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An Attorney at an IEP Meeting? Why? What Does Roger Know? 

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Roger wrote:

Some years ago I bought your Advocacy Package. I used this information and your article about how to write a "Letter to the Stranger " to advocate for my child. Afterwards, the school board attorney began attending my child's IEP meetings! 

Finally, I filed for due process. 

At the hearing, the school’s defense was that because I wrote a letter and advocated for my child, this justified their sending their lawyer to my child’s IEP meetings. In other words, I advocated too much. 

Can you believe this?
Roger 

Pete answers: 

What they were really saying is that you knew more about the law than they did, they felt inadequate, and they were afraid to trust their own interpretations of the law. They were afraid you might use your knowledge of the law against them or that they might make incriminating statements. 

Like the defendant who is in custody and about to be questioned, they wanted their lawyer present. 

The lawyer was to protect them from themselves, not from you!

Good job,
Pete

Roger responds:

Thanks for your words of encouragement. By the way, you motivated me to start a local cable show about special education in the lower Hudson Valley. I even got syndicated in Westchester County. This show covers special ed laws, but also issues of local interest, e.g. skiing for the disabled. I also started a Yahoo club 

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/dutchesscountyspecialed

I know it can never be as great as your site, but it helps. Thanks for all your information and help through your website.

Roger


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