A recent story from Portland, Oregon caught my eye. An occupational therapist is suing her former school district, claiming she was fired for reporting violations of special education law. The occupational therapist claims that her schedule did not permit her to service all children who needed it, as required by law. Instead, the school district allegedly told her to only service the students whose "parents are litigious." You can read the entire article here.
I hear a lot of similar stories from special educators here in Massachusetts, although many of those individuals are reluctant to speak up because they fear they would end up, like this Oregon woman, without a job.
It is disheartening to think that only children with litigious parents are receiving the special education services they need, especially since being a "litigious parent" usually requires a fair amount of money. This paradigm often leaves poor children with disabilities further disadvantaged and underscores the importance of pro bono representation. This story also highlights a reality many parents suspect but find difficult to confirm - that the school more likely to give your child the supports and services he or she needs if you, as the parent, understand and are ready to enforce the law.
If you are a parent of a child on an IEP in Massachusetts with additional questions about special education law enforcement, please do not hesitate to contact the North Shore Law Office of Lillian E. Wong.
Oregon School District Faces Retaliation Claim from Former Special Educator