Love-Hate Mail
Sorry state
Thank
you Ms. Ulrich for beginning to expose the issue regarding seclusion
and restraint of students with disabilities (“Physical Education,” Jan.
24). While my child has not been the subject of this practice, I have
been involved in advocacy for students with disabilities for over 10
years—and actually helped start and chaired the DCE for the first five
years. One of the additional questions we should be asking is why the
state director of special-ed, Joseph Fisher, had never, ever addressed
this issue, nor has the outgoing commissioner of education Lana
Sievers. The fact is that there is virtually no leadership on
special-ed issues at the state level unless and until they are forced
to react. It seems it is always left up to the families and the
disability agencies to address. We should wonder why there is no
accountability at the state level or, for that matter, at the local
board levels.
JOANNE BREGMAN
jbregman@bellsouth.net (Nashville)
Not just Tennessee
Thank
you for doing the story on “Physical Education” (Jan. 24). It was a
powerful story that hit very close to home. We have the same thing
going on in Florida schools and at least seven parents I know in
Florida have had to pull their autistic kids out of school because of
the overuse of restraint and seclusion. We have no laws, no guidelines,
no tracking, no accountability and no parent notification. We have
filed complaints with the school districts, FLDOE, OCR, DCF, police and
the governor’s office with no help from any of them. It’s a no-win situation for us and for our children.
PHYLLIS MUSUMECI
cvm514@bellsouth.net (Boynton Beach, Fla.)
National concern
I read your very carefully thought-out feature, “Physical Education” in the Jan. 24 Scene. As a former Nashvillian and member of a family that had an autistic sibling who was fortunate enough to become an independent, productive adult, I am appalled at what happened to Jack Zimmerman, if true.
If these charges against this teacher are true, I am outraged. I know if it were my child who got abused or molested, I would be tempted—like any self-respecting parent—to take the law into my own hands against any adult of either gender who did this to my child. I would personally want to see that this teacher never had a chance to do this to anybody else’s autistic child. Having said that, I know it ‘s wrong to advocate vigilantism, but dammit, when I hear about a mentally disabled child being taken advantage of, it makes my blood boil!
Gov.
Bredesen, by his callous indifference to this child-abuse issue, has
disgraced the office of governor and has forfeited any respect that I
might have otherwise had for him. Would Bredesen do this to his own
child? All children, especially the disabled, have a right to expect a
safe, nurturing environment in our public schools, free from bullying
and sexual or physical abuse.
WILLIAM R. DELZELL
wmdel78@hotmail.com (Springfield, Mass.)
And party every decade
Kiss: a bad ’70s rock band (“Blonde Ambition,” Jan. 24)? ’80s, yes. But ’70s? No.
ALEX SCHUHMANN
a.schuhmann210@gmail.com (Nashville)
Blame the page count
I missed one of my favorite columns in the Jan. 24 edition of the Scene.
Ask a Mexican is a great column, and I am hoping that you didn’t decide
to stop publishing it. What gives? Not another snub against Mexicans, I
hope.
BILL HAINES
tnoct@comcast.net (Bellevue)
Yellow fever
Your
cover story about Megan Volz is the most horrible piece of journalism I
have read in a while (“The Other Volz,” Jan. 17). Is there something
I’m missing? Or is P.J. Tobia simply using the recent media attention
of Megan’s brother as a way to get a cover story? This is a really
sorry article for many reasons, but mostly because it is completely not
newsworthy. It is gossipy and distasteful. Get a grip.
RACHEL GRESHAM
reb2dster@gmail.com (Kingston Springs)
Dude, it was in the subhed
Would someone please buy the Scene
staff a dictionary so that they may learn what the word illegal is?
P.J. Tobia’s story “The Other Volz” (Jan. 17) seems to have overlooked
the not-so-small fact that both of the Diemarch brothers are illegally
in the U.S. They both admitted as much, according to the story. How
this got paralleled with Eric Volz’s railroading in Nicaragua is simply
beyond both logic and reason. Is this what now passes for reporting in
the Scene? I long for the days of John Bridges.
BOB COLE
bobsguns@comcast.net (Donelson)
Comparing reports
The Scene
never touched the story of Eric Volz during his incarceration. It is
deplorable to know that you were willing to exploit Eric and his family
by smearing his sister’s name and situation through a tabloid-mentality
news article (“The Other Volz,” Jan. 17). You are as bad as the
horrific reporting that manipulated and endangered Eric in Nicaragua.
Even as we speak, there is a great danger for Eric and his family. I
hope and pray this is not the kiss of death for the people still
fighting his case in Nicaragua. If something happens to Eric or Megan
or his family, you are an accomplice and should be held accountable.
MARNA MCKINNEY
marnamck@bellsouth.net (Nashville)
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