You should have received an email from me yesterday expressing my concerns regarding a decision to remove the para-educator AmazingParaEducator from Stephenson Elementary. I have yet to receive any response, not even an acknowledgement of receipt. I would prefer to allow further time for your response, however, this is a time sensitive issue. It is my understanding that Miss AmazingParaEducator will be handing in her key and issuing her good-byes this afternoon; an event which will precipitate the inevitable meltdown of my child and an immediate increase in danger to others around him, as well as the impending decline in my child’s ability to receive an acceptable education.
I have considered the options available to me should common sense fail to prevail and the decision to remove Miss AmazingParaEducator stands as is.
- Passing this e-mail distribution list to a wider audience of parents at Stephenson. Families of special needs children receiving attention from AmazingParaEducator, as well as parents of neurotypical children in classrooms with AmazingParaEducator’s former charges are invested in this decision; I have already received numerous requests from others for this information as they wish to dispute this decision as well. Between the fact that our school is small, our community exceptionally involved, and my familiarity with so many families after 5 years serving on our PTA board; many voices will be added to my own.
- Filing form 581-1337-E Request for Complaint Investigation with the Oregon Department of Education.
- Contacting the Department of Human Services. In addition to qualifying for a case worker due to autism, StudentM also has a case manager due to his status as a child adopted from foster care.
- Following up with FACT and ORPARC for additional support and advocacy.
- Contacting Diane Wiscarson from Wiscarson Law
- Appealing to the public by forwarding my concerns to every local news outlet regarding the apparent lack of concern that Portland Public Schools fosters towards its special needs children. If I am forced to resort to this, I will be recruiting additional families affected by this callous attitude in a variety of ways so far this year (closing contained classrooms, SPED bus service unavailable at the start of the year, SPED bus riders on the bus for far longer than 45 minutes due to lack of behavior support on the bus, and so on). I am involved with a number of support groups for families of autism in the Portland area; sadly, there are no shortage of these stories.
Thank You,
Kristen R*
*email removed*
*phone # removed*
Special Education Woes @ Portland Public Schools 