LTISD Info

On May 5, 2007, Susan Tolles responded to an e-mail from a concerned citizen in which she said the following*:

“I wonder how much the cost/student at St. Andrews and other private schools would rise if they had to educate students with physical and learning disabilities, students who speak little or no English, and economically disadvantaged students? Private schools have the privilege of being very selective with who they educate and what they provide, as they are not accountable to the state. We open our doors to all students, no matter what their status in life, and give them each an outstanding educational experience. I would guess that adding such services would significantly decrease that $1,000 gap that you refer to.

Susan”

*Note: I do not have the text of the earlier email that Ms. Tolles is responding to, but I have included her entire response.

Does Susan understand that the LTISD is required to provide these services?

Does Susan know that the board cannot seem to keep control of their spending on legal bills, new administration positions and excessive superintendent salary increases that they have approved?

Apparently Susan forgets the following facts, many of which are addressed in this web site:

• The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) found the LTISD to be out of compliance with accessibility laws? Mayo Davidson says that I filed a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights, but he neglected to mention the OCR finding against the district!
• The district spent considerable time and trouble informing the OCR that they were in compliance*.
• You can read the OCR’s letter of finding for yourself.
• Susan Tolles was found to have violated the rights of a special education student by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Look at the sequence of events that transpired regarding that episode and ask yourself just how much of my tax dollars were wasted on this? Worse of all, the board spent our tax dollars defending their own careless acts.

• The TEA found the LTISD to be in violation^TPIA
• Dr. Kirk and the district’s lawyer told the TEA that they did not have jurisdiction in the matter^TPIA
• The LTISD did not comply with the TEA order^TPIA
• Finally, the LTISD complied and Susan Tolles, took the confidentiality training as ordered by the TEA.^TPIANote that as of this time, that she is the only board member or administrator (that I know of) in the district who has signed the confidentiality oath. The board members and administrators are exempted yet the district requires the teachers and staff to complete the training and sign an oath each year!
• In another shameful slap in the face of disabled individuals: I have obtained a document in which Pamela Carroll, LTISD Director of Special Education, is listed as participating in a seminar (or so I guess): “Autism: The Sky is Falling.“ Ms. Carroll is listed as “Loosey Goosey.” The document appears to be a note taking handout. Is this the type of Special Education director you want working in your district?

How much more money has the LTISD spent in fighting these complaints and fixing their incompetence rather than putting OUR tax dollars to work for all students as the law prescribes?