by Julia Mclaughlin

Created on: December 08, 2007

Special Education, especially when dealing with autism, is a very serious and frustrating issue for me. My son, who is now 17, was diagnosed with autism when he was 20 months old. Since then he has been put through the special education wringer. I have attended more CSE meetings than I can count. I've fought more battles with my school district than I can remember. Yet after all of that, he is STILL not getting an appropriate education.

So what can be done to improve it? The list is very long. Many are things parents can do. Much however needs to be done by "the people in charge" and requires changes in laws.

To begin with, I truly believe that the very first thing a parent should do when their child has been diagnosed with a disability is find a very good and experienced parent advocate. Many organizations provide such free of charge. Parents at this stage need someone to help them understand the laws regarding special education and someone who will help guide them through first CSE meetings and IEP's.

Parents also need to not just learn the law, but memorize it! I have learned the hard way that a parent needs to be able to quote law to the school district, chapter and verse to ensure the school district does not ignore the law. It is also quite helpful for the parents to find a special education attorney in the area. That way when problems show up that a parent can't fix, they know who to call. This kind of legal service can often be found for free through legal aid societies.

My biggest problem is with the laws themselves and what they allow. Let me give you an example. Did you know it is perfectly legal for a school to use electric shock on children? Also to stick them in isolation and to do physical damage to them? Things we will not even allow our government to use on prisoners of war can be used on children who can not even speak! THIS MUST STOP! The law must make it clear that special education children are not allowed to be tortured or harmed in any way. If they are harmed, the person who did that harm needs to be prosecuted by the law. Unfortunately right now most police officers will not even arrest that person even when the abuse is obvious, saying that it is a "school" problem to be dealt with. Wait, you thought that was illegal to begin with? Think again. Go check your state's laws. Most of those laws that protect "regular kids" are "permitted" under special education law.

Which brings up the next subject.... school districts must be held accountable.

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