Notice The New Blog Title?

OK, so the other day I am sitting here cleaning out the "Junk Folder" in my email box, when something catches my eye. It was not the usual "Save money on watches" or "Get your online degree" message that typically appears on the subject line. Instead, the subject line of this email read, "Demand Letter: Cease and Desist..." At first I thought, OK this must be spam and I almost erased it. I never open things in my junk folder unless I know the sender!

Something peaked my interest and I opened the email. As it turns out it was a legitimate email. There is a company in New York called, "Handle With Care Behavior Management System, Inc." Apparently they have a trademark on the phrase "handle with care.' Being that this is such a common phrase, I had no idea this could even have a trademark!

There is some degree of irony in this, in that this company, according to their email, happens to be "an educational and training services company specializing in the safe management including physical management, i.e. restraint and use of seclusion for children and adults with behavioral and psychiatric challenges."

Being a reasonable person, I emailed them back and advised them that I would gladly change the title of my blog to something similar, but distinctly different. I also offered to put a link to their company's website if they were willing to let me continue using this title, along with a statement that my blog is in no way affiliated with their company. Since I have not heard back from them, I have decided to go ahead and change the title of the blog to "Handle 'd' With Care." I would never want anyone to confuse my blog with their company's views on how best to handle with care our fragile autistic population.

OK, so now comes my incredibly reasonable side! I am still going to post a link to their company's website to allow readers to get a different perspective of physical restraint and seclusion. To learn more about this company, you may visit their website by clicking here.

I am not locked into the title "Handle'd' With Care." If you have a suggestion for a new title, that would not be violating any trademark rights, please feel free to share it!

Important Info for Parents

The NJ Joint Committee on the Public Schools is holding a Public Hearing on Special Education issues on April 16 at 11:00 AM at the NJ Statehouse in Trenton. I would strongly encourage Cherry Hill parents to attend this meeting! You may use my blog to arrange carpools if necessary.

On the US Committee on Education website there is a statement from Chairman Miller that says, "In addition to the Title I and IDEA investments, the economic recovery plan also created a $54 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund to help stabilize state and local budgets and restore harmful cuts to education."

Notice the wording "restore harmful cuts..." I think our cuts were harmful, how about you?

This statement claims that "emergency funds went out today and that the second installment will go out in the fall." To read more about this, click here.

I would like to thank all that attended the Board of Education meetings on Monday, March 30th and Wednesday, April 1st. Unfortunately, the needs of our very special children were not taken seriously. Anytime a town views a pricey school trip (that is not mandated) or high priced administrative salaries over the needs of our most vulnerable children, is a sad day.

Many of you have expressed concerns that if you file a Due Process Claim it would only add to our already stretched school budget. I, like you, thought that the legal fees would add to the school budget and that it would be passed on to taxpayers. While it was very kind and generous for us to think of others -- even though most, apparently, do not consider our children's needs -- there is no need to worry about this anymore! I recently learned that most of the legal fees for Due Process are covered by insurance. So go ahead, put your child's needs first and file away!

I do not cherish the thought of clogging our Administrative Law Office with an endless amount of Due Process claims, but this is your legal right. I would suggest that you first try to reach an amicable agreement on what is appropriate for your child's individual needs. However, when they start playing games and denying necessary evaluations, appropriate placements and related services; and hand you that completely inappropriate pre-written IEP, that our district is becoming famous for -- utilize your Due Process rights! You are not burdening our school budget with legal fees as many of us were led to believe.

I will try to post a list of attorneys and child advocates on the IEP section of the blog.