For questions about this petition or for assistance with completing any of the following forms, please email ouryouthmem@gmail.com

CLICK HERE for Blank Copy of MSCS Parent Complaint Form

CLICK HERE for Blank Copy of Administrative Complaint Form

CLICK HERE for Blank Copy of Due Process Hearing Form

CLICK HERE to see how many students have been kick out of their Choice Transfer school between August 2020 and December 2023

CLICK HERE for Memphis Shelby County Schools IEP & Civil Rights Violations

OVER 50 SEXUAL ASSAULT REPORTS IN MSCS

COPAA Directory to find Advocate/Lawyer/Other Resources

 

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Short Version:

The current policy allows principals to rescind children from their General Choice Transfer schools and send them to their failing zoned schools based on academics, attendance, and behavior.

Originally, this petition was initiated to see that policy eliminated. Now, we hope for so much more. Because all of our children deserve so much more; we have the power and the right to get more. Children and their parents/guardians should not have to live in fear of rescission, retaliation, or discrimination from a failing school system.

 

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Longer version:

A Memphis Shelby County Schools kindergartener with autism, was unjustly removed from her General Choice Transfer school due to the school administrator's malicious endeavors disguised as an accumulation of documented behaviors that are a manifestation of her disability. These behaviors occurred without the school providing the necessary supports to alleviate these undesired behaviors and without the implementation of parent and doctor-advised recommendations. THE RESCISSION TURNED OUT TO BE FAKE; A MALICIOUS ACT FROM THE PRINCIPAL TO THE CHILD'S MOTHER WHO IS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE CHCHILD'S SCHOOL. This inequitable General Choice Transfer rescission is not just one family's story; it's the story of many MSCS families.

While the Principal doubled down on her story of "following policy", a district personnel verbally stated that the school employees had not done what they were supposed to do for the kindergartener. After some investigating, the rescission email that the Principal sent to the parents turned out to be FALSE because the Principal believed simply submitting the paperwork (like she'd done to previous children) would suffice; she didn't wait for the district's approval of the rescission before notifying the parents that the child could not come back to their General Choice school. Additionally, notifying parents of a rescission decision is not a principal's responsibility, but the responsibility of the S.E.E.D. Office, upon approval. The K-2 Counselor filed false documentation to help fuel the Principal's malicious agenda and to cover herself and her inactions (inaction is considered deprivation of a FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION), but the "Counselor Check-ins" included ALL FIVE (5) DAYS OF FALL BREAK, WHEN NO CHILD IS IN SCHOOL ACROSS THE DISTRICT. At a certain point in an early part of the school year, staff were on notice to write the kindergartner up, instead of providing behavior supports and/or implementing the behavior supports that the parents and kindergartener's doctors recommended and/or offered (i.e. extended observations to provide redirection of child's undesired behaviors; change in seating arrangements in class/cafeteria so child could not cause harm to self or others; 1:1 paraprofessional to help with redirection of "constant behaviors"; ABA, OT, BIP, etc.). The SPED Teacher (as well as her inaction) repeatedly put false statements in the kindergartener's IEP, even after one parent repeatedly asked for a correction. It wasn't until after the parent played a recording of the previous IEP where the parent's statement could clearly be heard pertaining to certain language that was supposed to go into the IEP that the SPED Teacher finally and begrudgingly made the amendment. The SPED Teacher couldn't make the correction because she'd already closed the IEP. After one (1) state-level Administrative Complaint, two (2) failed mediations, one (1) Due Process Hearing, a school year full of lies, omissions, pre-determinations, attitudes, ignorance, paper-pushing, and a lot of rushing of parents and unnecessary back-and-forth, the school still didn't provide ALL adequate behavior supports according to child's IEP. The direct and indirect effects of all of this has now prevented her from getting into other schools within MSCS. And this is supposed to be a "Model School" within Memphis Shelby County Schools.

MSCS families have many reasons to transfer their children to schools that are out of their neighborhood and it's not always for a better education. It could be anything from being closer to work or their home, keeping siblings, cousins, or friends together, or, even having a child attend a school for which the parent is employed. The current General Choice Transfer policy allows principals to remove children from their chosen transfer schools and send them to their low-performing zoned schools based on poor academics, attendance, and/or behavior; out of site, out of mind. This happens without compassion, any consideration for disabilities or other extenuating circumstances such as the district's inability to perform and the district's inability to provide quality administrators, educators, and support staff that's willing to meet our children where they are as individuals; let alone provide adequate pay to qualified educators and support staff.

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 14% of all public-school students received special education services in 2019-2020 in 2020-2021. According to Education Week, the number of students with disabilities in public education is almost 7.3 million in 2021-2022. These students now make up 15 percent of the K-12 student population across the country, nearly double what it was in the late 1970s. Many of these students have IEPs designed specifically for their unique needs and abilities. Yet, our current system fails these children by not considering their individual circumstances when making decisions about their education or school rescissions.

NOT TO MENTION, MSCS REPEATEDLY LOOKS THE OTHER WAY WHEN OUR CHILDREN ARE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY STAFF. Let's not omit the verbal and physical abuse that Principals also turn a blind eye to.

We are calling on the Memphis Shelby County School District officials and policymakers to remove this policy, as well as removing and/or modifying several other policies, that discriminate against students both with and without disabilities and those who face challenges beyond their control. We demand a more equitable system that respects every child's right to quality education regardless of their academic performance, attendance record, behavior issues, disability status, or any other circumstances. 

Our Youth Memphis and several other organizations strive to empower youth, young adults, and families so they may be heard and have a say in the ever-changing structure, stability, and successes of both their lives and the progression of the city that they call home.

Please consider signing this petition if you support the idea that the General Choice Transfer system in Memphis Shelby County Schools should offer fair educational opportunities for all students, without imposing policies that obstruct our children's progress. This includes advocating for students to have the option to remain in their General Choice Transfer school from admission until they complete the highest grade level or until a parent/guardian decides to withdraw the student due to extenuating circumstances. 

Advocating for our children should not turn them or us into targets.