An update and a request on the tutoring story

snail mail address (0.00 / 0)

Brian -

How about a postal address for people who may wish to send a check to help resolve the tutorial story????

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by: tomaz @ Wed May 13, 2009 at 18:03:43 PM CDT

Good idea (0.00 / 0)

...for both this, and for all your address books.  As late as this afternoon another anonymous letter appeared in my parents' mail box on a completly unrealted issue.  It was a good idea for a story topic, as they usually are, and I'll be looking into it.  

If you are so inclined, you can mail a check made out to myDedhamNews to 110 Maple Pl, #1, Dedham MA.

myDedham.org - a community since 1636 and online since 2007!

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by: Brian @ Wed May 13, 2009 at 19:37:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

School issue (0.00 / 0)

I would highly recommend people send some money in.  I commend everyone for fighting this issue.  I had a case years ago against another school system that they fought and took to Federal Court and we were alone involving this very same issue.  I have family from Dedham and that is why this has peaked my interest.  In my case, I paid the money requested for the information but they ended up giving me very redacted information and they sent my check back.  It will be interesting to see if the same thing happens.  This is a widespread issue that many school systems have gotten away with for years and it takes people like you to expose them.
As far as the HIPAA issue.  I had an issue with that in my case.  It needs to be addressed at the school level. I believe legislation should be filed regarding this issue because I feel there is widespread abuse by school administrators and their lawyers when it comes to special education cases. There is no HIPAA law in schools that I am aware of. Any one can look at the information.  They do not sign confidentiality statements.  Many times there is no documentation. In my case, the lack of school documentation hurt us in court (summary judgement) as it was the school's word against ours. We had documentation. The judge then weighed who was more believable and sided with the school.  I believe that is why they do not have documentation. Always make sure every visit with your children is documented, what date they were seen and what was done, just like a medical visit.   Have the clinician sign it with their credentials.  By credentials, not "the speech and language therapist" but their actual credentials, each and every time.  Do not accept no documentation. That is not legal in the medical field.  "If it is not documented, it was not done" is the motto in the medical field, in other words, no payment.  You are all doing this for the right cause and it is the students that are being hurt by this.  I praise the teachers who exposed this.  

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by: beenthere @ Wed May 13, 2009 at 20:28:16 PM CDT

Confidentiality (0.00 / 0)

As far as the HIPAA issue.  I had an issue with that in my case.  It needs to be addressed at the school level. I believe legislation should be filed regarding this issue because I feel there is widespread abuse by school administrators and their lawyers when it comes to special education cases. There is no HIPAA law in schools that I am aware of. Any one can look at the information.  They do not sign confidentiality statements.

So the schools don't respect confidentiality, but in the current case they took confidentiality too far.

Interesting...

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by: stebivule @ Wed May 13, 2009 at 20:55:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Confidentiality (0.00 / 0)

It depends on what information they are keeping confidential, HIPAA covers medical information.  It sounds like they are keeping information like credentials confidential.  As a parent you should have a right to know.  The question now becomes, how much will the system pay or how much have they paid in the past to fight parents who child's needs have not been met by non-credentialed personnel working with their children or worse have performed evaluations on them.  That should not be confidential information.  Every parent should be aware of who is working on waivers.  A person on waivers should not be performing evaluations.  If a provider is working on waivers, who is the licensed person supervising them?That should not be confidential information.

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by: beenthere @ Wed May 13, 2009 at 22:01:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

send your funds (0.00 / 0)

witchhuntingwithmoredollarsthansense@deadhorsebeatershopingthereissomenefariousplot.org   and to  heresalittleextracashtofixyourcomputer@iamrunningatfiftypercentcapacityandmymemoryislow.org

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by: Spency @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 14:42:48 PM CDT

Where do you get your news? (0.00 / 0)

I recently attended a seminar at which the following, supposedly true, acendote was told: A reporter at the Rocky Mountain News was speaking to one of her friends about the impending closure of that newspaper.  Don't worry, her friends told her, we will still read you on the internet.

What her friends didn't get, and apparently you don't either, is that reporting the news costs money.  If there is no Rocky Mountain News then there is no RockyMountainNews.com.  All the phone calls, the meetings, the papers and pens, the leg work, everything that goes into reporting a story all take time and money.  I haven't reached the point of profitablility yet where I have hundreds of extra dollars that I can use for this.  The money has to come from somewhere.

Since you are so convinced that there was absolutly no wrong doing whatsoever, and that this is a witchhunt in search of a nefarious plot, perhaps you can riddle me this.  Two public records requests ago I asked for a copy of a document.  The responce came back that no such document existed.  

The thing is though, I know the document exists.  I've seen it.  I've read it.  I've held it in my hand.  I was really attempting to see if there were any other documents out there that I was unaware of.  My next letter questioned that discrepency, and a week later I was told that if I wanted an answer I would have to pay $300.  

I want an answer.  If it takes me a year of saving my pennies I'll put together that money.  When I get it I'll be sure to e-mail a copy to Spency@TrustUsWeNeverMakeMistakes.com.

myDedham.org - a community since 1636 and online since 2007!

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by: Brian @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 15:32:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

NPR and PBS (0.00 / 0)

Aren't contributions to NPR and PBS tax deductible?

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by: Spency @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 16:52:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Maybe I'm naive but........ (0.00 / 0)

...... if you feel you are being deliberately lied to and that public documents have been destroyed or hidden, isn't that a legal issue? Shouldn't you be calling the police or the AG instead of paying $300 to the (possible) offender?  

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by: Easting @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 07:51:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Maybe I'm naive too (0.00 / 0)

...but I'm willing to believe that people can make honest mistakes.  Maybe it was me who made the mistake.  Maybe the document doesn't say what I think it says.  Having a fairly good grasp of the English language I'm nearly certain that it says exactly what I think it says, but I'm willing to be proven wrong.

Secondly, fighting in court will take a lot more resources - more from the Schools than from me, since it would be a criminal case - and I don't think its a good use of my or their resources.  I'd rather see them in the classroom.  That option will always be available, but it will be my last line, not my first one.

Finally, I'm not only asking for some clarifications from where she was vague or did not answer certain questions in her previous letter, but also for some new documents.  In order to get those she can legally charge me.  I'll have to pay anyway.  

My point wasn't that in this particular instance that there was any deliberate wrongdoing - I'm not ready to start assigning blame.  It was to show that people can make mistakes, both when responding to public documents requests and potentially when assigning teachers.

myDedham.org - a community since 1636 and online since 2007!

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by: Brian @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 08:25:20 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Caveat emptor (0.00 / 0)

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by: Spency @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 08:40:24 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Don't understand (0.00 / 0)

Spency, I don't understand why you object so strongly to this investigation.  Perhaps when all is said and done, it will be proven that there was absolutely no wrongdoing.  Wouldn't that be a good thing?  No one is asking you to do the leg work or spend a dime.

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by: Craig @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 19:35:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen (0.00 / 0)

I know NPR, I listen to NPR a great deal.  This blog and your "news" site are definitely not NPR.

Ask again when you actually engage in investigative reporting.

Never separate the life you lead from the words you speak.

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by: David @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 15:20:14 PM CDT

I read (0.00 / 0)

Brian's reference to NPR and PBS and thought that the connection made was that NPR/PBS and his Dedham blog/news link are free to the public.  Also NPR and PBS ask for money to convey information and now he's asking for money to support the conveying of information.  If you don't want to support what he does don't send a check.  Why do you need to insult the guy?  Or better yet if you are that displeased with his work here don't visit the blog.

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by: DYNAYH @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 18:56:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Not NPR (0.00 / 0)

This blog and your "news" site are definitely not NPR.

I agree. Brian's podcasts are not bumpered by annoying snippets of eclectic world music, the tone of his articles isn't preachy, and I don't receive a complimentary free-range tote bag with my donation.

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by: stebivule @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 09:08:05 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

David (0.00 / 0)

Why do you even bother with this blog if you have such a negative attitude towards it.  It seems to me that you use it only when it suits "your agenda."

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by: Craig @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 16:04:42 PM CDT

You mischaracterize my statements about this blog (0.00 / 0)

I merely said that this blog is not NPR.

The blog is what it is:  a forum for civic discourse in an effort to better our community.  More often it is also, as I've said before, a forum for slanderous diatribes under the cover of anonymity and self-serving expressions of megalomania.  I accept that both must co-exist here and hope that readers get more from the former than from the latter.

But let's not confuse that with investigative journalism whose essence is a detailed, in-depth, well-research and complete examination of a topic of interest.

And I'm not seeing that here.

Never separate the life you lead from the words you speak.

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by: David @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 17:36:42 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Brian never (0.00 / 0)

said that the blog was NPR. TRY! to reread his post without your internal filter/bias and maybe you will see that Brian did not say that DEDHAM BLOG = NPR.  And if you can see this then maybe you can appreciate the fact that your point is "pointless".

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by: DYNAYH @ Thu May 14, 2009 at 21:05:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Dedham Blog does = NPR (0.00 / 0)

I've been a long time reader, and I'd like to make a donation to this courageous outlet of the community, however the link above doesn't seem to work right now. With the Boston Globe quickly going under where else are we to turn for the local news???

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by: BrainK @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 10:15:28 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Upper right corner (0.00 / 0)

Sorry about that.  I've taken down the link in the text.  You can use the button in the upper right hand corner of the screen that says Donate.  Thanks to those of you who have already made donations, either online or in person.  I do appreciate it.  

myDedham.org - a community since 1636 and online since 2007!

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by: Brian @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 10:37:04 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

BrainK (0.00 / 0)

courageous?

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by: Spency @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 11:21:31 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yes, Definitely Courageous! (0.00 / 0)

Not many adults can afford such great amount of time to keep our school department in check. Those folks have jobs that keep them  busy 10-12 hours a day, but not Brian! He's able to do the investigative reporting at all hours, which surely keeps him from full devotion to his duties as president of both a philanthropic foundation and a media powerhouse.  

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by: BrainK @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 12:37:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

spleenish (0.00 / 0)

ah, come on, you're gonna flame someone at least do it with some sense of humor and style.

In the other hand, maybe straight up nasty is just who you are, just following that old adage:

"Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. You must never miss the opportunity to show these people how mean you are."

here's a link for ya:
http://www.cyberbullying.us/

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by: kei-o-lei @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 15:02:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

ie (0.00 / 0)

Courageous could be used to describe a soldier or a police officer or firefighter or someone fighting an incurable disease.  

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by: Spency @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 16:05:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

moral courage (0.00 / 0)

is my very favorite virtue, and is the kind being written about here, spency. proud to help, brian; keep up the work! (also, i think some of you are confusing the blog with the newsite.)

...to worship the god who laughs.

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by: suzanne @ Mon May 18, 2009 at 22:17:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

My tiny ripple (0.00 / 0)

One of my favorite speeches of all time is the one Bobby Kennedy gave in South Africa.  In it he said

Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality of those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change.

While I would never compare myself to a police officer or firefighter, and certainly don't have the greatness to bend history, I too believe that "each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation."  

RFK was a member of my grandfather's generation - born a few years a few miles apart - but I truly thank you for the kind words.

myDedham.org - a community since 1636 and online since 2007!

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by: Brian @ Tue May 19, 2009 at 08:50:43 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

cRiminals (0.00 / 0)

what the heck is the mattere with these poeple.  I say call the police and have them investigate the bastards... i can picture the old battle axe saying "when the superintendent does it, ITS NOT ILLEGAL"   NOt in my town june.  by the way: enjoy the view from your office cause im prety sure that the view from your window at Walpole MCI won't be as good.  k3eep on kickin bryan you got them on the run

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by: dedham76 @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 12:00:47 PM CDT

Well... (0.00 / 0)

... this certainly wouldn't have been complete without some good old fashioned insults and hyperbole.

Hmmm... "Battle axe." You know, I've never heard that term applied to an assertive male. Perhaps dedham76 can't handle the idea of a powerful woman (or is just plain sexist)? Or maybe there are some inherent "size" issues that are unresolved here? I can just see this guy saying "I was against sexism before I was for it." NOT IN MY TOWN, DEDHAM76

It must be such a treat to serve the good citizens of Contentment...

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by: stebivule @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 12:12:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

This is why we should donate to Brian's just cause. (0.00 / 0)

He can't be expected to divert funds from all the advertising sales of the blog to paying for the school departments documentation! Heck, I can't believe his much loved FOIA allows them to charge at all. It's a travesty! I mean, what else could those fat cats in the school administration have to do all day long in their cushy offices! It obvious that they should be spending half the day replying to Brian's requests and the other half of the day repressing the teachers and students!  

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by: BrainK @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 12:38:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

MCI + bryan = long sleepless night (0.00 / 0)

Incidentally, in news outside of Dedham, Walpole is going to medium security, so you wouldn't think it a good enough place for June. Your boy Obama still has Gitmo open though....that's down in Cuba

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by: BrainK @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 12:44:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Humor (0.00 / 0)

Isn't humor supposed to be humorous?

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by: stebivule @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 12:55:11 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Boy oh Boy (0.00 / 0)

Your boy Obama

First we get a woman called battle-axe, now a black man is called "boy." We're gonna party like its 1959.

Dedham sure can be like a permanent trip down memory lane ... as Ned Flanders says "I wish we lived in a place more like the America of yesteryear that only exists in the brains of us Republicans."

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by: stebivule @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 14:34:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Dedham sure can be ... (0.00 / 0)

Stebi, I would have thought you were better than just stereotyping all of us.

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by: Dan63 @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 22:30:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"All of us"? (0.00 / 0)

Interesting that you would choose to interpret my comment that way. Are you auditioning for the Dishonest Argument Award for this thread?

Go back, re-read, think.  

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by: stebivule @ Sun May 17, 2009 at 14:43:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"we" vs. "all" (0.00 / 0)

Stebi, when you use the term "we" it refers to a group of people, so in response to that someone may use the term "all", if Dan63 feels as though he belongs in the group you were refering to when you said "we" then his use of "all of us" is correct. Now, if you were just refering to BrianK's comments, which you aren't because he didn't use the term "battle-axe", dedham76 did, then you are the one that used the wrong term, in my opinion Dan63 was responding to your incorrect term. But it all comes down to semantics.

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by: amber @ Sun May 17, 2009 at 15:47:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Whee (0.00 / 0)

Amber, the semantics are pretty clear.  In no case did I use the term "we" to refer to all people in Dedham, which I would need to do in order to "stereotype all of us." Dan63 is just playing around to try and get a rise out of me - it's the internet, that's what trolls do.

Just so we're all clear on the semantics, here's where I used "we":

we get a woman called battle-axe

Okay, it's pretty clear that "we" are the readers of the blog. "We get" means that there are people receiving something ... in this case, it is the readers who are treated to racist or sexist remarks (which dan63 apparently finds HILARIOUS!). Really, any other interpretation of that use of "we" is way off base. NEXT:

We're gonna party like its 1959.

If you're seriously going to say that using the term "we" in that context means "all citizens of Dedham are racists" then you have an extremely active imagination. Do I really have to provide a more detailed defense? No, I don't. LAST:

as Ned Flanders says "I wish we lived in a place more like the America of yesteryear that only exists in the brains of us Republicans."

A direct quote, directed sidewards at those making the racist/sexist comments.

I'm sorry, but your defense of dan63's willful misinterpretation of my remarks is deeply flawed and misguided.

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by: stebivule @ Sun May 17, 2009 at 17:08:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

you are correct sir (0.00 / 0)

in all your plural contexts, and believe me, i mean 'you' in the singular sense. ain't english fun? more to the point, steb, i think you're a hoot.

...to worship the god who laughs.

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by: suzanne @ Mon May 18, 2009 at 22:23:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

mydedham not the only pub to solicit funds (0.00 / 0)

"Paste magazine solicits donations to stay afloat" this story was in the Boston Globe business section today. I don't know how to post the link...!

Who do you think pays for research for stories in the Globe or other news media? The readers and advertisers! So, if you read myDedhamNews.com then support it!

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by: recycle @ Fri May 15, 2009 at 14:01:59 PM CDT

What a surprise (0.00 / 0)

Brian I hope you don't let up on this issue and I hope the community comes together in support of this important investigation.  Perhaps we can organize a group of citizens to attend the next school committee meeting to demand a response to your inquires.  This saga has been very telling about the state of our schools and the state of our town's citizenry.  How telling is it that in the wake of the scandal the community came together and voted for change in the election.  How telling is it that despite an overwhelming failure on the part of the administration to communicate appropriately and honestly with the community  that they still try to stonewall efforts aimed at illuminating the truth.

- Did a situation occur in which children were left in class without appropriate coverage?

- Were the parents notified?

- Is this standard procedure?

- What is being done to remedy a lapse if one occurred?

- What is being done to ensure that if there was a mistake made, that we do not repeat it in the future?

Is there anyone that thinks that these questions are unreasonable?  Is there anyone that thinks that as servants of the community, the school's administration should be exempt from answering them?  

It's a shame that Brian has to beat on so many walls to get the truth and now even spend money to pay for information that should be readily available.  Friends, my contribution to the sunshine fund is on its way and I hope you consider contributing as well!

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by: quincy71 @ Mon May 18, 2009 at 09:24:29 AM CDT

Flanders (0.00 / 0)

Rod: Daddy, what are you doing?
Ned Flanders: Imploring people I never met to pressure government with better things to do to punish a man who meant no harm for something nobody even saw, that's what I'm doing!
Todd: Daddy, I think we need a new mommy.
Ned: One problem at a time!  

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by: my1984 @ Thu May 21, 2009 at 15:49:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You have my support... (0.00 / 0)

I have a child in the Dedham school system, at the elementary school level. I've been "lurking" here since the "tutoring" story first broke. From my own experience with Ms. Doe, I can't help but feel if she simply ignores the problems that exist within the Dedham schools that concern as as parents, perhaps they will eventually "go away"? I commend you all for not allowing this issue to drop.

My check will be in the mail tomorrow. It will make me "feel good" to write it.

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by: Madison @ Tue May 19, 2009 at 20:23:36 PM CDT