Region V
Bank Center #750
600 Superior Avenue East
Cleveland, OH 44114-2650
Phone: (216) 522-4970

Re: :

Dear OCR Representative:

The purpose of this letter is to make a formal complaint to you concerning the actions of the School District and the education of my child, . The main facts of the complaint are as follows:

[What follows is an example case; use specific information from your case. Include times and dates, and people's names. Be clear and concise, but give all the details.] *Edward is a mildly mentally retarded 14-year-old boy who lives with me in the __________ISD. * _________ISD has excluded Edward from participation in his vocational education and physical education classes and failed to provide him with prescribed speech therapy. * On March 18, 1998 the Individualized Education Planning Team (IEPT) met to develop Edward's individual education plan for the coming school year when he would be entering the Smith Junior High School. The IEPT Team agreed that Edward was ready to enter the vocational education program. The IEPT also agreed that he should continue to receive speech therapy three times a week for fifty minutes a session. * On September 18, 1998, three weeks after school had started, I learned that Edward had been dropped form his vocational education and physical education classes and that he would not be receiving any speech therapy this year. On September 18, 1998, Ms. Edith Jones, Edward's counselor, called to tell me that Mr. Clark, the principal and Mr. Smith the teacher of the vocational program, had met the day before to discuss the problems Edward was having in classes. Ms. Jones told me that Edward had been teased and picked on by the other boys in his P.E. and shop classes. These problems were disrupting the classes. Ms. Jones also told me that the school board had cut back on the special education funds. Therefore, speech therapy had been eliminated for children in the junior and senior high schools. Ms. Jones' phone call was the first time I had ever heard about Edward's problems in school. I immediately wrote Mr. Clark a letter informing him of my conversation with Ms. Jones and requesting that an IEPT meeting be scheduled to discuss these problems. I delivered the letter that day to Mr. Clark's office. * The IEPT did not meet until September 26, 1998. I said that Edward should be let back into the vocational education and physical education classes. I argued that he should not be punished for the behavior of the other students. Mr. Clark and Mr. Smith insisted that his presence was the source of the problem and they could not stop the other students' teasing. Mr. Clark also said he was sorry, but the school board had cut back on special education funding and there was no more money available to pay for speech therapy for students in the junior and senior high schools. Edward's IEP was changed to reflect the actions taken by the principal . I refused to consent to the changes in placement. I indicated my opposition to the school's actions on the IEP. I also insisted that the reasons given for the removal from the classes and denial of speech therapy be included in the IEP. * Since September 18, 1998, Edward has not been going to his vocational education class. Instead, he has been placed in the study hall. He has not received any speech therapy since the school year began. * I believe that the school district's actions violate the Section 504 and P.L. 94-142 regulations and my son's right to an appropriate education. * I am requesting that you investigate the actions of (____________)ISD and order the district to put Edward back into his vocational education and physical education class and to give him the prescribed speech therapy. To assist you in your investigation, I will be happy to share with you all relevant documents from my file and put your investigators in touch with other persons who have pertinent information. The following individuals are responsible for the actions complained of: Mr. Clark, Principal, Ms. Edith Jones, counselor, (_____________) ISD, 123 Main St., Some City, Michigan, (766) 667-9009. * I expect that the Office for Civil Rights will keep me informed of any actions taken about this complaint, including providing copies of any written findings. I also expect that OCR will promptly acknowledge receipt of my letter and that it will immediately begin an investigation. I intend to keep the Washington Office for Civil Rights informed if there are delays in the investigation of this complaint.

Sincerely,

,