Letter to Editor in Support of January 18 Vigil

Feel free to modify to your liking (or use as is) and send to your local papers.

The NJ Board of Education is undermining the rights of special education students.

While special education law (IDEA) has changed federally, states can opt to keep stronger laws. There is no excuse for NJ to overhaul children’s rights. We can lose short term objectives, mid-year progress reporting, stay put protections, protections from suspension or expulsion due to disability related behavior, 2 years of transition planning and other protections.

On Wednesday, January 18, at 5:30 PM, 100 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, parents will hold a press conference and candle light vigil before state hearings on the changes to special education. We will be in receipt of permit and the gathering will be legal and safe. We encourage all to join and to bring family including children.

At 6:30 pm the state board hearings will start – to testify you need to register by calling - (609) 292-0739. For more information about the event, about letter writing and the petition in support of our children, visit http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org , call 908-881-5275 or write advocate@studentadvocate-nj.org .

As we remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., let’s honor his legacy by continuing to struggle for civil rights – including the rights of children with disabilities.

Bob Witanek

Belle Mead, NJ
908-881-5275 (day / evening)

Publications of this and other letters promoting the January 18 event and testimony:

Today’s Princeton Packet

State should resist changes to IDEA law
To the editor:
    Special-education parents, students, supporters — unity and convergence are needed. The New Jersey State Board of Education is considering changes to special-education law that will drastically undermine the rights and protections of special-education students and their parents as their primary advocates.
   These changes are being handed down from the federal government, given changes to the special-education law IDEA at the national level. However, states can opt to keep stronger laws in place. The process that hands these laws down from the federal level are based on political dynamics that are substantially different from the dynamics here in New Jersey. Therefore, there is no excuse for New Jersey to adopt a least-common-denominator approach to adopt this overhaul of our rights — lock, stock and barrel — as it currently is poised to do.
   We stand to lose short-term objectives, midyear progress reporting, stay-put protections, protections from suspension or expulsion due to disability-related behavior, two years of transition planning and many other protections. New Jersey cannot afford to turn our back on our children with learning disabilities of any sort.
   At 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 100 Riverview Plaza in Trenton, in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and in support of children with disabilities, parents and advocacy organizations will hold a press conference and candlelight vigil before state hearings on the changes to special education. We will be in receipt of a permit and the gathering will be legal and safe. We encourage all to join and to bring family including children.
   At 6:30 p.m., the state board hearings will start inside. To testify, you need to register by calling (609) 292-0739. Information about the press conference, the hearings, sending written comments and how you can sign a petition supporting our children can be found at http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org. Call (908) 881-5275 or write advocate@studentadvocate-nj.org for more information.
   All across the country, people are celebrating the life and legacy of struggle of Dr. King. We will be honoring his legacy by continuing to struggle for civil rights — now for the rights of children with disabilities.

The New Jersey Board of Education is undermining the rights of special-education students.

While special-education law (IDEA) has changed federally, states can opt to keep stronger laws. There is no excuse for New Jersey to overhaul children's rights. We can lose short-term objectives, mid-year progress reporting, stay-put protections, protections from suspension or expulsion due to disability-related behavior, two years of transition planning and other protections.

On 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at 100 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, parents will hold a press conference and candlelight vigil before state hearings on the changes to special education. We will be in receipt of permit, and the gathering will be legal and safe. We encourage all to join and to bring family, including children.

At 6:30 p.m. state board hearings will start -- to testify you need to register by calling (609) 292-0739. For more information about the event, letter writing and the petition in support of our children, visit http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org, call (908) 881-5275 or e-mail advocate@studentadvocate-nj.org.

As we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let's honor his legacy by continuing to struggle for civil rights -- including the rights of children with disabilities.

http://thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060118/OPINION02/601180361/1080

Let's protect rights of special-ed students

Home News Tribune Online 01/18/06

The state Board of Education is undermining the rights of special-education students.

While special-education law — IDEA, or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — has changed federally, states can opt to keep stronger laws. There is no excuse for New Jersey to overhaul children's rights. We can lose short-term objectives, midyear-progress reporting, stay-put protections, protections from suspension or expulsion due to disability-related behavior, two years of transition planning and other protections.

Today, at 5:30 p.m. at 100 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, parents will hold a press conference and candlelight vigil before state hearings on the changes to special education. We will be in receipt of a permit and the gathering will be legal and safe. We encourage all to join and to bring family including children.

The state board hearings will start at 6:30 p.m. To testify, you need to register by calling (609) 292-0739.

As we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., let's honor his legacy by continuing to struggle for civil rights — including the rights of children with disabilities.

Bob Witanek

BELLE MEAD