Thursday, February 2, 2017

Special education advocate Bev Johns is threatened. | Fred Klonsky

Special education advocate Bev Johns is threatened. | Fred Klonsky:

Special education advocate Bev Johns is threatened.

Beverley Holden Johns


Me and Bev Johns at a state conference of the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children.
My friend Bev Johns is a leading advocate for children with special needs in Illinois. Lately I have been reposting her information on my Facebook page warning of changes to the delivery of services to Illinois students with special needs that would not be in those students’ interests.
Apparently this has upset some of the state’s vested interests.
This morning, Bev sent me this email exchange:
Dear Bev, 
 Thank you for all you do for our kids with special needs. We are living in times when powerful, monied interests regularly resort to threats in order to silence thoughtful, child-centered and proven positions on education.
Please know that I have your back and consider you an invaluable ally in the fight for special education in Illinois. Please let me know what, if any, steps you would like me to take in response to these irresponsible silencing tactics.
Also, please feel to share this email. 
 All the best to you and yours. 
 Mary Fahey Hughes, Founder and Director, 19th Ward Parents for Special Education
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This morning I received an email from JUNO saying complaints had been received. I have sent emails to the EXACT SAME lists for over 2 years, and immediately remove anyone requesting that (I believe I have received only 2 such requests over the last 2 years).
On January 28, Kevin Rubenstein sent an email to all members of IAASE (the Illinois special ed administrators), signed by the leaders of IAASE, detailing their involvement in the Evidence Based (Vision 20/20) proposal to Special education advocate Bev Johns is threatened. | Fred Klonsky: