[blindkid] Fw: Winona, bus

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Wed Apr 29 21:28:41 UTC 2009


It often astonishes an "old-timer" such as I to hear of such piffle as worrying about blind kids on school buses. Back in the 1950's and 1960's before IDEA etc., it never would have occurred to anyone that a blind kid should ride anything *but* the regular bus!

Such is "progress"! NOT

Mike Freeman, President
National Federation of the Blind of Washington

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dr. S. Merchant" <smerchant at vetmed.lsu.edu>
To: "'Ationfbnet Blind Kid Mailing List, \(for parents of blind chn\]was <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Date: Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009 10:15:19
Subject: Re: [blkid] Fw: Winona, bus

>
>
> I said no to special ed bus, Michael rides on regular school bus.  They have to prove that the child is a danger/in danger.  Our regular ed bus driver did the same to us, refused to have Michael on bus.  We got the supervisor out there to see how he conducted himself — getting on and off the bus and supervisor said there was no problem. AND his IEP said regular ed bus
> 
> I am amazed that bus drivers have that amount of power.
> 
> S.. be SURE that regular ed bus or regular ed bus without aide for field trips is specified in the IEP
> 
> sandy
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of SUSAN POLANSKY
> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 6:59 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blkid] Fw: Winona, bus
> 
> Jason has not been on a bus with an aide since kindergarten. On field trips it is for him just like the other students, he is grouped with 1 to 3 other students and an adult, usually a teacher that is knows him. 
>  Susan 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Debby B <bwbddl at yahoo.com>
> To: Multiple recipients of NFBnet BlKid Mailing List <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: bvi-parents at yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 3:47:37 PM
> Subject: [blkid] Fw: Winona, bus
> 
> 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.
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> FccDebby 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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