Special Education Tip – Say It Ain’t True – 48-2017

Do you have relatives or friends who have favorite stories they tell over and over, embellishing the stories over the years until the stories barely resemble the originals? You smile and nod as they do this, as you are probably equally guilty of this very human flaw, or you will be one day if you live long enough. Your instinct to be accepting has to be overcome, though, when it comes to stories told during IEP or 504 meetings. It is not unusual for some parents to make inaccurate statements about a teacher, or to blame the school for a child’s behavior even though you can trace the behavior to what is going on in the home, or to state “alternate facts” about a bullying episode. Actually, you name the subject and you have probably experienced hearing a revisionist version of what happened. It is very important to set the record straight when this occurs and depending on the situation, to note the inaccuracy of these misstatements in the PWN/minutes of the meetings. People change jobs, students change schools, but the parents stay the same and their stories live on without any witnesses to correct them. So it is crucial to note the inaccuracy in the record for future reference.