opening the meeting for Public comment. Mariah is called as the first Public Speaker. To see the beginning of where Mariah starts go to 144:00 on the Video. I speak just after Mariah at 148:50 on the Video. 

It is worth a watch to see the other Public Speakers at this Summer Broward County School Board Meeting.

I am so proud my daughter wants to SPEAK OUT and become a Public Speaker. What she has to say is worth hearing. 

Written below is Mariah's actual July 23rd, 2013 Speech she spoke before Broward School Board meeting.

Hi !!

*Pause & SMILE

My name is Mariah Harris, I am 14 years old and in the 6th Grade.

I am in the Nova  U-Na-Ver-ciTy  School of the ARTS Drama Camp. I am a dancer, singer, actress and will be in the Disney MULAN show August second. I have teachers and helpers that support and BELIEVE IN ME! Want to come see me on the stage at the EP-STEEN Center?

I went to Horse Camp for 2 weeks and had a lot of FUN! FIRE is the name of my horse. I met new friends that liked me and BELIEVED IN ME at the Ranch!

I am on the SWIM TEAM at River Land Pool. Back Stroke is my best stroke. I Like doing Free Style and I'm learning the Butterfly. I love going to Swim practice every day! My Coaches BELIEVE IN ME!

I love going to the Movies and Cooking.

I am having a Great Summer.

I need people to BELIEVE IN ME and see that I CAN do it!

Do not JUDGE me because I have Down syndrome!

I am Mariah Harris, I love school and I'm a good student!

I have always been fully IN-CLUDed with an adult to help me.

BELIEVE IN and IN-CLUDE more students with Down syndrome in all of our schools!!

Have a good day!

Thank you very much.

SMILE

Mariah Harris

321funlife@gmail.com

"Mariah speaks" ~ Before Broward County Public Schools over the Summer on July 23rd, 2013.

A CLASS DIVIDED

New law aids parents of special needs children in dealing with school districts Marlene Sokol, Times Staff Writer Saturday, July 20, 2013

New law aids parents of special needs children in dealing with school districts
Marlene SokolMarlene Sokol, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, July 20, 2013 11:07am
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/new-law-aids-parents-of-special-needs-children-in-dealing-with-school/2132375

Self Advocate ~ John Anton at his job at the State House

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vmF1hUt5yw

Why charging such HIGH CO$T for Broward Public Records request from an ESE Parent?

POLICY #1343
INSPECTION & EXAMINATION OF PUBLIC RECORDS

EVERY PERSON WHO HAS CUSTODY OF A PUBLIC RECORD SHALL PERMIT. THE RECORD TO BE INSPECTED AND EXAMINED BY ANY PERSON DESIRING TO DO SO, AT ANY REASONABLE TIME, UNDER REASONABLE CONDITIONS AND UNDER SUPERVISION BY THE CUSTODIAN (DESIGNEE) OF THE PUBLIC RECORD. THE RULES LISTED BELOW SHALL COVER THE CHARGES FOR THIS SERVICE.
AUTHORITY: F. S. 230.22 (1) (2)
 F. S. 119.07
Policy Adopted: 10/16/90 AMENDED RULES APPROVED: 6/2/92

RULES
1 . For duplicated copies of not more than 14" x 8 1/2" in size, a fee of fifteen (15) cents per one-sided copy shall be
charged. For all other copies, the actual cost of the copy shall be charged. For purposes of this rule, "actual cost"
shall mean the cost of materials and supplies used to duplicate the record, but not the labor cost or overhead cost.
2 . The Board shall charge an additional five (5) cents (total of twenty {20} cents) for each two-sided duplicated copy.
3 . The Board authorizes the Superintendent to charge an additional reasonable charge for the labor and overhead
associated with the duplication of oversized documents, such as maps, photographs, blueprints, computer reports
and labels, etc.
4 . If the nature or volume of public records requested to be inspected, examined, or copied is such as to require
extensive use of information technology resources or extensive clerical or supervisory assistance by district
personnel, the Superintendent (designee) may charge in addition to the actual cost of the duplication, the labor
cost of the personnel providing the service. For purposes of this rule, "extensive" means that it will take more
than fifteen (15) minutes to locate, review for confidential information, copy and refile the requested material.
5. 4. The Board may charge up to one dollar ($1.00) per copy for a certified copy of a public record.
AUTHORITY: F. S. 230.22 (1) (2)
 F. S. 119.07

RULES ADOPTED: 10/16/90 AMENDED RULES ADOPTED: 6/2/92

http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/sbbcpolicies/docs/P1343.000.pdf

*Included below is my request for PUBLIC RECORDS and the several emails that have gone back and forth trying to obtain PUBLIC RECORDS pertaining to my daughter, Mariah having her Occupational Therapy Service taken away leading up to one of many reasons for withdrawing my daughter from Broward Public Schools. Way too much nonsense and hiding information from parents!!

From: Nancy Linley-Harris 
Date: Mon, Jun 10, 2013 at 8:59 PM
Subject: Why such a high cost to VIEW PUBLIC RECORDS? ///Fwd: Public Records Request 12/13-7995 (Estimated Cost)
To: Superintendent Robert Runcie , Laurie Rich Levinson , Patricia Good , "Nora A. Rupert" , Katherine Leach , Robin Bartleman , Donna Korn , Ann Murray , "Abby M. Freedman" , Rosalind Osgood , Nancy Harris , Jim Harris
Cc: Terryann Bartlett , Jeannette Ramos , PatriceTaime , LYNDA OLDS

Dear Superintendent Runcie and the School board of Broward County Public School District,

I have requested a couple of PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST and am floored at the cost for me to be able to VIEW and have access to my daughter's records..an "estimated cost" that could cost MORE than $237.93 with a deposit of $118.93 to even start 'processing" and with it possibly costing me even MORE than this estimated cost. Why is is this cost so much to view records, why not let me decide what I want paper copies of? Am I paying someone's hourly wage to go look for records that should be easily located and kept?  

Since Parkway Middle schools "ESE team" (....*the ESE Specialist) and the District ESE Department admins. have done all they can to write-up my daughter's Individual Education Plan (IEP) to be just they way 'they wanted' it to be and not anything I wanted or knew would be good for my daughter, if I wanted to help her receive a 21st Century Education everyone "talks about."

My daughter has been receiving Occupational Therapy since she was just 4 months old and in school since she was 3 years old. She needs Occupational, Speech & Language and Physical Therapy to help her with her be all she can be in her school career and in life career. 

 

On May 14th, 2013 at now the 9th IEP meeting held at Parkway Middle for my daughter; her Occupational Therapy service was taken away from her. I was not in agreement to it, but I didn't have it in me to FIGHT and FILE DUE PROCESS over it. Instead, I wanted and needed to know more about the OT services that she actually did receive this entire school year. 

If the records are really made public....Now I want to know when did my daughter actual have her OT service times, the clinical notes written about the OT sessions with my daughter, emails between any and all of the OT's that have worked with my daughter this school year. Now especially I'd like to view all emails with the Occupational therapist that worked directly and any that worked indirectly with my daughter and between their supervisor - ESE District OT/PT Administrator, Karleen Brunt. I have a feeling the ESE District Staff ultimately made the decision beforehand for my daughteroto; NOT LET HER HAVE her Occupational Therapy anymore! I'm sure that decision was made before the May 14th, 2013 IEP meeting. At the IEP meeting held on 5/14/13, it was told to me that "THEY" didn't recommend that Mariah receive OT anymore, this was told to me by Lori Anne Henrickson, the OT that evaluated Mariah recently in March. Lori didn't actually work with Mariah each  week or care that Mariah needed to be helped with increasing her speed and words per minute in writing and/or keyboarding...no new OT goals were wanted, she was just the OT that did the OT evaluations.

I would appreciate if someone can provide me clarity as to why it may cost me close to $250 just to even VIEW just my daughter's OT Records, why such a high cost with the possibility of it costing even more than the "estimated cost" of $237.93.

Thank you,

Nancy Linley-Harris

*please read emails included below

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Requel L. Bell <requel.bell@browardschools.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 10, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Subject: Public Records Request 12/13-7995 (Estimated Cost)
To: podsangels@gmail.com
Cc: podsangels@gmail.com

Ms. Harris,

You have been provided the the estimated cost to prepare the records for inspection.  Once the payment is received, you will be provided the date to inspect.

Please advise of how you would like to proceed.

Requel Bell

Public Relations and Government Affairs Dept

600 SE 3rd Avenue, 2nd Floor

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301

754-321-2300/Fax 754-321-2194

Nancy Linley-Harris <podsangels@gmail.com> on Friday, June 07, 2013 at 7:46 PM -0400 wrote:

To the Attention of: Raquel Bell,

Please advise me on the availability to VIEW THE PUBLIC RECORDS I have requested pertaining to my daughter, Mariah Harris and her Occupational Therapy Clinical Notes, Dates of Service & OT Logs, including any and all email communication pertaining to my daughter with OT Therapist and Karleen Brunt. I would like to view these records.

Sincerely,

Nancy Linley-Harris

On Fri, May 31, 2013 at 4:56 PM, Requel L. Bell <requel.bell@browardschools.com> wrote:

Dear Ms. Harris,

We have received the estimated cost from the Office of Karleen Brunt.  Please forward a check or money order in the amount of $237.93 or to begin processing your request, we accept a deposit in the amount of $118.96.  Please note this is only an estimate, once the deposit has depleted, we will cease all work production and will require an additional deposit to continue.  Please forward your payment to PRGA, 600 SE 3rd Avenue, 2nd Floor, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301.  Make payment payable to Broward County Public Schools.

Please advise of how you would like to proceed.

Requel Bell

Public Relations and Government Affairs Dept

600 SE 3rd Avenue, 2nd Floor

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301

754-321-2300/Fax 754-321-2194

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Nancy Linley-Harris <podsangels@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 15, 2013 at 1:23 AM
Subject: Records Request ~ OT Therapy logs and clinical notes and emails
To: Requel Bell ~ RECORDS REQUEST BCPS <requel.bell@browardschools.com>, Nancy Harris <podsangels@gmail.com>, Jim Harris <jharfoto@bellsouth.net>
Cc: Terryann Bartlett <tabartlett@comcast.net>, Jeannette Ramos <hearts544@hotmail.com>, PatriceTaime <ptaime@bellsouth.net>

To the Attention of:  Raquel Bell 
Please accept this as a formal request for information of Public Records from the District of Broward County Public Schools.  
I am requesting copies of any and all Occupational Therapy clinical notes and OT therapy logs and dates of OT services for Mariah Harris. 
I am officially requesting any emails written between Broward County Public Schools OT Department Administrator, Karleen Brunt & any and all Occupational Therapist that have specifically worked with and assigned to work with Mariah Harris, either as her OT therapist or just as an evaluator pertaining to my daughter, Mariah Harris while attending Parkway Middle School this entire 2012-2013 school year. 
Please notify me of any charges that may apply (if any) and of when this information will be available to me.  
Thank you for your prompt attention to this Public Records request.
Nancy Linley-Harris

*sent 6/10/13 from Nancy Linley-Harris

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, 

  ...maybe we should teach the way they learn." - Ignacio Estrada

See Mariah speaking before the Senate Education Committee 3.18.13 ~ Go to 21:07 - 22:57 on the video.

http://thefloridachannel.org/video/program-201311/

Listen to Mariah & Mom speaking on National Public Radio 

http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2013/04/22/why-parents-could-get-more-control-over-their-childs-special-education-plan/

Florida ESE in 2013...Remember ~ Racial Segregation of Schools particularly in the South between 1955-1968

Florida ESE in 2013...Remember ~ Racial Segregation of Schools particularly in the South between 1955-1968. 

This Archived News Clip is worthy of watching to see the similarities with our exceptional student education (ESE) population of students today.

*The CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL Principal ~ We need more Principals like him! 

*So many awesome people that spoke out back then! True Civil Rights ADVOCATES!

Finding jobs for Cole and his peers - The Hill's Congress Blog

Finding jobs for Cole and his peers - The Hill's Congress Blog

Finding jobs for Cole and his peers

By Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) - 07/01/13 10:00 AM ET

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/308499-finding-jobs-for-cole-and-his-peers#ixzz2Y2lez7Ee 
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook

I know my girl is going to make a great employee, because she is the only one in my family that helps me out the most and with a great attitude about it too! One day she will be a great employee and be the most loyal.