Dee Alpert, we will miss you!
On Saturday night, parents, teachers, and other members of the NYC Ed list serve received the sad news that Dee Alpert, the Special Education muckraker, columnist for EducationNews.org and a valued member of our community, had suddenly passed away. See below note from her friend Jo Anne Simon. Here is a 2007 interview with Dee, detailing how she became involved with the issue of students with disabilities and the failure of the school system to adequately address their needs.
Yet Dee had immense learning about all sorts of issues in addition to special education, which she generously shared with our subscribers. She was always the first to report on the agenda of the all-powerful NY Board of Regents (which she pointed out would be posted just days before their meetings) and the first with news and analysis of eye-opening audits. Click here for a sampling of her messages to our list.
After hearing the news last night, emotional responses started flowing forth from members. I myself