Alright – so, ever since principal Jaysen Anderson from Jefferson High School in Bloomington Public Schools suspended my child who has nonverbal autism and does not understand the concept of suspension for a behavior his autism teacher Kelly Morris caused, I have been trying to advocate in the world of education.

This week, I testified in favor of what little positive Gov Walz’s state education department added to hold schools accountable. MN House of Reps Education Policy Committee heard this bill. Most people were for this language except Mr. Roger Aronson. At first, I thought who the heck is this guy and why would any school official be against ensuring all students are treated equally and fairly. Then as I listened to his testimony, I realized it is people like him who are responsible for the horrible racial gap Minnesota has in education particularly suspending students of color and students with disabilities.

For example, the proposed language said, schools must first use nonexclusionary methods before suspending or expelling a student. Sounds perfect, right? well – not to Mr. Aronson. He kept saying “we need the principals to have…..wait for it….it is really good…..drum roll……the discretion to suspend or not suspend”. Are you kidding me? we are in this racial gap because principals discretions have been biased, subjective, racist and wrong.

I mean think about it. Principal – Jaysen’s discretion was to suspend a child with nonverbal autism who did not understand what the heck suspension is. Keep in mind that Bloomington Public Schools were part of the state’s human rights list of schools that have a yuky racial gap. Yet, this principal’s discretion and judgment were to suspend a nonverbal autistic child. Imagine that.

I am sorry but giving any discretion to principals like Jaysen is what created education disparity. I ask and beg state legislatures and the governor to NOT give any more discretion to the very folks who created this problem. The schools must be held accountable for their record and I would even add have financial consequences if they disproportionately suspend, fail or expel students of color and students with disabilities.

Minnesota Association of Secondary Schools – as white as vanilla. 

Minnesota Association for elementary and middle school principals – staff are as white as Minn snow. Seriously people? These folks decide policies for our children yet no one looks like us.

Below are facts of how horrible racial gap is in Minnesota.

Why are Black students suspended and punished more even when their behavior is similar to their white peers? by NY York Times. This happened to me at Bloomington Public Schools who did not suspend when white autistic kids had a behavior but when black or brown kids did, they were suspended or sent to a segregated building. This pisses me off to my core.

Students of color and students with disabilities are suspended disproportionately – Mpls Tribune 

Summary of the legislation by the state education department.

My testimony in the committee

The whole legislation. Note: Asking school districts to use nonexclusionary methods before dismissal is article 2, section 6, line 10.2 to 10.7 (Ladies and gentlemen, unless we understand what happens at the legislature and to some extent Congress, our children will remain in disparity). 

You can listen here and the suspension part is around 1:20 to 1:40. (my favorite part is Josh from EdAllies who simply rocks, omg he is fantastic!)

Above words do not reflect any candidate, agency or committee.

Idil – Somali Autism Mom

Alright – so, from May 3^rd of 2018 when my son who has nonverbal autism was suspended by Bloomington Public Schools (BPS), I have been trying to make sense of what happened and why BPS would treat my child such cruel manner.

I have blogged about this and will continue to do as well as testify in whatever state committees possible and inform as many legislators as I can find. I continue to find disturbing data and information that students of color especially black boys are disproportionately suspended by districts such as Bloomington as well as other districts in Minnesota and nationwide. Equally important is that students of color are also sent to segregated educational settings disproportionately by school districts such as Bloomington. You see Bloomington Public School even wanted to send my child to a level four educational setting which is a separate and segregated building. Of course, I said, “hell will freeze, and pigs will fly before I would allow that”.

As a result, BPS chose to hire an expensive attorney and fight me in due process court. I will write about my experience there as well as testify and tell my story to everyone I know but this post is about sending minority students especially black boys to a separate and unequal educational setting while society mostly stands idle. (no pun intended).

First, in Minnesota, there are no cameras in self-contained special needs classrooms to protect our children from being abused as so many including my son have been. Without cameras, there is no way to prove abuse happened as often our children are not able to tell us or the authorities.

Second, so many teachers including my son’s teacher (Kelly Morris) from BPS do not have adequate training and support to help and teach these children. So, they choose to suspend, expel or ship them to a segregated and unequal building.

Third, there is for sure either subliminal or conscious bias and racism that often no one wants to admit. As the saying goes, I am a liberal therefore I can’t be racist, I have a black friend, therefore, I can’t be racist, I voted for Obama or Ilhan, therefore, I can’t be racist. Only if I had a penny every time, I heard this.

Fourth, in Minnesota and other states, families of color don’t have strong advocacy attorneys who fight for our children. Often there are disability law and advocacy centers who are underpaid and overworked and are sadly no match for the private and expensive attorneys schools can afford.

Fifth, so many parents including me look the other way unless it happens to them. This is the saddest point of all. Qofkii walaalkiis loo xiiroow, adna soo qoyso. Don’t ever assume you are immune to what happens to your fellow autism parent.

• We must advocate for cameras in special needs classes. Please call your legislators and ask them to write and/or support such legislation in Minnesota because protecting students with disabilities is a must.
• We must advocate for holding school districts like Bloomington in Minnesota who disproportionately suspend minority children by speaking and sharing our experiences and asking our legislators that there must be better laws protecting and holding teachers and administrators accountable with tangible consequences.
• We must advocate for holding school districts like Bloomington in Minnesota who send children to segregated buildings because often that is a violation of students learning in the least restrictive environment. There are school districts who disproportionately send students of color, especially black boys to these cruel segregated settings that are often pipeline to prison.
• Here is how you can find who represents you in Minnesota’s state and federal elected officials.
• Parents in Texas advocated for this and here is that information.

Ironically, I found this article in The New Yorker written by a journalist who years ago was for some reason interested in doing a story about my advocacy in the Somali autism community. Rachel writes about how black boys in Georgia are disproportionately sent to a separate and unequal educational setting. I hope you read it, it is long but you will find yourself energized to do something as there are a lot of similarities to this story and where Bloomington wanted to send my child and sadly sends other minority students.

Georgia’s Separate and Unequal Special Education System by The New Yorker on October 2018 issue.

A teacher hurting an autism child…this pisses off to my core. 

A teacher abusing an autistic child – this happens a lot by not just teachers but also the paraprofessionals which is what happened to my child but because often our children are not able to tell us, the school staff deny unless of course, a camera catches them.

Another area to advocate is the governor of Minnesota’s office. However, I am not optimistic Walz will help due to the fact that he was a teacher in Mankato Public Schools given that Mankato suspends students of color disproportionately as a report by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights outlined.

The state requires Mankato Public Schools to make a plan to reduce discipline disparities

Above words do not reflect any candidate, agency or committee.

Idil – Somali Autism Mom

Alright – so, every since Pacer told me to take a flying leap and did not help me when I needed an advocate after Bloomington Public Schools suspended my child who has nonverbal autism for having a behavior the school caused. As I have said before, my kid has no idea what suspension is nor can comprehend the behavior he had. Additionally, autism is a behavior disorder and individuals with any disability should not be punished for their disability.

Anyway, after Pacer’s advocate refused to help me, I tried to find out any minority owned or run advocacy agencies. To my surprise there were none funded by any state or federal agency even though there are millions of dollars available to help autism families as well as other families who have children with a disability. To make a long story short and as I have blogged about my experience, I have been trying to find out why and who is getting all or at least most of the advocacy funds. It turns out Pacer has been getting it for years without competition from anyone including even any mainstream agency. I know what the heck?

The advocate in me kicked in and I wanted to know how is this possible, why and what can be done about it. I have some good news on this.

The Minnesota Department of Education’s assistant Commissioner sent me below email which I am happy about because it looks like MDE will finally stop giving all of this money to Pacer without any accountability.

Hi Idil,

Tom and Robyn shared your questions and concerns with me. Below is more information from Tom on the PACER grants. PACER is currently in year four of a five year grant. The next time we do the statewide parent training grant, we will open it up for a grant competition rather than having it be sole source with PACER. We will also add more explicit language in the Request for Proposal that the grantee will have to work with a minority run agency regarding outreach, communications and training for culturally diverse families.

Best,

Daron Korte

Assistant Commissioner

Below is the information I received from the state education department (MDE) when I asked how does MDE ensure equity and equality towards communities and families of color are being served.

The PACER Parent Training Grant from the State of Minnesota began in 2015. It is a five year grant. The PACER Center Parent Training Grant is in its fifth year. To date, $1,081,170 has been paid through the grant to PACER since the beginning date of the grant in 2015. There was never an MDE decision that PACER is or is not required to partner with community organizations. Below are other grantees but as you can see Pacer clearly takes the bulk of the money. 

All 13 of the grants that the Minnesota Department of Education makes from the federal special education funds granted to the State of Minnesota are managed by the Minnesota Department of Education. Federal special education grants to states are provided based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. The 13 grants were awarded to:

• Metro Educational Cooperative Services Unit (two 5-year grants, one 2-year grant, $1,135,700/year)
• PACER Center (5-year grant, $400,000/year)
• Southwest West Central Service Cooperative (5-year grant, $198,000/year)
• Benton Stearns Education District (5-year grant, $198,000/year)
• North St. Paul – Maplewood – Oakdale Public Schools (5-year grant, $20,000/year)
• St. Cloud Public Schools (5-year grant, $20,000/year)
• University of Minnesota (3-year grant, $50,000/year)
• Rosemount – Apple Valley – Eagan Schools (2-year grant, $50,000/year)
• Princeton Public Schools (2-year grant, $50,000/year)
• Northfield Public Schools (2-year grant, $50,000/year)
• Spring Grove Public Schools (2-year grant, $50,000/year)

In this grant, Pacer was also solely awarded $75,000 annually to built capacity. Let’s think about this word “capacity”. I have seen so many minority advocacy agencies who were told “they did not get the grant because they did not have the capacity”. By the same token, the state education department was giving thousands of dollars to Pacer (a Caucasian owned advocacy agency) to build capacity. How do you like them apples?

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is how inequality and disparity is created and our own state education department has been doing it for years.

While, above information from MDE is clearly upsetting, we can now have the opportunity to at least be in the competition. I think this is a good idea and I hope minority advocacy agencies apply. I also hope they first learn more about this funding, its requirements and what the process is so that they are ready when it comes up.

Above words do not reflect any candidate, agency or committee.

Idil – Autism Mom

Alright – so, PACER is a well known and well run oiled machine started by Paula Goldberg and others decades ago. The initial mission and vision were very touching then somewhere down the line Pacer became so powerful and so arrogant that they had to get all of the public funds for special education. Few months ago after my son was wrongly and unfairly suspended by the heartless Bloomington Public Schools I went to PACER for help. Other than Hassan who is amazing – I don’t really have prior history with them. Well – except when I was part of the Minnesota Autism Task force and the person who represented them Jody M was against Medicaid covering autism therapy for low income children with autism – not a typo.

Anyway, this was years ago and as we all know now – without Pacer and quite frankly any mainstream agency’s support, we were able to pass in the state and at the federal level a policy that allows low income children with autism and related disorders to have access to autism therapy such as ABA in Minnesota. So when I called them and I told them what Jefferson did. Over the phone they were so nice and said all of the right things. Their advocate told me that Bloomington was in the wrong and she would help. Then they met me and realized I was Idil the advocate who was relentlessly against them during the passing of DHS covering ABA therapy for children with low income Medicaid. Then the same advocate tells me “well – maybe I misunderstood the school and blah blah”. So, I contacted their director Paula G who was at the very least rude, sounded entitled and arrogant. Keep in mind Pacer takes public funds and their responsibility is to help ALL parents who have children with any disability. In other words, they are parent advocates not school advocates. Oh I almost forgot – Paula had Virginia with her on the phone whom I deeply admire and respect. Finally, I told Paula and Virginia – thanks but no thanks.

Then I tried to find a minority advocacy agency that could help. Do you know I could not find one – not one single agency of color has been funded to help communities of color parents whose children have disability. I know what the heck.

To make a long story short – I contacted the federal agency that funds states for special education which is HRSA then I contacted MDE. It turns out Pacer simply hogs majority of the federal and state funding to help parents with any and all special education needs. And, Pacer can not pick and choose who they help. In other words, they don’t have to like the parent or the child but they have to advocate for them. As someone who always advocates from policy perspective – I decide to gather some data then ask the simple question – why does Pacer hog public grants and what happens when they don’t meet parent’s needs. Apparently nothing happens. In fact, MDE does not even ask them any data to tell us how many children of color they helped and their satisfaction rate. No other agency even competes with them or is even aware of such funding. Can you believe this and they collected millions of public funds. Really what the heck? Sen. Hoffman – please don’t tell me you are still ok with this.

Some of their funding from HRSA click here.

Another funding that they hog click here.

Below is the other funding they hog form the U.S Department of Education via MDE, and they get this without even having a competition or anyone asking why? Can you imagine the level of elite entitlement.

1. Can you tell me which grants MDE gives to Pacer?

PACER currently receives a Parent Training Grant and a subgrant that is part of Minnesota’s State Personnel Development Grant.

2. When did it start, how often is it allocated?

The Parent Training Grant is a five-year grant that began in 2015, and the State Personnel Development Grant is a five-year grant that began in 2015.

3. How much is it?

The Parent Training Grant provides PACER with $440,000 per year, and the State Personnel Development Grant provides PACER with $75,000 per year.

4. What federal/state law describes this grant (link, etc).

The Parent Training Grant supplements the PTIC funding described at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/oseppic/index.html and the State Personnel Development Grant is described at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/osepsig/index.html.

5. What rules if any MDE asks Pacer to follow in order to get this grant?

The Minnesota Department of Education follows government-wide policies and procedures in requests for proposals and awards of grants at https://mn.gov/admin/government/grants/.

6. How many grants does MDE manage for special education from state and/or federal government?

MDE manages approximately 13 federal and state grants related to special education.

7. How does MDE measure if Pacer met the qualifications of the grants they get?

PACER met eligibility requirements for a sole source grant as defined in Minnesota government-wide policy at https://mn.gov/admin/assets/grants_policy2012_08-07_tcm36-207122.pdf. In the case of the State Personnel Development Grant, PACER was a partner in Minnesota’s application for the grant.

8. Do you have total number of minority autism families that have been helped by Pacer using this grant?

PACER is not required to report this data separately or disaggregated in this way.

9. Remind me again why MDE offers and gives grants to Pacer without any competition?

PACER meets eligibility criteria as a sole source vendor for the Parent Training Grant according to government-wide policies and procedures in requests for proposals and awards of grants (https://mn.gov/admin/government/grants/). PACER was also an original partner in Minnesota’s application for the State Personnel Development Grant.

10. Has Pacer ever collaborated with a minority advocacy agency for any MDE grant? If so, who did they collaborate with?

PACER was not required to have a formal partnership with an external minority advocacy organization for either the Parent Training Grant or State Personnel Development Grant. PACER demonstrated the capacity to collaborate with minority advocacy agencies in attaining stated goals of both grants.

So what does this all mean. In my humble little opinion, we need minority advocacy agencies to wake the heck up and stand up for our children because clearly Pacer isn’t. We need to apply for these grants, contact HRSA and others and compete with Pacer. We need to demand equality and fairness. What I really would like to know is what the heck do Minnesota Urban League and NAACP do exactly?

Above words do not reflect any candidate, agency or committee.

Idil – Autism Mom

Alright – so, Bloomington school district in Minnesota as I’ve said many times in my blog and to everyone I see has suspended a child with autism who is nonverbal for a behavior they triggered and they took away his voice by denying him his communication device. This happened on May 3rd, 2018 at 5:18pm. All of these are facts, another fact is that this district reached a deal with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) on February 26, 2018 which was signed by the commissioner of MDHR on March 28, 2018. Less than three months later they suspended another minority child. You would think they take suspension seriously and not hurt children and families, but not arrogant Bloomington school district. No, they can do whatever to whomever. How lovely.

Below is the actual agreement click here. Please take a read, a lot of the things they agreed to has not really happened at least not that I can see. For example.

1. Establish student discipline support team to ensure efforts to decrease suspensions who were to write a report due on May 1, 2018 – two days after they suspended a minority nonverbal autistic child whose behavior they caused by disrupting his routine. Where was this team when Jason Anderson, Kelly Morris and Jennifer McIntyre suspended a child who is nonverbal. Imagine what they do to minority teenagers who talk back at them. Think about that for a minute. If they can suspend an innocent child with a disability who is nonverbal, how will they treat a typical teenagers who is verbal. I remember the day my son was suspended, there was another child with a disability who was verbal and using inappropriate words and my son’s teacher Kelly said “I just could not take that – I can take behaviors but a child who swears – I don’t do that”. At the time, I didn’t think about it but as I learn more about Ms. Kelly Morris and this district – I can’t help but think. What does that even mean – I don’t do swearing as though this is ala carte autism. She should not be choosing what behavior a child with disability will have or not. What kind of a special education teacher even says such ignorant thing.
2. Add to the assistant superintendent’s (Eric Melbye) job description to include suspension. Where was Eric, when Jefferson principal – Jaysen, the teacher – Kelly,  and the special education director – Jennifer were screwing with a minority nonverbal autistic child? He is supposed to be the voice of reason but clearly was not this day of May 3rd, 2018 – mere months after the district reached an agreement to do better and not suspend minority children disproportionately. Again, how lovely this district ignores the very things they agreed to.
3. Community/student engagement – I want to laugh now. There has been no community engagement or feedback from parents including me. This district does not believe in parent engagement. They believe in parent silencing. I will not be silenced about autism ever.
4. Each school within the district was to designate a team lead to promote behavior intervention supports through multi-tiered system. Data I received from the district states that this did not happen as Jaysen the principal, Justin the one who apparently suspends minority children and Kelly Morris the special education teacher did not have any positive behavior support training. How lovely, yet they are too quick to suspend our children. I say we fight back and report them to the state human rights department. Jefferson had no comprehensive positive school discipline strategic plan because if they did, they would not suspend a nonverbal autistic child whose behavior they caused.
5. School site teams will analyze and review procedures for removing students from class, involvement of parents/guardians. Not sure if I should scream or cry, Jefferson did not involve me as a parent other than to say they suspended my child who as I have said a million times and will continue to say does not understand the concept of suspension nor cause/affect.

Bloomington school district failed miserably my son and so many other minority children – data shows this and is not my feelings or opinion. The question now is what can we parents do about it.

1. Make the district teachers, paraprofessionals, administrative staff and leadership more diverse to reflect the students they serve by demanding equality, getting higher education, applying for open positions, and wanting to become principals, teachers, etc. This year in 2018 there were a lot of Somali students who graduated and will become autism teachers. This is amazing. Please connect with St. Thomas University or Deqa Hussein who is an autism mom and a licensed autism teacher and was the force behind this program. She can help you get started so that we no longer depend on teachers like Kelly Morris to care and teach our children with autism. Cuntadu waxay macaan tahay markaad gacantaada ku cuntid.
2. Advocate in the state legislature to hold Bloomington public schools accountable for failing our children as public data clearly states.
3. File complaints with the state human rights department
4. File complaints with the state education department
5. File complaints with the office of civil rights within the federal education department.
6. You can also file individual complaints against the school principal, the teacher and the special education teacher. Google their websites and compliant forms/processes.
7. You can vote out the current board and recruit diverse ones to replace them in the next election cycle – it is doable. Just remember all of the other elections we have won thus far. Diverse school board who reflects the students they serve is more likely to have a fair and equal policies that ensure all students learn to their best ability and full potential. We are either at the table or on the table. Think about it and vote wiser this year.
8. Finally, tell everyone who will listen if you had a bad experience with Bloomington. The more we talk about it – the more help and support we get. Oh, and one more item – please pretty please let’s think about starting autism charter schools for our children where they will not be discriminated against like Bloomington did against my son, but where every child is seen as a child who wants and needs to learn. Proof of how discriminative Bloomington Public Schools are public – look it up. Children of color are suspended more and do not graduate as white children. This is not an accident, it is deliberate, calculated and intentional by the school district leadership.

Below are some helpful proverbs to keep you energized:

1. He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”
   -Martin Luther King – in other words, if your child has not been suspended yet and you are a parent of color – it is a matter of time. Don’t assume you are immune to this. You are not – I assure you.
2. Ninkii walaalkiis loo xiirow – adna soo qooyso – Somali proverb.
3. I wish I could shut up, but I can’t and I won’t  by Desmond Tutu. Don’t ever be quite about any kind of injustice especially against children with autism.
4. Do a little bit of good where you are, it is those little bits of good that overwhelm the world.  by Desmond Tutu. In other words, do not underestimate the good you can do or how little it is. Just try and keep trying.
5. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality by Desmond Tutu. Soomalida Bloomington Schools u shaqaysa – fadlan ha aamusina oo ciyaalkeena u hiiliya.
6. We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey by Kenji Miyazawa. Use the hurt they throw you as as your energizing latte.  
7. The most beautiful thing we can give our children are possibilities. I just made this up, not sure if anyone else said it. Bloomington tried take my child’s possibilities – but it will be a cold day in hell before I allow them.

Above words do not reflect any candidate, agency or committee.

Idil – Autism Mom