by Justyn Howard, Esq. There has been a concerning trend within special education programs nationwide revolving around the overrepresentation of students of color within the special education population. Even more disturbing is the reporting of how often these students of color are disproportionately and unfairly disciplined. Former U.S. Secretary of Education, John B. King Jr.’s amendment to the regulations under …
Lessons from Professor Dumbledore
By Rosa K. Hirji If it wasn’t for Professor Dumbledore, Principal of Hogwarts, Harry Potter would have been expelled during his first year. Even worse, he could have been imprisoned in Azkaban with his soul sucked out by Dementors. After all, Harry broke rules every chance he got – from sneaking around the corridors, leaving grounds without permission, talking back to …
Psychiatric Medication Overprescribed
Drugging our Kids; Children in California’s foster care system are prescribed unproven, risky medications at alarming rates. – The Mercury News, 2014. This is an important article for all parents of special needs children, all parents and citizens of the world. In it, the author describes the how the State of California prescribes psychiatric drugs to children in the foster …
Team Blake Rides Again
“You will burn and you will burn out; you will be healed and come back again”. Dostoyevsky could have written those words about me. If you recall, after finishing last year’s Best Buddies Hearst Castle Challenge, I said that I was ‘retiring’ from any future 100-mile bike rides. Some much smarter than me (namely my sister, Donna) told me that …
Conferencia de Educación Especial
ACTUALIZACIÓN: La fecha para inscribirse en esta conferencia gratuita se ha extendido al viernes 19 de agosto de 2016. El despacho de abogados, Law Offices of Hirji & Chau, LLP (anteriormente RKH Law Office) y Millers Children’s Hospital convocaran la Conferencia de Educación Especial 2016, este sábado, 20 de agosto de 2016, 8 a.m.-3:00 p.m. en la ciudad de Long …
Special Education Conference
UPDATE: The deadline to sign up for this free conference has been extended to Friday August 19, 2016. Law Offices of Hirji & Chau, LLP (formerly RKH Law Office) and Miller Children’s Hospital are hosting the 2016 Special Education Conference, this Saturday, August 20, 2016, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm in Long Beach. This all-day presentation will provide basic information …
8th Annual Justice Jam
Please save the Date! The 8th Annual Justice Jam will be taking place Friday, November 4th at 5:00 p.m. at La Plaza De Cultura y Artes, located at 501 North Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. For ticket information go to the Community Lawyers, Inc. website. See you there!
Become a Leader
The Los Angeles Education And Developmental Rights (LEADeR) volunteer program is a collaborative community effort led by the Juvenile Division of the Los Angeles Superior Court. They are in need of volunteers to be court-appointed as education rights holders and/or developmental rights holders for children and youth that have open foster care and probation cases. If you are interested or know …
Eligibility Under the Lanterman Act
There are three categories for services under the Lanterman Act: People who meet the Lanterman Act’s definition of developmental disability People who are at high risk of having a child with a developmental disability Babies and children under age 3 who are at risk of becoming developmentally disabled A “developmental disability” is a disability that starts before age 18, is …
District Permit Denial Overturned
The Los Angeles County Board of Education ordered Bellflower Unified School District to allow a special needs student to return to his school after Bellflower denied him an inter-district transfer permit. RKH Law attorney Jenny Chau successfully argued the appeal. Lucas is a student in special education who suffers from migraines, requiring customized academic instruction and language and speech services. Lucas …