Out of Sight, Out of Mind Part 2!

I posted this about a week ago and lo' and behold the story is in the Montgomery Advertiser today wow..Parents of Disabled or Special Needs Children there has been three complaints filed with AL State Dpt of Ed citing MPS for not educating children with emotional disturbance..Instead they are sent to ALTERNATIVE school,Juvenile System or Home.

Below are email correspondence that I started Jun 18 (7 days ago) regarding the aforementioned article and Press Release from the Bazelon Mental Health Law Center about MPS leaving our Special Needs Children Out of Sight and Out of Mind. Instead of allowing them to receive their special needs services they are placed in Alternative Schools, placed in Juvenile Court System and or Suspended (documented and undocumented).

Although I requested in email that this story be published a week ago by the Education Report Annie McCallum it was published today (http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20110626/NEWS01/106260336/Group-calls-MPS-inadequate-some-special-education-students?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Frontpage|s). I received

om McCallum, Annie amccallum@montgome.gannett.com to Karen Jones date Wed, Jun 22, 2011 at 9:33 AM subject Out of Office: Out of Sight Out of Mind mailed-by ent-mocinrl08.gannett.com

hide details Jun 22 (4 days ago)

I will be out of the office on vacation from Wednesday, June 22 until Tuesday, July 5. If you need immediate assistance please contact Matt Okarmus at mokarmus@gannett.com or (334) 240-0117.



The following E-mail Correspondence occurred between me and the Education Reporter who published the story in the newspaper today.

I can't believe that you two great reporters didn't see this information. Well please see the attached.

-- 5.31.11 ADAP-Bazelon Redacted... Due Process Complaint(3).pdf
5-31-11 ADAP-Bazelon Montgomery Complaint Press Release (New Complaint Link).pdf 5-31-11 ADAP-Bazelon Montgomery Complaint Press Release (New Complaint Link).pdf
124K View Download
Out of Sight.doc Out of Sight.doc
Karen Jones
Karen,

Thanks for writing. Jill and I are aware of this information. I was contacted by the Bazelon Center a few weeks ago and have interviewed one of their staff attorneys about the matter. In fact, while the center is based in Washington, D.C., its representative on this particular complaint was in Montgomery last week to meet with MPS officials. I was able to sit down with him, as well as one the other attorneys in the case and representative from Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program.

The paper had planned to run a story about the issue last week, but unfortunately the MPS director of special education was out of town and I am also working to try and speak with the parents of the students involved in the case. We hope to have a story in the paper soon once I can secure these last few interviews.

Please do not assume because you do not see something in the paper we are unaware. At the Advertiser, we all work to gather the most complete information so we can deliver comprehensive in-depth stories to our readers. This particular situation is quite complex and I'm making sure I have each perspective and each detail before going to print.

Thanks so much for your interest. Have a great weekend!

Annie McCallum
Montgomery Advertiser
Education reporter
(334) 240-0132

MY RESPONSE:
Jun 22 (4 days ago)

Good to know Annie however I will post and give notice on talk radio regarding the press release. Information as important as this needs full attention to those parents who have children in special needs programs and not being made aware. In addition to interview the parents and or students probably will breach their confidentiality and while you wait until the Director of MPS Special Ed returns from out of town why not make a statement to this effect or say this story will continue for a response when he or she returns? I'm just saying.
Karen Jones