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Afraid to Ask, Ashamed to Fight: Breaking the Silence on Special Education
Manage episode 490549335 series 3609714
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Afraid to Ask, Ashamed to Fight eBook
Nancy Perkins, special needs advocate and author, returns to discuss her new ebook "Afraid to Ask, Ashamed to Fight" which provides parents with essential guidance for navigating the special education system. She shares insights from both her professional experience and personal journey as the parent of a son with autism spectrum disorder.
• Title "Afraid to Ask, Ashamed to Fight" reflects parents' fear of appearing uninformed and intimidation when confronting school systems
• School administrators sometimes instruct teachers not to inform parents about services their children are entitled to receive
• "Wait and see" responses from schools often mean waiting for a child to fail before intervention begins
• Schools withhold information due to lack of knowledge about special education law and financial constraints
• The Procedural Safeguards Notice (for ages 3-21) is a vital resource for understanding parental rights
• Bringing lawyers to IEP meetings can create unnecessary hostility—try working with advocates first
• Children should attend their own IEP meetings starting at age 14-16 for post-high school planning
• Be alert to informal "suspensions" when schools ask parents to pick up children for non-medical reasons
• Documentation is critical—record all communications with detailed notes about dates, times and outcomes
Find Nancy's ebook at www.specialneedspronet.com and click on "ebook" in the dropdown menu. You can preview the first three pages before purchasing.
Chapters
1. Meet Nancy Perkins, Special Needs Advocate (00:00:00)
2. "Afraid to Ask, Ashamed to Fight" (00:04:23)
3. Why Schools Withhold Information (00:08:22)
4. Nancy's Background and Experience (00:13:25)
5. Lawyers vs. Advocates in IEP Meetings (00:18:30)
6. Navigating School Suspensions and Documentation (00:23:02)
7. Finding Help and Final Advice (00:27:50)
26 episodes
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