Lee's Summit R-7 School District

Lawmakers Call For Tougher Truancy Penalties For Special Ed - Disability Scoop My son missed so much school because of the psychological damage that happened to him at school.  He would become physically ill when he went to school.  We have no protections for our kids, schools are not doing their jobs, our kids are being bullied by staff and peers, and our children are not receiving the education and services that they are entitled to.  Now we want to punish them for not going to school. Illinois parents of truant students can be fined up to $500 and jailed up to 30 days, but a bill in the state legislature would increase the maximum penalties to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail for some parents — those whose children are in special education. The maximum penalty would be unchanged for parents of students in regular classes. Opponents of the bill say it makes no sense to single out the parents of students in special education. Supporters of the bill say attendance...

Fulton Public Schools lists state learning standards for 'Claim It' activity | Fulton Sun

Questions surround controversial student survey : News : ConnectMidMissouri.com FULTON, MO -- Some Fulton Middle School parents feel deceived after school administrators told them a controversial survey was part of the state’s curriculum. State educational leaders said the survey is not in line with their standards. Fulton Middle School administrators sent a letter to parents indicating a survey called “Claim It” is an activity aligned to the Missouri State Standards for Health and is also a part of the Fulton Middle School’s Health Curriculum. Two physical education teachers took the survey from students by lining them up in gym class and asking them to step forward over a gray line when they wanted to answer yes. The questions were about personal information and beliefs. Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Deputy Commissioner Ronald Lankford said, “We’re not familiar with the Claim It program at all. We’ve now seen some of the material but it’s nothing that th...

I wrote this in May 2009.  It is still relevant today. Celebration for all graduates I was a part of three life changing events this week.  The first was my 16-year-old son dropping out of Lee's Summit High School.  The emotional and psychological damage of going to school wasn't worth the little educational benefit that he was receiving. The second was my twin daughters' graduating from Lee's Summit High School.  They were average students that had to work very hard to achieve their success.  That was something that we weren't allowed to celebrate at their graduation. The only students that were recognized were those in the top ten percent. The third was the graduation of my nephew from Missouri University of Science and Technology.  He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a bachelor's degree in computer engineering.  He was a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.  He is also...

Why I’ve Decided Not to Attend My Son’s High School Graduation | The Mighty My daughter's graduated the same week that my son dropped out of school. At Baccalaureate the same teacher that had lied about the services my son was receiving was professing her Christian values. I was so torn. Happy for my girls and crying for my son.

LGBT Rights in Education: Recent Victories, But Our Fight Continues This is a dynamic time in the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) civil rights movement.  As our LGBT communities continue to gain important victories in the fight for marriage equality, we need to celebrate those victories without losing sight of the inequalities that marriage simply cannot solve.  For many LGBT people, both in New York and nationwide, discrimination, violence and harassment are a reality lived daily that cannot be ignored.  True civil rights advancement means attaining long overdue,  explicit  federal and state legal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in the central areas of our lives - such as education, employment and housing.   Continued advancements in education law and policy, particularly for transgender and gender nonconforming (GNC) students, are a critical next step in achieving this typ...

Legal Clips » ED issues DCL stating that Title IX applies to sexual orientation and gender identity ED issues DCL stating that Title IX applies to sexual orientation and gender identity Updated Title IX guidance recently released by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) clarifies that the civil rights law’s protection extends to all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, reports  Education Week.   ED’s announcement is contained in a 45 page Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) whose subject is sexual violence at the collegiate level.  ED’s announcement of its interpretation of Title IX’s applicability to sexual orientation and gender identity, though, apply equally to public elementary and secondary schools. The American Civil Liberties Union praised the inclusion of transgender students in the new guidance, which came in the form of a question-and-answer update to a 2011 DCL on bullying.  But the organization continues to call on the feder...

Teen Morgan Ball Sparks #ClothingHasNoGender Protest After Wearing Shawl To Class Upon seeing his outfit, the school's staff did a couple of things that were  questionable to say the least. First, as Styleite reports,  they removed Ball from class and told him to remove parts of his ensemble . ABC News  reports that after being asked to remove some of his clothing, one of the assistant principals asked Ball, "Do you have a gender identity issue? Are you aware that you're wearing women's clothing?" (Um,  what ?) Now, the school has a dress code that allows teachers and other staff to veto clothing if they think it's " distracting attire, " however, it's tough for us to tell if Ball's outfit was actually causing a threat or disrupting the other students. The way we see it, if his clothes weren't hurting anyone, why shouldn't he be allowed to wear them? Upon hearing of the incident, people all over social media began protesting the dre...

Following dress code dust up, student gets support from friends and an idol | fox4kc.com “Katy Perry tweeted me and I think I froze for about 10 minutes,” said Ball with a grin on his face. Katy Perry most likely found him on twitter because of the hashtag – #clothinghasnogender. “She said she would be there in spirit with me on Monday and that she wants to borrow the shawl,” he said.

ABC News Video ABC News has also made this story national.  Shame on you, Lee's Summit.

The Way These Teens Stepped Up To Support Their Gay Classmate & Prove #ClothingHasNoGender Will Warm Your Heart! Seventeen Magazine Has Helped Morgan was called out of class and asked to remove some of his accessories because they were "distracting." One assistant principal asked Ball, "Do you have a gender identity issue? Are you aware that you're wearing women's clothing?" Rude ... not to mention totally uncalled for!

Students show support for schoolmate after clothing controversy | Local News - KMBC Home Pop star Katy Perry has also lent her support. "I've just been thrilled with the support," Ball said. "I wouldn't be where I am right now without everyone else. Katy Perry is my inspiration, but I wouldn't be here without my friends and family. They're the most important people I could ask for."

Mother of Former Wentzville Student Testifies in Missouri Senate | 70 West Sentinel Lee's Summit had to sign a resolution agreement with the OCR.  Many of the citizens of Lee's Summit are unaware of this.  This bill is so important.  Lee's Summit has a policy that refuses parents the right to tape record meetings.  One family was told that if they secretly recorded a meeting the meeting would be cancelled.  If you have nothing to hide why would it matter? Christine Aumann, the mother of a former Wentzville R-IV School District student, traveled to Jefferson City last week to talk to the Missouri Senate about her family’s experience with the district and to testify in support of Senate Bill 365. Senator Eric Schmitt introduced the bill on February 2. If passed, the law would require school districts in Missouri to more closely follow federal law regarding evaluation of a student to determine if an individualized education program (IEP) is neces...

Reform Missouri's schools at half the cost : News The 1993 court ruling by Cole County Circuit Judge Byron Kinder still exists today as follows: “The system of public schools in Missouri is a state system, not separate district systems.” Then why are all 522 Missouri public school districts still existing today as separate school district systems? If all of the 522 school districts are abolished, there would be no more unequal school district property taxes to pay, no more school district superintendents to pay, no more school board elections, no more school district bonds to pay, and no more statewide 1 cent sales tax for education to pay that funds school districts. Each of the 2,200 separate public schools and principals that are within the 522 school districts are already monitored by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state school superintendent and the state school board.

Jeff Grisamore Not: Who Will Take Care Of Him I posted this last year, but I feel that it needs to be posted again. As I am packing my suitcase for my trip I am worrying about Jake.  Not about my absence right now because there are adults that are going to look after him for the twelve days that I am going to be gone.  I worry about what will happen to him after I leave this world. Who will make sure that he has food?  Who will make sure that he sees the doctor?  Who will make sure that he gets his medication?  Who will take him to the store for his video games?  Who will make sure that his clothes are clean?  Who will make sure that the world doesn't hurt him?  I couldn't protect him from the school district and the emotional and psychological abuse that they heaped upon him, but I have learned so much since then and I protect him with all that I have now.  Who will make sure that he has a place to live, heat, electricity, and ...

Education | City Council Committees | City of Boston We need this in Lee's Summit.  Our City Council needs to oversee our district and take action when they find that the district is out of compliance.  My fear is that this city and all of its committees are so intertwined that it wouldn't matter.  Nothing would be done.  This city only wants positive information to be put out there.  They cover up the negative. Committee Description: Committee on Education , which shall concern itself with the quality of educational services provided to all school-aged residents by the Boston Public Schools. The committee shall concern itself with examining the availability of services and programs for families of school-aged children. Further, the committee shall explore developing programs to provide assistance with academics and extracurricular activities for families. The committee shall monitor educational policy, in particular special education, bilingual education, a...

Controversy arises over what boy wore to Lee's Summit high schoo - KCTV5

Lee’s Summit North High School student told to remove ‘distracting attire’ - + KSHB.com

Fox C-6 Watchdogs: Dan Baker Probably Doesn't Want the Fox C-6 Community to See the Invoices for Legal Fees! Dan Baker Probably Doesn't Want the Fox C-6 Community to See the Invoices for Legal Fees! It was announced that Dan Baker was selected as the new principal at Seckman Elementary at the March 17, 2015 Fox C-6 Board of Education (BOE) meeting. I voiced my concerns about Dan Baker being selected as a finalist for the Seckman Elementary School principal position to Fox C-6 board president John Laughlin and Dr. Wipke in an email early Monday morning March 16, 2015. Then after not receiving a response I sent another email to all of the Fox C-6 board members at 6:30am Tuesday March 17, 2015. I also voiced my concerns to the Fox C-6 BOE meeting during Public Comments. Click on the link below to listen to my Public Comments. There were a total of 7 Public Comments made at the BOE meeting. There were two public comments in support of hiring Dan Baker for the principal position a...

Middle school Dean of Students accused of assaulting child with - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS QUITMAN COUNTY, MS (WMC) - A 10-year-old child with special needs was taken to the hospital after a member of his school's administration took excessive disciplinary action against the child. "In the trailer house, he whooped me 30 times," recalled the child. The child says the purple and blue bruises on his legs and arms came from his middle school Dean of Students' belt. The child's adopted father, L.B. Smith, identified the Dean of Students as Larry Johnson. "He was scared," recalled the boy's adopted mother, Annette Smith. "He said he was scared of him, so he thought he was going to get him again." Annette Smith says her son told her Johnson whipped him repeatedly in a trailer behind the school. According to a report from the Marks Police Department, another teacher saw one of the whippings and told the school's principal, who met the pa...

MO Parents: Do you want to be able to record IEP meetings? Let your state senator know! Mention your support of Senate Bill 365 Contact these Senators on the Education Committee before Noon Wednesday!  http://www.senate.mo.gov/15info/comm/educ.htm View the bill:  http://www.senate.mo.gov/15info/pdf-bill/intro/SB365.pdf

www.senate.mo.gov/15info/pdf-bill/intro/SB365.pdf Everyone needs to get behind this bill.  Please consider going to Jefferson City on Wednesday and testifying for this bill. 1. At the request of a student's parent or legal guardian, a school district shall conduct an evaluation of such student to determine if an individualized education program is warranted at least once every twenty-four months. This provision shall not be construed to limit the school district from conducting an evaluation of such student to determine if an individualized education program is warranted more often than every twenty-four months 2. Unless otherwise specifically allowed by law, no legal counsel for a school district shall be permitted to be present during the  evaluation or any meetings concerning a student's individualized education program. Should a violation of this section occur, such attorney and any coworkers or fellow employees at such attorney's employer shall be prohibited from...

mcds.dese.mo.gov/quickfacts/Special Education Profiles/2014/2014_Special_Education_Profile_048071.pdf

Educate | Decoding Dyslexia Missouri WASHINGTON –   Congressmen Bill Cassidy, M.D. , the Co-Chair of the House Dyslexia Caucus, submitted a  resolution   H.RES.456  calling for the House to acknowledge the impact of dyslexia and urge schools and educational agencies to address its impact on students. Dr. Cassidy released the following statement:   “Dyslexia affects millions of Americans, including many students. We know that many with dyslexia are among our brightest and most successful. If dyslexia is identified in elementary school and the appropriate resources are given to these children, America can produce more teachers, more scientists and more entrepreneurs. This resolution pushes schools and educational agencies to address this challenge and provide evidence-based solutions for dyslexic students.” Please click  Cassidy House Dyslexia Resolution January 10 2014  to read the pdf version of the resolution  H.RES.456 . Please contact your ...

J.D. v. Atlanta Public Schools: A Lesser Spirit Would Have Been Crushed Long Ago" by Pamela Wright & Peter Wright "A Lesser Spirit Would Have Been Crushed Long Ago" J.D. v. Atlanta Public Schools by Pamela Wright and Peter Wright   Print this page Update:  Both parties appealed this decision to the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. On March 6, 2008, the Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the decision of the District Court in  Jarron Draper v. Atlanta Independent School System  (11th Cir. 2008)  and ordered Atlanta Public Schools to pay Jarron Draper's tuition at a private special education school for four years as compensatory education for their persistent failure to educate him. (03/09/08) When U. S. District Judge Marvin Shoob issued the decision in  Jarron Draper v. Atlanta Public Schools  on March 20, 2007, the 20 year-old plaintiff was stocking shelves at Target and working as a security guard. Despite the best efforts of th...