[Ohio-talk] Fw: Worthington City Schools

[Dr. Smith]

Does anyone know anymore about this  situation?

I'm sure that it is not an isolated one but one that we should monitor and do what we can to help educate all involved.

jw

Dr. J. Webster Smith
President National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
P.O.BOX 458 Athens, Ohio, 45701-0458
Phone Number - 740-592-6326 
"Changing What it Means to be Blind"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Shaheen, Natalie 
To: jwsmithnfb at verizon.net 
Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 9:16 AM
Subject: Worthington City Schools


Mr. Smith,

We have never met but my ties to Ohio are strong. I was born and raised in Columbus Ohio and attended public schools in Worthington for my entire compulsory education. They did not provide me with good services as a blind kid because they didn't think I was blind. My residual vision allowed them to get away with not providing instruction in alternative techniques. I could go on for a very long time about how they did not do right by me. But, that is somewhat useless information since I graduated back in 2001. The reason I am writing to you now is because Worthington City Schools is still not doing "right" by the blind kids in their district. There are at least two kids with some residual vision who are currently in school in Worthington not being served by a teacher of the blind. 

 

A number of disgruntled parents of students with special needs (not just blindness) have formed a group and started filing complaints. At the head of this movement is a well informed parent named Brenda Louisin (brenda.louisin at mac.com). This parent group's efforts got them some media attention a few months back which caught my father's eye. He passed this information on to me and I have since made contact with Mrs. Louisin. She is currently working with a family who has filed a formal complaint with ODE against Worthington regarding her son who has multiple disabilities including blindness. He is currently losing vision and Mrs. Louisin contacted me for my advice. I have told her all that I can from a far. I also gave her your contact information in the hopes that the NFB of Ohio can provide some much needed support to her client's family. 

 

The student in question is a child I personally know. I worked with him many years ago while volunteering in one of the "multiply handicapped" rooms at my middle school.  He is much brighter than most folks give him credit for. He will need Braille instruction from a competent professional (something Worthington does not have).

 

Thank you in advance for your help! I hope some day to have the opportunity to meet you. I did my undergraduate work at Ohio University and still visit Athens occasionally to see friends! I love southeastern Ohio and miss it dearly!

Yours in the federation,

Natalie

 

Natalie L. Shaheen, MEd

Education Program Specialist

Jernigan Institute

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

200 E. Wells Street

at Jernigan Place.

Baltimore, MD 21230

Phone: (410) 659-9314 x2293

Email: nshaheen at nfb.org

Fax: (410) 659-5129

Visit: www.nfb.org