Pick your battle's!

I always tell other parents and myself on many issues that you have to pick your battles. I have done an ok job of livng by that rule but not all the time. I got pretty agravated about the changes that Indiana was making in our First Steps Program (IDEA Part C). I went and testified a couple of time but found the administration did not care, they were going to move forward with out concern for families. I tried to rally the troops on the re-authorization of IDEA starting in 2004. We made a little progress but not enough parents really cared to stand up and make our voices heard. SO IDEIA 2004 ( The improvement act) became the first CIVIL RIGHTS legislation in the history of this country to be rolled back. Then our state farmed out medicaid service eligibility determination to a Texas company that still can't get it right in Texas and people are losing thier benefits around the state due to no fault of thier own. Now they are about to take parents rights away with the New Article 7 rules about to be approved in Indiana. We had tried to get parents to testify and we had some success but they have not listened and are going ahead with their plan.

Ladies and Gentlemen in the Great State of Indiana they no longer want you invovled in your childs education. They want you to do what you are told and shut up. Then when they go on TV to be interviewed they will blame it on lack of parent involvement. Oh and when the miss NCLB numbers or ISTEP it's the fualt of those special ed kids.

ENOUGH...I am done. I have had too many calls and emails from Parents getting beat up by schools. And now we have Dr. Tony Bennett running for school board who's staff does not even know what IDEA or Article 7 are.

The answer my friends is politics. I don't care what your politics are you MUST read what your electied officials think of IDEA, NCLB, Article 7, inclusion, Services for adults, employment and the overall cost of services to individuals with disabilities. And you need to VOTE accordingly!!

There are so many things wrong in our country right now and I can't fight all the battles out there that need to be fought right now and you are damn right I have an opinion on them. But right now it's disability issues for me.

Now off to call some elected officials.