Stories & Grievances
Very Desperate Teacher Needs Help After Speaking Out About Special Education
Whistleblowing Brings Retaliation in Illinois
I have never done anything like this before, but I am desperate and do not know where else to turn. If you recognize the need for more educators to speak out in protection of your children, and you realize the risks I took in placing the welfare of other peoples' children ahead of my own, I am asking that you consider mailing me a donation of even $5.00. For each donation I receive, I will send you my list of 20 Things Every Parent Should Ask at IEP Meetings. For every donation of $50 or more I will gladly call you and provide you advocacy guidance regarding your own child's special education needs. I would also ask you to please share this email with any and all individuals you feel share our mission of School Justice.
Kathleen P. Loftus 476 Estate Drive Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 VERY DESPERATE PARENT/TEACHER SPEAKS ABOUT VERY CORRUPT SCHOOLS LINK Greetings, fellow concerned parents -- I, too, am the parent of students with disabilities. In addition, I have had the unique experience of working my way up through my state's educational system from the inside. As a teacher and guidance counselor who observed countless violations to ADA, PL94-142 and IDEA at the school level, I eventually earned a special education School Compliance Monitoring position at the State level, where I was certain I would finally be supported in upholding students' rights. Not so. Instead, I was directed continually by my State supervisors to "omit" numerous significant violations from my school monitoring reports. These government officials were simply unwilling to make public much of what really takes place in schools with their full knowledge and silent approval. Nevertheless, through sheer vigilance I was able to prevail in a number of battles of wills between them and myself, resulting in the discontinuation of several school practices in my state concerning student safety and education that would otherwise still be taking place today. After a few discouraging years I decided to return to the public school system, but decided to go to work specifically for a district that I had previously monitored with my State colleagues. I was aware of this system's many violations to IDEA noted two years prior that I presumed were being monitored for correction by my State superiors. However, as soon as I accepted this district special education administrative position I began being asked to commit a number of the same offenses we had previously cited, including altering IEPs after they were written (by revising both student eligibilities and placements and adding signatures of IEP meeting attendees who were not actually present), denying mandated services to students, and countless other violations, all designed to save the district money at the expense of its students. I communicated these concerns to my former State supervisors who directed me to file a formal State complaint, which I did. I filed a complaint of over 20 separate illegal practices, along with extensive documented evidence of each issue. Unfortunately, as soon as my district learned I had done this, they terminated me. The State then declined to act to prevent this retaliation against me, while also failing miserably at completing an adequate investigation of my complaint. They eventually issued an investigative report that denied most of my allegations, despite my having provided them indisputable evidence of each, and then attributed the rest solely to me. My complaint filed with the OCR against this district was also denied, merely because the district alleged that my supervisor felt "insulted" by my suggestions that she was breaking the law. (Never mind that I felt insulted by being directed to break the law.) As a result, I experienced several months of unemployment due to being blackballed. Finally, this single-mother of 4 had to accept a teaching position at a very poor district at less than 1/2 of my former salary. I have made many attempts to bring this story to light for the sake of special education parents everywhere, including sharing it with the press, speaking at a number of parent advocacy organizations, and even meeting with my State Governor's office. What concerns me the most is that none of the parents of the students I sought to protect are even aware of the violations being committed toward their kids. On a daily basis I continue to be made aware of serious and blatant violations to IDEA by wealthy and poor schools alike, that neither the states nor OSEP are seeking to prevent. One of my next efforts will be to file individual OCR complaints on behalf of each child whose rights I know to have been compromised by their schools. Unfortunately, right now I am now at the end of my financial "rope." While several prominent attorneys have told me they believe I have a landmark case, I cannot afford any of their retainers. Further, I am behind with all of my bills, have had to cancel the health insurance for my children, and am now at serious and immediate risk of losing our home. Nevertheless, despite my personal struggles, I also recognize my need to continue striving to share my uniquely revealing information -- that the system in place to protect our students' rights is not working -- with the general public. I am seeking to start a not-for-profit agency that provides for legal defense for whistleblower educators. I know of literally hundreds of other teachers, social workers, principals, and State monitors who are outraged with the illegal practices of the school systems but cannot afford to take the stand I have taken. I am seeking publication of two books that reveals much of these travesties being brought upon unsuspecting children and their parents, "100 Things Wrong with America's Schools," and "Special Education, Nothing Special: The Myth of Fairness, the Reality of Failure." Unfortunately, right now, my biggest fear is that my lack of funds will prevent me from continuing to tell my story. I have never done anything like this before, but I am desperate and do not know where else to turn. If you recognize the need for more educators to speak out in protection of your children, and you realize the risks I took in placing the welfare of other peoples' children ahead of my own, I am asking that you consider mailing me a donation of even $5.00. For each donation I receive I will send you my list of 20 Things Every Parent Should Ask at IEP Meetings. For every donation of $50 or more I will gladly call you and provide you advocacy guidance regarding your own child's special education needs. I would also ask you to please share this email with any and all individuals you feel share our mission of School Justice. I feel I must try to continue to share my knowledge of the extensive special education cover-ups by those in authority over our children. I hope to be able to continue speaking out about this issue until all parents of students with disabilities are made aware of the truth. Your partner in advocacy, Kathleen P. Loftus 476 Estate Drive Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 |