NOVEMBER 22 & 23, 2003 

WEEKLY IDEA REVIEW

Another week of rumors and uncertainty as we all wait and wonder whether the
full Senate will consider its IDEA reauthorization bill, S.1248, before it
adjourns for the year.  As one of our <A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm17">Home page</A>
articles illustrates, this is a
time of "<A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm17.showMessage?topicID=1\
21.topic">Homeland Insecurity for Students with Disabilities</A>."  As this
piece
points out, however, the worst thing we can do is to do nothing because we're so
unsure.  Any action is better than no action, and we at Our Children Left
Behind will continue to provide you with the latest information to help you make
your decisions.  As we point out in another piece, "<A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm17.showMessage?topicID=1\
18.topic">The Thanksgiving Season</A>,"
while we have much to be thankful for - we have definitely made a difference
in this fight to save IDEA - we have much more work to do.  Our legislators
will soon be home for the holidays and we need to keep telling them our
stories. 
No holidays off for us - but as parents, we're used to that!

Also on our <A HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm17">Home
page</A>, in "<A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm17.showMessage?topicID=1\
19.topic">Irony or Intent: First Us, Then You</A>," we highlight
the importance of a press interested in preserving open government and access
to the political process.  So far the press has not been very responsive to
our stories, but we keep trying and hoping they will see that if we are
excluded from the process, soon they will be as well (in fact, that may already
be
happening). In "<A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm17.showMessage?topicID=1\
20.topic">Nothing Up My Sleeve</A>," we use the D.C. voucher story to
illustrate what happens when people directly affected by legislation are cut out
of
the legislative process and compare this to the shenanigans we parents have had
to face during this IDEA reauthorization.  Finally, in "<A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm17.showMessage?topicID=1\
22.topic">To Heir Is Human</A>," we
remind ourselves that today's children are tomorrow's policymakers, and
therefore it is crucial that today's children inherit a legacy of inclusion, not
segregation.

On our <A HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm14">Breaking
News</A> page, we learn that Assistant Secretary Robert <A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm14.showMessage?topicID=7\
8.topic">Pasternack
</A> has abruptly resigned his position, and we have a statement by Secretary of
Education Rod Paige to this effect.  We also have an alert from the <A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm14.showMessage?topicID=8\
0.topic">Center for
Law & Education</A>, calling for the rejection of S.1248 as a compromise that
may
irreversibly strip our children of their rights under IDEA.  This group takes
a different approach than some of the other advocacy groups, who are
supporting S.1248 as the lesser of two evils.  We at Our Children Left Behind
strive
to bring you all points of view so that you, our visitors, can make your own
informed decisions and take action accordingly.  Also on our <A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm14">Breaking News</A>
page,
we have an alert targeted to Minnesota residents regarding a <A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm14.showMessage?topicID=7\
9.topic">proposed funding</A>
amendment that could hold up Senate consideration of S.1248, and we have
excerpts from the <A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm14.showMessage?topicID=7\
7.topic">AUCD</A> Legislative News in Brief and the <A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm14.showMessage?topicID=7\
6.topic">NASBE</A> Federal Update.

Finally, our <A
HREF="http://pub60.ezboard.com/fourchildrenleftbehindfrm2">Message Board</A> has
one parent's reaction to the posting about
Washington State's attempt to water down NCLB with respect to special education
students.

With the holiday season upon us, we have much to think about and do.  But the
IDEA reauthorization struggle is not going away, and we need to remain
focused.  Please try to fit some time into your busy holiday schedules to visit
the
Web site, stay informed, and take action.  Visit, call, fax or email your <A
HREF="http://www.congress.org/">
legislators</A> and keep telling your and your child(ren)'s stories!  If we
keep
talking, eventually someone will start listening! 

Sandy Alperstein, today’s <A
HREF="mailto:parentvolunteer@...">parentvolunteer@ourchild\
renleftbehind.com</A> 




Sandy, Illinois (alpy2@...)
Volunteer Co-Webmaster, <A
HREF="www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com">www.ourchildrenleftbehind.com</A> (IDEA
reauthorization)


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