Before working as an activist, commentator, and director in an international pro-family non-profit, I was a teacher.

Full-time or part-time, substitute or tutor, I noticed the pervasive bureaucracy around special education. When I was earning my teaching credential, every teacher candidate had to pass an entire course on special education. The credentialing program could not have been clearer about the importance of meeting every standard for special education students. Dr. Richard LaVoie of Connecticut, a world-renowned researcher and advocate for special education children, featured in many of those classroom lessons, and he sounded the alarm on the rampant disrespect that these students and their parents face. Special needs students need special care — no surprise! Don’t tell a parent that “It’s not fair” to give a special-ed kid more time to take a test or to finish a project.

With all the federal laws, state regulations (especially in California), and rigorous training, one would think that special education students were getting the best education.

The reverse is true. Parents of special ed students fight an uphill battle the moment they enroll their children in local public schools. Despite the extensive promises and legal frameworks designed to protect these precious children, parents run into administrative bloat and bureaucratic gloat seeking to avoid providing necessary testing, treatment, and teaching. They force parents to hire education advocates and lawyers to enforce their justified claims.

School districts would rather fight in court than serve special education students. They don’t want to spend the money, and they have no incentive to provide better care since many parents have neither the time nor the means to enroll their children elsewhere. After all, most private schools are exempt or simply declare upfront that they cannot provide proper services for special needs students.

I have spoken with many parents who had to fight year after year to get the basic services which their special needs children were entitled to. I........

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