My question is to you all: Are you ready to do what is necessary to hold such persons accountable? It would not be for the meek. It can, and arguably should, be done. Is that what you want to do?
I'm not sure how to word what I'm thinking, but I'll give it a go.
Do you think that there are those of us who haven't tried to hold people accountable?
Section 504 and IDEA are the proper statutory mechanisms. Not screaming, crying, cutting deals, or any other arbitrary derailment from the rules. You all know this, and I know you know this.
If you know that we all know the above, and you add this:
This is all they are. The antagonism comes from administration ignoring compliance, capacity building, and performance. You have to look at motivation from white collar professionals to enable "traditions" that are for all intents and purposes come from individual emotions like nostalgia, wanting to be liked or popular, or unsure how to effectively lead through social discomfort. Rationalization is a powerful psychological driver of bad behavior from good people.
.... then add in, the years, as parents we that go through meetings, gather documentation, and build a case like you are headed to the supreme court.... go up food chains in school districts, consult with disability attorneys, and file OCR complaints.....
I'm not sure what all else you are thinking of.
Frankly, I just wish we pulled our kids from public school sooner. Plain and simple. I think, that when you go into a 504 meeting it should be like when you call the OCR .... which for me, the first time, I nearly started crying, but really just had my breath taken away and sat in disbelief for a few moments because I actually didn't have to sit and go through everything I prepared to first of all prove to the woman I was speaking to that LTFA's was a hidden disability and qualified my son for a 504. I sat there listening to her tell me that before I even could gather myself back together.
Until schools really are about children, completely, then you aren't going to be able to escape the politics, money, posturing, social dynamics, etc., that infiltrate and corrupt things meant to help every child truly have a free and appropriate public education.