NLDline
Subj: THE SPECIAL ED ADVOCATE,
AUGUST 20, 1999 (V. 2, NO 19)
Date: 8/20/99 1:55:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: pwright@wrightslaw.com (Pam & Pete Wright)
Sender: owner-special-ed-advocate@wrightslaw.com
To: special-ed-advocate@wrightslaw.com
The Special Ed Advocate
The Online Newsletter About
Special Education and the Law
August 20, 1999 Vol. II, No. 19
Visit us today at:
http://www.wrightslaw.com
===================
The Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special education legal issues,
cases, tactics and strategy, effective educational methods, and Internet links.
As a subscriber to The Special Ed Advocate, you will receive announcements and
"alerts" about new cases and other events. Back issues of The Special Ed
Advocate are archived at our web site -
http://www.wrightslaw.com
If your email address changes, please unsubscribe your old email address and subscribe
your new email address.
For a "printer friendly" copy of the newsletter, go to
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/nwltr/1999/nl_99_0820.html
Contact, copyright, and subscription information is at the end of this newsletter.
=============
1. NEWS FLASH! 8th CIRCUIT ISSUES NEW DECISION IN IDEA CASE
2. NEW ADVOCACY CHALLENGE PROGRAM – CHECK IT OUT
3. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
4. CONTACT INFORMATION
==================
1. 8TH CIRCUIT ISSUES NEW DECISION IN IDEA CASE
On Monday, August 16, Arkansas parent Tom Bradley sent word about the new Mauney case out
of the Eighth Circuit. His email said: “On 8-10-99, Eighth Circuit Court denied
Arkansas' claim of Eleventh
Amendment immunity in several IDEA cases. Check case #98-1721.”
“Tom Gilhool of the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia and Seth Galanter
filed briefs in support of IDEA.”
We went on the Internet, found the 8th Circuit Mauney case, and downloaded it. We knew
that the Eighth Circuit had issued a negative decision in Alsbrook, an ADA case, a few
weeks ago. We discussed the Alsbrook decision in the August 4 1999 newsletter.
We asked Tom about his case. He wrote: “Our case has been stymied since 9/24/99. The
state of Arkansas tried to
slip a weaker case in ahead of us so we would be bound by their decision. We found out
what they were doing and Tom Gilhool and the Justice Dept. helped out. (Check case
98-1010.)”
“The Arkansas attorney general is waging all-out war on the disabled. Last month they
got a decision granting Eleventh Amendment immunity in an ADA case, Alsbrook v. Arkansas.
We appreciate your help in getting
the news out about this.”
Minnesota parent attorney SONJA KERR explained why this new 8th Circuit is so important:
“The Mauney 8th circuit decision is critical to continued FAPE for kids in the Eighth
Circuit. That the 8th circuit denied the rehearing to examine the issue of immunity for
the state educational agencies is good news.”
“It reinforces that while the 8th circuit will be conservative on the issue of
discrimination claims which may lead to monetary damages (i.e. ADA, 504), the 8th Circuit
will continue to enforce IDEA.”
“Many of us who practice in the 8th breathed a sigh of relief!"
LINKS:
The Wrightslaw Law Library- http://www.wrightslaw.com/main_lawlibrary.htm
New Eighth Circuit decision in Mauney case (in pdf format):
http://www.wrightslaw.com/law/caselaw/case_8Cir_AR_Mauney_99_0810.pdf
Eighth Circuit decision in “Alsbrook v. Arkansas”:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/law/case_Alsbrook_ARCommLaw_99_0723.pdf
Sonja Kerr’s web site: http://www.kerrlaw.com
The Eighth Circuit includes these states:
* Minnesota *
* Iowa *
* Missouri *
* Arkansas *
* North Dakota *
* South Dakota *
* Nebraska *
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2. NEW “ADVOCACY CHALLENGE PROGRAM” – CHECK IT OUT
Our goal in writing WRIGHTSLAW: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW is to provide parents, educators,
advocates and attorneys with accurate, reasonably priced information about special
education law and advocacy techniques.
This week, we received several requests from advocates like Diane. Diane will teach an
advocacy class this fall:
“Congratulations on the success of your book! I have been eagerly expecting it, and
can hardly wait to have it in my hands.”
“You made such an impact on my life when I heard you at the first COPAA conference in
Orlando. I have been amazed at your willingness to share your knowledge and train parents
to be effective advocates.”
“I have been taking a course called Partners in Policymaking. This involves a weekend
training session each month. We learn effective advocacy skills and are required to put
together a project that will have a positive impact in our community/district.”
“I designed a parent training program to train parents in effective advocacy tactics.
I am partnering with our local autism society group and our local Resource Center, which
serves educators and parents.”
“I thought how wonderful it would be for each of the participants to have as a
textbook/resource your new book. But I missed the deadline for 1/2 price books for bulk
purchases. Is this etched in stone?”
“I received a gift to pay for something like this. I would like to have your book to
give and use, but I cannot purchase so many of them at full price.”
“If this is possible, I will be one ecstatic person. If not, I fully
understand.”
We want Diane’s student advocates to have WRIGHTSLAW: SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW!
Together with Harbor House Law Press, we designed the ADVOCACY CHALLENGE program.
Here’s how it works:
If you teach an advocacy class, you can get 20 BOOKS for the price of 10 books + shipping.
Minimum order is 20 books. Participants in the ADVOCACY CHALLENGE will pay the parcel post
or priority mail costs.
If you want to participate in the ADVOCACY CHALLENGE, send an email to
advocacy@harborhouselaw.com
or fax the Order Form at http://www.wrightslaw.com/bkstore/ourbooks/Orderform.html
Together, we can make a difference!
==========
3. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
To subscribe to The Special Ed Advocate, send an email to
majordomo@wrightslaw.com
In the beginning of your message, insert the following words exactly, with the hyphens,
all lowercase
subscribe special-ed-advocate
You will receive an automatic, computerized confirmation that your request "has been
forwarded to the owner of the special-ed-advocate list for approval and that it is a
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are a subscriber.
To unsubscribe to The Special Ed Advocate, send an email to
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In the beginning of your message, insert the following words exactly, with the hyphens,
all lowercase
unsubscribe special-ed-advocate
===========
4. CONTACT INFORMATION
Pete and Pam Wright
c/o The Special Ed Advocate
P. O. Box 1008
Deltaville, VA 23043
Phone: 804-257-0857
Website: http://www.wrightslaw.com Email:
webmaster@wrightslaw.com
The resources at this website are copyrighted by the authors. They may be used for
non-commercial purposes only. They may not be redistributed for commercial purposes
without the express written consent of Peter W.
D. Wright.
It is not necessary to obtain our consent to link to our website or copy, print and
distribute our articles and newsletters for nonprofit purposes so long as the material is
reproduced in its entirety and credit is given to Pete and Pam Wright and
"wrightslaw" including the URL -
http://www.wrightslaw.com
Copyright 1999, Peter W. D. Wright and Pamela Darr Wright. All rights reserved.
END