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Letter
to Senator Jon Corzine
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Mr.David Parano Constituent Advisor Office of New Jersey Senator Corzine 17 October 2003 Dear Mr. Parano, My name is Judith Gallante-Hooper. I am employed by Sterling Medical Corporation as an Early Childhood Special Educator in the Educational and Developmental Intervention Services (EDIS) at RAF Lakenheath. This letter is to confirm previous conversations you had with my sister regarding a DoDDS education for my son Christopher Hooper at RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom. The role of EDIS is to provide Federally mandated special services to dependent children of active duty members who are stationed overseas. Every day, our team cares for the developmental and medical needs of USAF dependent children and their families. I serve alongside other members of the EDIS team who are active duty members of the United States Air Force. During my contract assignment it was confirmed that my own son had Asperger’s Syndrome, a developmental/neurological disorder that fell within the Autistic Spectrum. While he attended the Intermediate School during the 2002-3 school year, the staff recommended developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in order to address his social and organizational difficulties. This IEP greatly helped improve my son's support system at the school and his scholastic performance. A transition meeting was held 02 May 2003 between the staff from Christopher's Intermediate School and the staff of the Middle School to prepare for the upcoming 2003-4 school year. During that meeting the Special Education teacher and the case study committee representative of the Middle School discussed some possible accommodations based on Chris's IEP so that his transition would be as smooth as possible. Although we had some concerns, we felt the Middle School would be willing and able to make Chris's entry into Middle School successful. A few weeks later I received a call from the Middle School asking me to meet on 09 June 2003 with the principal regarding Christopher's program. At that meeting the principal informed me that Christopher would not be able to attend Lakenheath Middle School because, at that time, she had too many students with IEPs enrolled for the 2003-2004 school year. I contacted the Director of Special Education and the Superintendent for the Isles District to appeal that decision. Instead, both confirmed that it was legal and permissible to deny a space available child access to a DoDDS school in these circumstances. This denial came in spite of my son having an IEP created by DoDDS and in spite of the procedural due process afforded to me at the time of its development. Since placement in a British school was not appropriate, we had no recourse but to home school our son. The DoDDS system offered no support - not even the maintenance of his IEP - because they did not grant him enrollment. Mr. Parano, it is quite hard to accept this on several grounds. As a contracted employee of the United States Air Force it is evident that my son has less rights and entitlements than a dependent of an active duty member. The same education my son is guaranteed in the United States and the same right I am here to guarantee for the children of Air Force personnel is denied him by the Department of Defense Dependent Schools. The dependent children of active duty military members and government employees have priority in Department of Defense Dependent Schools while the children of those who serve the military and make similar sacrifices to their personal and professional lives do not. This is grossly unjust. Christopher's attendance at the DoDDS Middle School should not have placed any additional financial burden on the school since his tuition would be paid by my employer. Furthermore, enrollment was not excessive for the whole school but only for the enrollment of children with an IEP. It seems my son was discriminated against because he had an identified disability. The justification we received from the Department of Defense Dependent Schools was that they are not responsible for the guidelines that allow a child to be denied enrollment in a DoDDS school. Congressional decisions have allowed for this. I question whether the Congress of the United State intended for any American citizen to be denied an education on the basis of any disability or the working status of his parents. I would appreciate Senator Corzine's attention to this matter. Its significance for future dependent children who are overseas with their working parents bears important and long lasting consequences for all Americans who have left their homeland in order to serve their country. Sincerely and respectfully, Judith Gallante-Hooper Early Childhood Special Educator Employee of Sterling Medical Corporation RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom |
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