SM Daily Press Bill Bauer Reports - Special Ed.

SM Daily Press Columnist Bill Bauer: "Our School Board Needs To Wake
Posted by: "t2crane@aol.com" t2crane@aol.com
Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:16 pm (PDT)

Santa Monica Daily Press
Monday, April 14, 2008
My Write
Bill Bauer
send comments to _editor@smdp.com_ (mailto:editor@smdp.com)
Our School Board needs to wake up

PARENTS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILDREN
said they had been lied to, attacked, ignored,
bullied, marginalized, slandered, intimidated,
mislead and blamed for requesting basic
educational services for their children’s special
needs at the Santa Monica/Malibu
Unified School District Board of Education
meeting, April 3.
All the angst was about district policy
requiring settlement agreements and confidentiality
clauses when special education
students receive services — a policy instituted
four years ago by Deputy superintendent
Tim Walker under former Superintendent
John Deasy. Over the last three years 140
agreements have been established.
Settlement agreements are initiated when
there’s an impasse in negotiations with parents
about their special needs student’s programs.
Many special education parents said
they felt coerced to sign agreements “out of
fear” to get services for their children despite
not agreeing with terms or nondisclosure
clauses.
The “gag orders” became an issue when
the former district chief business officer,
Winston Braham, was unable to discuss district
financial issues and his “resignation” at
a City Council meeting because of a confidentiality
agreement similar to those
required of special ed parents. Angered, the
council voted to withhold a $530,000
increase in its $6.7-million SMMUSD
Master Facilities Use Agreement pending
the district’s hiring of an independent consultant
to review its settlement agreements
and confidentiality practices.
Fast forward to April 3. Consultant Lou
Barber and Associates’ report on the district’s
special education program was presented
to the board. It was especially critical
of the agreements. Barber said that although
legal, they weren’t often used in other school
districts and weren’t good practice. He told
the board, “Children are not getting
the services they should be getting under the
program.”
The report suggested that parents, teachers
and staff work closer together to deliver
the support and services these students need
and that everyone be more personally
involved in the process. Parents and school
supporters alike concurred that the climate
of secrecy, fear and distrust resulting
from years of mishandling parents and special
needs students was actually inhibiting
student progress.
School board members Maria Leon-
Vazquez, Jose Escarce and Kelly Pye essentially
responded to the harrowing news by
deferring to the superintendent to deal with
it. Ralph Mechur kept asking “what can we
do to solve problems” but suggested nothing.
Kathy Wisnicki opined that these were
issues the board needed to take control of.
And, Barry Snell questioned Barber’s staff
about money — especially after finding out
the settlements that were supposed to
save money were actually costing the district
more.
Only the board president, Oscar de la
Torre, suggested the district discontinue
entering into negotiated settlement agreements
with parents of special ed children.
Noting that agreements were a failure and
didn’t reduces costs, he said, “That must
change.”
He insisted that a change in the “contentious
dynamic between school district
and the community” was essential and that
parents needed to be empowered. He suggested
an orientation process for special ed
parents “so (they) can come together”
and an impartial district ombudsman to
work with parents to resolve issues.
Noting Barber’s report was not ordered
by the school board but at the insistence of
the Santa Monica City Council, de la Torre
took responsibility for “not pressing harder
when parents came forward with complaints.”
And, he was angered that the gag
orders were still being implemented after the
board unanimously agreed on their moratorium.
He urged an end to conflict and the
“lack of respect” for parents and the community.
It was de la Torre’s finest hour.
But de la Torre was alone. This is still a
school board that still fails to recognize, let
alone provide leadership, and to act on controversial
policies — and one that has consistently
failed to properly exercise prudence
over district finances. Aside from de la
Torre, is anyone on duty let alone awake?
Despite ongoing issues about Walker’s
roll in the agreements, his contract was on
the school board’s “closed session” agenda
April 3. This prompted one frustrated school
supporter to e-mail me, “The story (referring
to a letter to the editor from Frank
Patterson in the SMDP, April 2, 2008, Page
4) about board members trying to extend
Tim Walker’s contract for four years in a
secret session just before the special ed
report appears to be very accurate from all
the conversations I’ve had. That kind of
behind the scenes attempt to avoid public
input and review is really creepy to me given
what’s at stake in terms of funding.”
School Superintendent Diane Talarico is
scheduled to return to the board April 17
with a preliminary plan of action.
Meanwhile, perhaps a trip to Oz is in order
because this dysfunctional school board
needs to find some courage, heart and
brains. I’m not holding my breath.

Bill Bauer can be reached at
_mr.bilbau@gmail.com_ (mailto:mr.bilbau@gmail.com) .

Comments

[Freaky Deaky]

That's just a mess. Most of them just want to sit on their thumbs and wait for someone else to handle it or just state the obvious. Gotta love your tax dollars at work.

Well at least your district doesn't have the lowest graduation rate in the country.

Have a good weekend.

[tina oiticica harris]

I'd say it takes love for money or inordinate love for kids to work at certain urban districts such as Detroit Public Schools, for example, where you have to buy a battered car to go to school or you won't find it there. The situation at DPS and other inner city districts is a consequence of "white flight" but it is disastrous nevertheless. Don't ask me what the answer is, either. I don't know if this nation can be saved while I am alive.