[blindkid] Need help

Tue Dec 15 21:40:27 UTC 2009

Dear Kim,

It makes total sense that you are frustrated with the school, and the choir 
director in particular.  However, it sounds as though time is of the 
essence, as rehearsals are moving forward and Kayleigh needs desperately to 
catch up.  Is it possible for her to ask a couple of the other dancers to 
help her outside school?  Maybe you could drive her to someone's house for a 
practice?  I'm concerned that more precious time will be lost while the 
situation is discussed in meetings and the choir director comes up with 
excuses.  Could you watch a rehearsal and try to help Kayleigh at home?

Debbie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "LESLEY FISCHER" <lesleyfischer at dishmail.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 1:55 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Need help

Kim,
 That is a great letter. She is lucky to have you as her mother. I do think
that something should have been done a long time ago by the school. You are
right if they are doing this to her & getting away with it who knows how
they have & will treat any of the future kids. Keep us posted.
Lesley

On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 10:04 AM, Kim Cunningham 
<kim at gulfimagesphoto.com>wrote:

> I am having a problem with my daughter's school and I need your help. I
> have composed the letter below to send to all the school board members as
> all of my other pleas for help have fell on deaf ears. I would appreciate
> your opinions on how I should handle this matter. I have done nothing but
> fight for a equal education all my daughter's life. She is a senior now 
> and
> I am at the point where I just want to throw the towel in and say 
> "whatever
> - I'm too tired to continue this!". I'm sorry the letter is long, but I
> needed to state all the facts. My daughter actually gave a speech to the
> school board two years ago about the problems she has had in receiving an
> education as a blind student. Of course, this only led to bickering within
> the board members and the school lawyer. Not much came of the ordeal....
> Please give me your feedback...I will not send the letter to the board
> until I calm down.
> Regards,
> Kim Cunningham
>
> Dear All,
>
> I am so upset right now that I pray I can write a civilized email to
> everyone. There has been an issue for the past 3 months or so, concerning 
> my
> daughter, Kayleigh receiving extra help to learn the dance routines for 
> the
> upcoming PHS school musical. Kayleigh tried out and won a part as a member
> of a singing and dancing group. Kayleigh was very aware that her dancing
> part of the audition didn’t go very well, but she was chosen nonetheless.
> Kayleigh knew from previous small routines done within the choir that she
> was going to have a hard time "visually" learning the routines since she 
> is
> partially blind. Kayleigh is very capable of learning the routines, but 
> she
> needs someone to give her more than visual instruction.
> We all know that Kayleigh is considered "special education" due to her
> blindness and has IEP's as part of the ARD process. One of Kayleigh's 
> IEP's
> has been to advocate her needs.  Kayleigh has done this repeatedly with
> regard to looking for someone who could give her extra instruction to 
> learn
> her part. Kayleigh has asked for help from her case manager, Mrs. Harris
> (numerous emails and conversations), and her choir teacher, Mr. Bready.
> There have been four or five rehearsals so far and NO ONE has been
> designated yet to help Kayleigh before, during, or after rehearsals!
> Kayleigh says she feels "foolish" because she knows she isn't dancing and
> moving like everyone else. Last week, Kayleigh asked Mr. Bready again for
> help and was told by Mr. Bready to ask Shannon (a student and
> choreographer/helper with the musical) to help her. The girls decided to
> meet on Monday, Dec. 14 prior to the evening’s rehearsal for one on one
> help. Of course, Shannon was
>  not there after school yesterday and Kayleigh again received no help
> during rehearsal; however she continued to try to do the best she could.
> I requested two weeks ago in an email to Mrs. Harris, to have an ARD to
> discuss how we were going to assist Kayleigh with this problem as everyone
> was ignoring both our requests for assistance. I emailed Mr. Bready asking
> about Kayleigh getting help, and I also email Mr. Berger (school 
> principal)
> requesting assistance with this matter. NO ONE CONTACTED ME ON ANY ACTION!
> NO ONE CALLED ME! NO ONE EMAILED ME!
> Now......now, I find out that the choir director, Mr. Bready had the
> audacity to say during last night's rehearsal to Charles (the main
> choreographer). "When are we going to start removing some of the bad
> dancer's and specifically stated Kayleigh as being a bad dancer. This was
> told to me by someone who heard this discussion. She is a trusted student
> who knows my daughter and knows of Kayleigh's troubles in finding
> help. Thank God, the main choreographer said that he didn't want
> to pull Kayleigh as he could see she was trying to learn the routine.
> Ultimately, I don’t know who will have the final say – the choreographer 
> or
> the choir director. How can Mr. Bready call himself a teacher? Kayleigh
> asked him for help and now he wants to punish her for not learning what 
> she
> asked help for? This must have crushed Kayleigh as she learned of this as 
> I
> was dropping her off to school. What kind of school is Pearland High 
> School?
> What kind of message are
>  you sending to my daughter? I am hurt and deeply angered that Kayleigh
> heard this. She is already self-conscious about her dancing ability. I am
> sure her spirit is deeply wounded.
> Kayleigh designed her whole schedule this year around the fact that she
> wanted an opportunity to be in a musical. This was a goal of hers for the
> year. She told the entire ARD committee last year of her plans. She tried
> out for musical and made it. We were so proud of her. Kayleigh is so
> distraught over the situation that I wished she would have never even 
> tried.
> It breaks my heart to see my daughter hurting.
> I'm not sure what my next step is concerning this matter. I do expect that
> a dialog should happen with Kayleigh and let her know if she is a valued
> part of the musical cast or if she is going to be removed. I don't want 
> her
> anguish to continue....
> Mr. Bready has been mainly non-compliant with Kayleigh's accommodations. 
> He
> often forgets to have her work enlarged and gives her no considerations 
> for
> her blindness. I enlarge many pieces of music (at my own cost) so she will
> be sure to have it. I also paid to have the script printed in large format
> and bound, again, so she was sure to have it. Kayleigh's accommodations 
> are
> meant for ALL classes. Kayleigh has not wanted me to say anything to Mr.
> Bready about these issues because she wanted to try on her own and is 
> afraid
> that he will hold it against her if I complain. This has moved out of her
> hands now and into mine as I won't take it any longer.
> I don’t know if this problem warrants a complaint against Kayleigh’s right
> to participate as a student, or if this is a discrimination issue because 
> of
> her blindness, or simply a moral issue about attitudes of differently 
> abled
> people.
> I just thought that you should know how my daughter has been treated. If
> this can happen to my daughter, how many others is this happening to? You
> are the society that deems her as "disabled" when she is perfectly
> able......
> Regards,
> Kim Cunningham
>
>
>
>
>
>
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