Why We Fight

Don't give up. Don't ever give up.

- Jim Valvano


We had an IEP meeting at the school this past Tuesday. Those of us who have been through this process know that IEP should really be a four-letter word.

This wasn't a typical IEP meeting. A typical IEP meeting, by my definition, is one where the parents get together with the school officials each year and develop a plan to ensure that the child with special needs gets the assistance needed to receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. We had this meeting for Helena back in the Spring.

No, this was the IEP meeting you have when things are not going right and need to be changed. A parent, or the school for that matter, can call an IEP meeting at any time to discuss their concerns about the child, with the hope of rectifying the situation. It's the kind of IEP meeting you should never have to call, because it's an indication that the special education program at the school is failing your child.

It failed the parents of Pat Fuglei. They called an IEP meeting to address their concerns about his bullying, yet they still felt compelled to pull Pat out of school because the Hellgate school district did nothing to alleviate their concerns. And they got thrown under the bus in a public meeting for doing so.

The Individuals with Disabilities and Education Act (IDEA), the Federal Law that is the basis for the IEP process, has been in existence for well over 30 years. Yet even to this day, the majority of parents with special needs children can all recount at least one instance where they have had a major IEP disagreement with a school. I'd like to think that things have improved since IDEA was promulgated in the 1970s, but given some of the things I have heard or read lately, I am not so sure.

There's only one thing for us parents of special needs children to do. We have to fight.

Why do we fight? Let me count the ways...

We fight because situations like Pat Fugleis and the ASD child who was bullied out of Hellgate last year, where according to the parents the school never intervened until the police were called, are not isolated. A recent survey in Massachusetts found that 88 percent of the respondents, parents of children of autism, said their children were bullied, with over 50% saying their children were hit, kicked, or chased, and only 32% saying the schools adequately responded to their complaints about bullying. Here is link to the Boston Herald article about the survey.

We fight because students are not the only ones doing the bullying. Across the nation, special needs students are routinely physically restrained by teachers and school staff - some 18,000 cases at least in Texas during the 2007 - 2008 school year. Students are suffering physical and emotional injuries, even death. One school's response: they have "tougher special education populations than their peers." Here is a link to the Texas Tribune article about this horror.

We fight because students are not the only ones who are being bullied. On October 7, 2009, the California Dept. of Education held a conference where a well-known anti-parent advocate was paid thousands of dollars to instruct attendees from school districts across California on how to not provide special needs children the services they need under IDEA, yet make it appear like they are doing so. When an attendee asked how they should respond to a parent requesting a service they did not offer, the speakers response was "Just sue the parents." Here is a link to the Examiner.com article about this atrocity.

We fight because some bullies are allowed back in school. Wendy Portillo, the teacher in the Port St. Lucie (FL) school system who was suspended for having 5-year old special needs child Alex Barton voted out of the class by his classmates Survivor-style, was recently reinstated by the school district, and will now teach 6th grade science and reading. The school board vote on her reinstatement was unanimous. Just what we need, another middle-school bully. Here is a link to the Autism News article on this deplorable action.

We fight because situations like these occur every school day in this country. Some get media attention, the vast majority don't.

Most importantly, we fight because we love our children, and we want the best possible educational experience for them, to prepare them to have the best possible future.

And we won't give up until that goal is achieved.

We won't ever give up.

Close to Home- Third Update on the Bullying of an ASD Child at Hellgate Middle School

...it does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds...

- Samuel Adams

(note - for more information on this story, please read my first two posts on this issue - #1 and #2)

When I was a graduate student at Florida State University in Tallahassee, I lived in an apartment with a very dangerous intersection nearby. When it rained (which it does often in Tallahassee), most of the time an accident would take place at this intersection. One time, after I had witnessed a particularly gruesome accident where the right front wheel of a car was literally pushed all the way into the passenger seat (seriously injuring the passenger), I called the highway department to see if there was any possibility that a traffic light could be installed at the intersection. Their response: we usually install traffic lights at intersections where there has been a fatality.

That story keeps playing through my mind as I write. There is a lot in common between that situation and the bullying situation at Hellgate Middle School - both involve problems that were well known by officals who could have taken action to rectify the situation, but actions would only be taken after a tragedy occurs, or, in the case of Pat Fuglei, had occurred.

This past Monday, at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Hellgate District School Board, the superintendent summarized a plan of action that had been initiated just a week before in response to the bullying incidents involving Patrick Fuglei, an ASD 8th grader whose parents felt compelled to pull him out of school after being bullied for the better part of two years. This plan of action came about rather quickly, considering it was just two weeks ago that Patrick's story first appeared in The Missoulian, and just a week ago that the School Board (on November 2) held a special meeting in response to that article, essentially to get out their side of the story. Parents were notified of this plan just a day after that meeting.

Here is what the Hellgate School District is going to do:

• They have contracted with the Missoula Chapter of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI), a non profit that works with organizations such as schools, law enforcement agencies, etc. to develop programs that stress inclusion and a reduction in violence, particularly in schools. NCBI will start by offering workshops for the middle school students and a professional development class for district staff which will also serve as a needs assessment to provide direction for future work. NCBI will also offer training and assessments for parents as well.
  
  
• The school district policies will be posted on the web page in an easily searchable format so parents can find information easily.
  
  
• Teachers, principals, and counselors will continue to research anti-bullying practices at other school districts nationwide.
  
  
• The superintendent also advocated for school-based parent advisory councils in each building (K-2, 3-5, 6-8).

This last development was particularly interesting because, as someone told me, the idea of parent advisory councils has been proposed in front of the school board before, only to be discouraged by this very same superintendent. So now we apparently have a complete 180 on this issue. I requested at this meeting that an additional advisory council should be set up for special education. Based on the phone message the superintendent left on Tuesday summarizing Monday's actions, this request must still be "under consideration."

One parent praised the superintendent and the school for taking steps in the right direction, but then asked about disciplinary procedures. The superintendent outlined a typical hierarchical process where you talk to the teacher, and if the teacher gives you no satisfaction then you go to the principal, and if the principal gives you no satisfaction then you go the the superintendent, and if it makes it to the superintendent, than he assured us that he would launch an investigation into the matter. He even told an anecdotal story about an ASD child who was being bullied, and the bullying was brought to his attention. He immediately contracted (as he put it) with the Special Ed. coordinator, who investigated, and reported out her results, and the situation was resolved.

This is interesting too, considering that at the November 2 School Board meeting, this same superintendent stated that in his almost 10 years at Hellgate he had never had a call about bullying.

This also raised the ire of one parent whose ASD son was bullied out of Hellgate last year. She rose and asked the superintendent why, if he investigates all incidents that are brought to his attention, did he not investigate her son's incident until after they got the police involved. The superintendent was speechless, then stated that he could not recall her son's specific case, but assured the woman it was investigated. This woman and her husband, by the way, had followed all school policies and procedures with regards to bullying.

Another issue brought to the attention of the school board at this meeting was the case of N.B. vs. Hellgate Elementary, in which the 9th Circuit Court deemed that a child was denied procedural rights under IDEA by not evaluating the child to determine whether the child was autistic, thus denying the child a free and appropriate public education. A parent asked the school board to disclose the cost of defending that lawsuit, but the district's attorney reminded everyone that this was a public comment session, and not a question and answer session.

With the exception of this parent, all the other parents who spoke had their questions answered.



The Missoulian covered the School Board Meeting, and you can read their article here. The reporter covering this story also this week wrote a poignant guest column about standing up to bullies, which you can read here. While I won't share them as I have before, as always reading the reader comments in response to the article is always insightful.

Many people I talked to have praised NCBI and their work, and it is probably a good thing to have an outside entity come in and assess the situation. But is NCBI's involvement, as well as the other reactionary actions the school district adopted, enough? Probably not. It certainly is not enough to address the needs of the special needs children - the fact that Pat Fuglei is a child with autism continues to be ignored in this process.

There will not be another school board meeting probably for another month. That means another month for the incident that precipitated this discussion, as well as the other incidents that have been brought forward since, to fade from the collective conscience of the community. It's up to us, the parents of this school district, to make sure that does not happen, to keep setting brush fires in peoples minds.

Alone

To be alone is to be different, to be different is to be alone.

- Suzanne Gordon

My heart broke at 8am this morning. Again.

There she stood, my oldest child, on the playground. I had dropped her off just a few minutes prior, and as I made my way out of the school grounds, I went by the playground again, and watched her.

Standing there. No other child within 50 feet of her. All alone.

And I cried all the way to work, wondering why it has to be this way.

I realize that there is no one on this earth that loves her and cares for her more than my wife and I. But does anyone else really care at all?

Sometimes I think people look at her as a number. First she was 1 in 500. Then 1 in 250. Then 1 in 166. Then 1 in 150. And now she's 1 in 91.

She's high functioning, so some groups that should be helping her ignore her - I guess she's just not autistic enough for them.

And sometimes I think certain people believe she is just a process they have to follow, a Federal Law with which they have to comply.

It's hard for her, and frustrating for her. Autism makes social interactions a challenge, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want to interact socially. And even when she says she wants to be alone, I really wonder if that's what she really means, or if that is how she thinks it has to be, because that is the way it's been.

I don't want her to be alone. I don't want children to tell her to just "go away."

I don't want her to think it has to be this way, just because she has autism.

I believe in my daughter. I know she has hopes and dreams, and I know she can achieve them, autism be damned.

But I also know that it will only be through the perseverance of my wife and I, and our love and belief in our daughter, that this will be possible. That's why we continue to fight, and continue to advocate. And the road is full of bumps like this that need to be and will be overcome. And every time we make it over a bump, we get stronger, and the road gets smoother.

But sometimes, those bumps really hurt, enough to break your heart.

Close to Home - Two Weeks Later

God forgive me for having thought it possible that a schoolmaster could be out and out a rational being.

- Sir Walter Scott


It's been almost two weeks since the first story appeared in the Missoulian about the 8th Grade boy with autism who was bullied to the point that his parents removed him from the school. This story has really struck a nerve in Missoula, especially in the Hellgate School District where this incident took place, and where my ASD daughter will be attending middle school next year. I wanted to use this post as sort update on the series of events that has taken place since the initial article. A lot has happened in two weeks.

On October 25, this article appeared in the Missoulian about Patrick Fuglei,an 8th grader with autism whose parents removed him from school due to excessive bullying. It was the front page story in the Sunday paper, so you knew it would draw a lot of attention. And is has - it is still listed on the Missoulian website as one of the most read recent articles.

The reason this story was written was because the Fugleis, after removing their son from school, had asked the Hellgate administration to read a letter to the 8th grade students about the bullying of their son. The officials at Hellgate refused, so the Fugleis went to the paper, asking if their letter could be published as a guest column. The request was routed to the reporter, who was interested in doing a story on the situation. Thus, the October 25 story was born. It should be noted that the Fugleis did not seek out this story or desire to get their name on the front page. All they wanted to do was publish their letter in a forum where the 8th graders and their parents would have an opportunity to read it.

On October 27, the Missoulian published the Fugleis letter as a guest editorial. You can read it here.

On November 2, the Hellgate School Board held a special session to specifically discuss the bullying issue. But instead of acknowledging the problem and seeking to move forward to correct it, the district superintendent chose to lay the blame on the parents for not filling out the proper forms, following procedures, and directly contacting the superintendent. Then, one by one, all the principals of the school system stated that they never heard about Patrick Fuglei being bullied. When Patrick's father spoke, he asked the superintendent why he never heard from the school, and acknowledged that Patrick's case manager knew of some of the bullying incidents. This information apparently went nowhere, or at least it never went to the school administration, based on what they said. Many parents, including myself, rose to speak on the situation, most agreeing the Hellgate dropped the ball, and the efforts they presented at the School Board meeting to rectify the situation were not enough.

On November 3, the Missoulian published this article on the School Board meeting. Again, this was one of the lead stories on the front page of the paper, and is still listed as one of the most read articles online.

On November 4, The Missoulian published this editorial concerning the bullying situation at Hellgate.

As referenced in the November 4 article, the Hellgate Superintendent wrote this letter to the parents, which is posted on the Hellgate website and was left as a phone message to all Hellgate parents. There are actions being taken and committees being formed, but it seems to me that the only parental involvement is to be more aware of the school bullying policies and follow them. Sheesh...


When stories like this hit the media, it's always interesting to read the reader comments in response to the stories, and this case is no exception. The majority of the letters have been critical of how the Hellgate Administration and School Board have handled this situation, and rightly so. But, as always, there are always some very disturbing comments as well. Here is an unedited sampling of the reader comments to the stories reference above:

yet another chapter in the trials of being a kid in the public school system. i am glad that some action is being taken to rectify this situation, but what of the next time something happens like this? the issue of bullying, hazing, and manipulation is as old as any human interaction. there is no way to completely "fix" this behavior. there is also a school of thought that maybe this behavior should not be too quickly dispensed with, as it is part of the very human learning process that teaches us how to interact through out our lives. MOST of us are taught at an early age NOT to abuse others, and as the impulse to act against these teachings comes up, it is up to all of us, as parents and teachers, to redirect these energies to something constructive and show more understanding. this was as true from the beginning of human history as it is now. it seems to me that the problem isn't so much that there is intimidation and cruelty among school age children, as now there are more forms of recourse that might be used to make more of an issue of this than it really is.

It's sad to think that Pat has to leave his home and family to get an education. My grandson is autistic, is mainstreamed in school, and I worry very much about him as he grows older. He has the same problem of mirroring behavior to others to gain acceptance. Best wishes for success to Pat and his family. As for the bullies, it's times like this that I fervently hope for Karma, or at least, for a bigger bully to come along and give them what they deserve.

{in response to the first comment I posted} That would be true for most kids learning life's lessons,but this is a disabled child. It is just as big an issue for these kids to take advantage of an autistic child as it would be if they had pushed a kid in a wheelchair down the stairs. Different scars, but scars nonetheless.

Hellgate Middle School is responsible for the safety and well-being of its students. There is no excuse in allowing children and/or teachers for that matter to bully, taunt, torment, etc. another student. What actions were taken in regard to the students who tormented this student? Were they suspended? If not.........why not? The bullies are being allowed to get away with abuse. Why?
Every child deserves to feel safe and secure while attending school. That is the law. The school (if Pat is a special education classified student with an IEP) should pay ALL fees in regard to the private school that Pat will be attending. The parents should not have to pay a dime. That also is the law. The school drove Pat out by making his time there impossible. Pat is entitled to FAPE. A Free Appropriate Public Education (under Federal Special Education Law). Hellgate Middle School is NOT providing Pat with FAPE.

In the 70's, the laws were changed and all the kids, no matter their ability to learn, were thrown in the same classes. Doesn't matter if they can't speak English, if they are 8 years old and not potty-trained yet, if they spend their class time shrieking so loud the other kids get headaches. Doesn't matter if the teacher has NO training in helping special needs kids. Somehow, the teachers are supposed to teach all these kids at all these different ability levels, in the same classroom. Why? It used to be kids with college-potential were put into college prep classes. Kids with learning disabilities were placed in classes with teachers equipped to deal with these challenges, so they could progress at their own level, to whatever they were capable of progressing to. I think AMerica's gifted children have gotten short-shrift for years, and that's why we, as a nation, are falling far behind other countries academically. We can keep on attempting to give everyone an "equal" education, or we can recognize that the bulk of education money is not spent on educating future doctors and scientists anymore, and thats a total disgrace and dangerous to America's future.

All I have to say is that we all need to remember that every story has two sides. Seems to me that what we all have read is one-sided. Hellgate Elementary is one of the finest school districts in the state of Montana!

Amen. Its how it used to be. They {special needs kids} aren't "locked away, out of sight". Throwing special needs kids in a class room with everyone else is cruel. They can't learn at the same rate, and they can't learn by the same methods. They bring the whole level of academic instruction down to the lowest common denominator. Many autistic kids are brilliant, but communicate differently. Why would their parents not want the best for them? Why would their parents want them "ware-housed" in classrooms that are unable to help them achieve as normal a life as possible? We separate boy's football teams according to ability. Why wouldn't you want kids academically separated? Its no different than California's pathetic attempt to throw kids in the same classroom who babel away in a dozen different languages, then wonder why California schools have gone from the best on the plane to the worst in the nation.

This is a link to New Jersey's Anti-Bullying Policy. The Hellgate School should stop hiding their heads in the sand. http://www.state.nj.us/education/parents/bully.htm Parents, please band together and fight for your children's well-being and a safe school environment.

This is very disappointing for the city of Missoula. We should really be a state leader in all levels of education. We have the resources to bring in the best programs to ensure the children receive a high level of education. Special needs students deserve better than this. When you help the special needs, you help the entire school.

As a close friend of Patrick and his family I would like to applaud Bridget and Bruce Fuglei for the courageous act of opening up this very serious problem at Hellgate Middle school. I realize that their intention was to simply have a letter read to raise the awareness of the students at Hellgate Middle school and help them to realize how much pain bullying can cause, as well as the long reaching effects that bullying has had specifically for Patrick. Patrick is a very special child and not unlike other middle schoolers he simply longed to fit in. He has a big heart and he poseses his own unique intellect, for example he is capable of memorizing more information at one sitting than most of us can in a lifetime. He has grown up with my children and has always been kind and generous with his friendship. He is inquisitive and curious. Again Patrick is a very special boy, we miss him dearly. As the mother of a child who was not forced, as in this case, but who chose to move her 6th grader out of Hellgate Middle school due to unrelenting bullying, my heart goes out to the Fuglei family and especially to Patrick. I would also like to acknowledge the excellent educators who are a part of the Hellgate Elementary/Middle school system. Many played vital roles in my children's education and development. They truly care and give their all to the most significant of professions, that of teaching our children. My hope is that this will get resolved by taking the high road no matter how much work it takes. That there will be a long term plan to create a safe environment one in which all children can thrive and grow.

Ten years ago, I pulled my two sons from Hellgate Elementary. My boys are not autistic, but they did have health problems, which evidently is enough to make a child a target at Hellgate. At the time the Hellgate school administration was totally unhelpful to me as a parent. As others have commented, the school did not care to act to solve the problem. I am saddened to learn so many others have suffered similarly. But, I am very glad the Missoulian is covering this story. I hope the press will shine a very bright light on this ongoing travesty.

I am compelled to write because I, too, pulled my son out of Hellgate Elementary after ongoing bullying throughout his 6th and 7th grade years. After working with a couple of the teachers as well as the school counselor, I decided that it was time to take decisive action. I put him in a private school (which was no small undertaking, as tuition put an additional strain on my already strained budget). He thrived in the private school and is now a happy, healthy freshman at one of the public high schools in town. While my son does not have the challenges that Patrick has, he is a quiet, reserved, kind person and apparently those are signs of weakness to a certain type of individual who enjoys picking on someone who does not have it in him to fight back. We attempted to give our son the tools to fight back but I worried that, in doing so, we were teaching him that it's not okay to be who he is. After the decision was made to pull my son out of Hellgate Middle School, I sent an email to the superintendent of Hellgate Elementary as well as the principal, vice principal and counselor of the middle school advising them of the reasons that my son would not be coming back to school. I did not receive a response from one person. My son had enjoyed going to Hellgate Elementary from kindergarten through 5th grade but life changed when he began 6th grade. I can understand the pain that Pat’s parents felt in having to move their child but I applaud their very difficult decision to make the move rather then allow their son be the target of those bullies for one more day.

I was bullied at Hellgate Middle School over 20 years ago, it has affected my self-esteem. I send my kids to private school for this reason.

I too am saddened by the treatment that Patrick endured at the hands of these bullies and by the way this was handled by the school staff. There is no excuse for this type of behavior and yes someone, students and or staff should have stepped up and defended Patrick against this mistreatment. Although I have sympathy for Patrick and his parents and not knowing the entire story, It seems that Patricks' parents may be missing an opportunity to teach him a very important life lesson in all of this. By moving Patrick out of Hellgate and out of the state, what message are they sending him about standing up for himself? Sometimes it is better in the long run to stand and fight for what is right. As an old counselor once told me, during one of the darkest moments in my life, "No matter where you go, there you are." That is to say, that Patrick, as well as anyone else will always have to deal with their differences, regardless of what those are or where they are. I only suggest that he may have gained coping tools and perhaps a boost in self confidence had his parents found a way for them and him to stand up and fight for good. I do, however, understand if they felt unable to do that. My wish for Patrick and his parents is that they find true peace and acceptance in the future, best of luck.


As you can see, there is a little support for Hellgate, a lot of sympathy for Patrick and his family, and some people who just don't get it. It's also apparent that this is more than just Patrick Fuglei - many other parents have felt compelled to pull their children out of Hellgate due to bullying.

Bullying affects everyone, and should be addressed with the entire student body in mind. But let's not forget the special needs aspect of this situation. The Missoulian has done a good job of keeping that at the forefront, though I believe the Hellgate Administration and School Board view this as secondary to the situation. And that is unfortunate. Yes, any child can be bullied, but special needs kids, especially those with autism, are particularly susceptible because they lack the social skills necessary to cope with the situation, and most crave acceptance. Contrary to some of the above comments, we parents of special needs children have fought for years and years to have our children in the public school system, in the least restrictive environment, getting a free and appropriate public education. Abuse and bullying was not part of the bargain, nor should it ever be.

So what's next? The next school board meeting will be this coming Monday. The agenda can be found here, and aside from one small agenda item, there's not much on the agenda concerning bullying, or special needs for that matter. Could it be that Hellgate is sweeping this under the rug? We'll find out Monday.

As for me, I have written a letter to the school board, the superintendent, the principals, and the special ed coordinator voicing my concerns about how this situation is being handled, both in terms of bullying and special education. I received a polite reply from the superintendent and a personal call from Helena's principal. I also called an IEP meeting to discuss these issues in a formal setting. As a parent, I want to be part of the solution, if the school will allow that to happen. We shall see.

Please stay tuned.