PLACES IN HELL
Monday, December 22, 2003
Our Children Left Behind [OCLB]

"Th e hottest places in hell are reserved for those who,

in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality ."

-- Dante

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA] reauthorization process is on holiday, a period of neutrality when members of Congress, like the rest of us, are home with their families. Our Children Left Behind [OCLB] has maintained its active focus on encouraging parents to use this holiday period to contact their federal legislators and to share their family stories with them. [We are taking holiday cookies, and our stories, to our Senators' offices tomorrow and Tuesday.] We feel that while the holiday period may be a time for calm and reflection, it is not a time for parents to be neutral. When the holidays are over and Congress has returned to work, our children's educational futures remain at grave risk. Who can be calm or reflective at a time like this?

Let's summarize what has happened in the IDEA reauthorization process so far. IDEA's Part B is permanent and does not need to be amended. Congress has told parents and families that they are going to amend Part B whether they (parents and families) like it or not. The House of Representatives called parents liars and deceivers and gutted Part B. The Senate listened to parents and families and so far has not gutted Part B as badly as the House did, but like the House, the Senate has told parents and families that they are going to weaken Part B whether parents and families like it or not. In other words, whether we like it or not, Congress is going to amend Part B. Who can be neutral when our children's rights and opportunities are being stripped away from them in such a callous way?

We have witnessed a debate within the parent community over whether parents should support S.1248 or oppose any changes to Part B. Those who suggest we should support S.1248 justify their position by saying that S.1248 is better than H.R.1350. They say that if we oppose S.1248 then Congress will force H.R.1350 on us as a consequence.

Other people have argued that because Congress is going to amend Part B, parents should prepare themselves to make the best of the amendments rather than to risk alienating Congress down the road. They say we should accept what comes and learn how to use the result to our children's best advantage.

Last week we told you about California 's funding crisis and Governor Schwarzenegger's decision to cut $274 million from the service budget available to people with developmental disabilities. The developmental disabilities community raised such a public furor that Governor Schwarzenegger backed down. Are our children in any less peril from Congress' gutting of IDEA than were the members of the developmental disabilities community in California ? We think not.

We are not politicians. We do not know the ins and outs of Congress, nor are our best political guesses always going to be correct. We do, however, know our children's needs. We know that if Congress takes rights away from parents and children through either H.R.1350 or S.1248, our children will be hurt. What parents can remain silent or neutral when Congress is taking their children's future from them? We do not see this position as one of politics. For us it is protection - we will do and say what we must to protect our children, just as the people in California said and did what was necessary to protect the continued rights of people with developmental disabilities to live supported lives in their communities.

From day one, OCLB has been about education. We want to give parents whatever information we have so that we all, together, can educate Congress to our children's needs. Sometimes Congress has listened, but more frequently we have been told that Congress will amend Part B whether we like it or not.

We appreciate that "reasonable" minds can differ on political strategy, especially when you have an H.R.1350 and S.1248 doing battle with each other. Frankly, however, neither we nor our children have the time or luxury to engage in such a debate. Congress has said it is going to weaken Part B. That is unacceptable to us and an unacceptable outcome for our children.

Some people might wish to continue the debate over what political avenue to take. We see that debate as creating constructive neutrality, because every moment spent engaging in the debate is a moment taken away from contacting a Senator or member of Congress who has a vote and can make a difference. At the end of the day our kids are not going to care whether or not we won the political debate. What is going to make the most difference to them is whether or not we protected their right to receive a free appropriate public education. How could we look them in the face if we did anything less?

Tricia and Calvin Luker

www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com

©2003 by Tricia and Calvin Luker.

Our Children Left Behind [OCLB] was created and is owned/operated by parent volunteers (Sandy Alperstein, Tricia & Calvin Luker, Shari Krishnan, and Debi Lewis). Permission to forward, copy, and/or post this article is granted provided that it is attributed to the author(s) and www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com . For more about OCLB or to share information, please contact parentvolunteer@ourchildrenleftbehind.com .