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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Sue,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>My middle name is Ignorant, so you are in good
company. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I apologize for the lack of clarity in the
Pedestrian Safety Act article. This is an issue the NFB has been pushing for
years, and it was negligent of me to presume our readers knew what it was. In
short, the new law establishes minimum noise standards for hybrid and electric
car manufacturers so that we, and other pedestrians, can hear them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Your complaints about BESB are probably moot, since
the agency won't exist in its current form after July 1. However, I will make 2
points. BESB, at least for the next 28 days or so, does have a complaint
mediation process, and I've actually helped several blind consumers resolve
their issues with them, including helping several parents to get braille
instruction for their children when BESB teachers determined they didn't need
it. However, being a home-schooler excludes you from receiving BESB services, at
least for as long as your child is a student. Tax-payer dollars go toward paying
for public education, not for private or home schooled students. I'm not saying
this is fair or right, it's the law, and just the way it is. I have a friend at
church who home-schools her 2 children, 9 year old twins, both of whom have
learning disabilities, and she's run into the same wall. The state won't help if
you aren't a part of the public school system. Period. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Again, the BESB we currently know won't exist
anymore come July 1. In a few years, I predict the state will no longer provide
any services to blind children--they will push the responsibility and costs on
to the towns. I believe they care primarily about fixing the deficit, getting
re-elected... and blind people are very low on their priority list.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I recommend you join the NFB's Parents of Blind
Students division, where you can meet and discuss all your issues
with other parents. There must be other home-schoolers out there that can
be a good resource for you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Kind regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>chris</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
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