[blindkid] Fw: Winona, bus

Tue Apr 28 22:22:07 UTC 2009

Debby,
Perhaps you should ask the district if they feel as though they haven't given Winona enough training to exit a school bus in case of emergencey. Maybe you should ask for additional O&M services! That should get them to deny the need! Of course, I'm saying this tongue in cheek. I'm appalled at their behavior. How dare they humiliate your daughter! I wish I had an answer, but I don't. We've never had an aide and the district has never required one for my daughter on any trip.
Regards,
Kim Cunningham

--- On Tue, 4/28/09, Debby B <bwbddl at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Debby B <bwbddl at yahoo.com>
Subject: [blindkid] Fw: Winona, bus
To: "Multiple recipients of NFBnet BlindKid Mailing List" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Cc: bvi-parents at yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2009, 2:47 PM

Any suggestions how how best to fight this? I was under the impression that once we hit high school, with the neighborhood school a bus aide would no longer be an issue. Obviously I was wrong. 

A tad of background: on April 2 the 7th graders went on a field trip. The driver with Winona refused to go without an aide, and the 2 classes were 45 minutes late because of it. In the previous 6 years we have never had an aide on any school trip, any band trip, etc. Now they inform me there will be. Winona was totally humiliated and embarrassed, as was her brother, who happened to be in the same bus.

We've never wanted an aide, have fought it each year, and have been told each year that it is because we are out of area and on a special bus. We didn't fight the clustering because this is the better school, we even transferred our son there as well. "We'll fight you on the school if you don't let him also attend."

Our IEP is next week.
Thanks!!

Debby 
bwbddl at yahoo.com
www.nfbflorida.org/parents

Please support Braille literacy and programs for our youth by sponsoring me in
the Motor City March for Independence! Better yet, join the team of the FL Parents of Blind Children!
http://www.marchforindependence.org/goto/debbyb
http://www.marchforindependence.org/goto/fpobc

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "Considine, Kathy" <considk at martin.k12.fl.us>
To: Debby B <bwbddl at yahoo.com>
Cc: "Dailey, Michael" <daileym at martin.k12.fl.us>; "Koperski, Jean" <kopersj at martin.k12.fl.us>
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 11:25:07 AM
Subject: RE: Winona, bus

The aide to and from school is there in
case of an emergency.  If there were to be a wreck or a fire on the bus,
the driver’s responsibility is to get all students off of the bus. 
It would be helpful if an aide was on the bus to help her.  I will talk
with our program specialist to see if we can do this.  Because there will
be other adults on the bus for the field trips, we can ask that the bus aide be
suspended for those trips.  But I will need clarification from the program
specialist to totally do away with an aide.

________________________________

From:Debby B
[mailto:bwbddl at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009
11:00 AM
To: Considine, Kathy
Cc: Dailey, Michael; Brodie, Lori;
Seeley, Curt; Angela VanEtten
Subject: Re: Winona , bus

We do not want an aide at any time on any bus. Winona is perfectly capable of getting in and
out of a school bus by herself. She's perfectly capable of fastening her own
seat belt.

My immediate concern is doing what needs to be done to ensure there is NO AIDE
on the bus next week, or on any other trip the kids go on THIS year. This child
has suffered enough embarrassment. 

Thank you for understanding, 
Debby 
bwbddl at yahoo.com
www.nfbflorida.org/parents

Please support Braille literacy and programs for our youth by sponsoring me in
the Motor City 
March for Independence !
Better yet, join the team of the FL Parents of Blind Children!
http://www.marchforindependence.org/goto/debbyb
http://www.marchforindependence.org/goto/fpobc

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