Graces B-Day, Death Sentence | Autism PDD
no ou have not failed your daughter- you are an awesome mom
Just find yourself an attorney
If it's true that the school has done many illegal things, get a PRIVATE EDUCATION ATTORNEY. They won't drop your case. Go to www.copaa.org and click on FIND AND ATTY/ADVOCATE.
I'm sorry to hear that. It breaks my heart that someone who had your trust disappointed you in that way. You're a great mom, and not to blame for the way the system has betrayed you and your sweet daughter. I wish I could help, but all I can do is wish you all the best as you pick up the pieces and start again.
Sorry to hear that. It is really not hard to do urself. We have had an attorney all along... Wonderful man... 2 autistic children himself, but what we got in terms of schooling and ABA therapy, we did ourselves. All I can say is educate yourself on Special education Law and do the best u can for Grace. Find a parent support group in your area and go meet some people that will be able to give you sound advice on how to proceed because they have been there themselves.What concernedpa mentioned above is correct... Are they other viable alternatives to explore ??? Maybe somebody from Alabama can also chip in with some suggestions.
Btw, I'm sure if you have another BDay Bash for Grace next week... it WILL STILL BE GREAT !!!!
Warm hugs from the boobear..
Might be interesting to google this attorney's name and see what else she does, maybe she's worked for the SD in the past....Locally there are bunch of attorneys that have done that, and IMHO this would seem to have "conflict of interest" written all over it.
I'd go back and get another attorney and start over. Possibly the reason the SD is fighting is that there is something there that they cannot defend by legal means and so they resorted to pushing your ex-attorney out of the picture.
Edited to add:
I am assuming that finding another program is out of the question. For us it is, so we have had to "stand and fight" even though another location probably would be more healthy. Also, most of the time the folks in the trenches are good, it is the administrative staff that deserves the lower pits of ....
While you are looking for another attorney, I would look into another program as well. And worry about all those unprofessional people later. Grace's time is precious. It really takes a long time for people to change. Unless something drastic happens, they will continue to be difficult. You might want a more progressive community, if you find a good program you might not need an attorney. Goodluck.
Concernedpa.
I agree with the above--I would DEMAND to know why. Did you already pay this man anything at all? Then you have paid for services and he must tell you "why". A REAL "why", not a b*llsh*t "why" which he WILL try to give you, perhaps "You know...you're among the lucky ones...you should see some of the other school systems," "I had a case once which I'm going to magically not show you any real evidence of or have any backup on the truth of, in which a parent tried to do this and got countersued/her child found out and went into a depression and committed suicide/her family went bankrupt/her head fell off/insert_ridiculous_thing_to_shut_you_up_here".*At least* find out *why*...so you can maybe try another attorney. The *real* why which could be, I don't know, maybe that he discovered there wasn't real money to be made for him on the case. Or something else. But you deserve to know.
I've had supposed protectors turn around and rip out my throat too. Especially the Regional Center, who were collectively so frightened of my finding out (I did discover this later) that they had never even bothered to submit paperwork for ABA even though they had verified in writing that they had done so, that the woman turned on me to say, "You know, probably what's holding up C's speech at this point is that you're trying to 'force' him into 'so many' (so many??!!!???) programs that he's aware you don't accept him as he is. I've seen children who go through this turn out to have severe emotional problems and become dangers to themselves, etc." She was so terrified for her own job, having caused the amount of psychological damage to my family for thinking we were monsters and that we "caused" our son's autism by following up on ABA and also having said more than once that it was in the works and verified it as I said in writing, and letting twelve full months go by that are now lost forever, that she panicked and threw me under the bus.
People WILL SAY ANYTHING to cover their own *sses at times. If you know exactly why this attorney dumped you, at least you'll know a new angle to approach it from. What a sin...we're talking about a child's future here.
It is going to be all right. I promise. Your daughter's post-birthday party will be wonderful, and you will soon know where to go from here. Hang in there and feel better.
I would be at that attorney's doorstep and DEMANDING an explanation! How dare she do something like that?
You have NOT failed your daughter - you put your trust in someone who seemed to be on the up and up and it turned out she wasn't. It sounds to me like someone intervened and maybe even threatened the attorney with losing her job - that is WAY too much of an about-face! I would want to know what happened and where is all the documented PROOF this attorney was talking about?
I would also be sorely tempted to sue the attorney as well. And I'm not a suit-happy person at all - but this is gross negligence in my untrained-opinion!
I am sorry sorry for Grace's B-day and your struggles with her School. Maybe it is time to start looking elsewhere for another program. In the interum maybe you can think about getting Grace some therapy on the outside while you try to adjust or figure out about what is going to happen during the day. My daughter Agigail is 3 years old and is in daycare 5 days a week. It took a couple of months to get the services that were assigned to her. So in the interum I searched High and low and found classes at night that I take her to still. One is a speech and O.T. social integration group and another night is social skills. Unfortunately, there is still a big part of the world that still just don't get it
I would sue the attorney for not only abandonment & negligence but I would forward the letter to the State board of Law and make a formal compliant against this incompetent ninconpoop!
Your Grace is lucky to have you..use that energy you are feeling right now and look towards the future..cant get back yesterday so dont dispair over it you did what any of us would of done~your dd is young and needs you:) We are all behind you on this one! Best of luck..
FYI: Our school is messing up too on dd's IEP~I have meeting today about it..not good at confrontations but my daughter's life is at hand and I become a BIG MAMA BEAR if someone is not doing her right!
What was planned on being an AWESOME BIRTHDAY turned out to be a NIGHTMARE!
When Grace was first diagnosed we had Grace enrolled in our County's Special Needs Early Intervention Pre-School Program right away and from the start the School has been nothing but a problem. We've tried so hard to find someone, anyone that would HELP our Grace! Finally, we found an Attorney thru Alabama's Advocacy Program. I truly thought this was the Miracle Grace had been waiting for!
The Attorney jumped right in. She contacted the School and pulled all of Graces' files, we exchanged e-mails constantly, she explained the Law and Graces rights, etc..... The Attorney assured us the School was in so much trouble because they weren't doing anything appropriately with Grace and she also stated to us the School had broken several laws!!!! The School admitted none of Graces goals would be met and the school was caught in soooo many lies which the Attorney has DOCUMENTED PROOF of!
Yesterday, November 1, Graces BIRTHDAY, this Attorney sends me an E-Mail which pretty much says {Forget about all the bad things this School has done, clear your mind from any anger and hard feelings, go to the scheduled meeting next Thursday with your Hubby that I will not be attending after I stated I would and also stated I would chew the School out at, set aside your mommy drama, and just start over fresh with the School. All the best}
I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS READING!
So, Grace once again has nobody! This School is free to break laws and mistreat these children all they want!
I spent the majority of the day crying and Graces Birthday was ruined!
As for the BIRTHDAY: I'll make it up to her this Sunday
As for Graces Education and Future and the past Year wasted.........
I've failed GRACE!
Oh, huge hugs to you. You certainly haven't failed your dd. It sounds like you are doing everything you can. The attorney sounds like something of a disgrace to me! (That is very wimpy to just email you that type of message as well.) I am so sorry about all of this and hope that you have a great birthday celebration on Sunday. After you regroup, you will come up with another plan of action I'm sure.
Sincerely,
--S--
I once hired a lawyer in SC but it was for something different and got screwed over. He lost my paperwork, was illegally helping the other party and did not get the video tape or receipt proving.... and took 0.00.Long story, Some upset associates of my family must of filed something because Mr. Corrupt lawyer had his license removed.
I believe what comes around goes around for the most part.
Find a different lawyer, maybe out of state?
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