Laura
01-17-2008, 12:39 PM
from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=4&id=17864
...
DOE Sued Over Special-Education
MANHATTAN — Brooklyn special-education providers are suing the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and Chancellor Joel Klein, claiming thousands of Brooklyn’s disabled children will be deprived of essential services.
The plaintiffs are Brooklyn Community Management, Gross Care and Sumner Health Providers. Their lawsuit against the DOE and numerous other city and state agencies was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan last week. They are seeking money damages as well as injunctive relief to renew their funds and restore their roles as special-education providers in Brooklyn.
They are alleging that the DOE is trying to cut costs and is doing so at the expense of providing adequate educational services for thousands of handicapped children, many of whom are autistic. The city agency is choosing “the path of least resistance,” said plaintiffs’ advocate and Touro Law School Professor Aaron Tyk, who assists parents in obtaining educational services for their disabled children in New York City.
According to the civil complaint, “The defendants, led by the DOE, have embarked on a planned and meticulous scheme to save money on these special-education programs at the dear cost to handicapped children.”
However, according to the DOE, which cannot comment on ongoing litigation proceedings, these disabled students, like all children, will receive adequate educational services either from the DOE itself or from another education provider.
It appears that the DOE simply decided to no longer use these particular special-education providers, and as a result, the plaintiffs have now elected to sue.
Further, according to a report from the special commissioner of investigation for the city school district, the lead plaintiff, Brooklyn Community Management, was found to have submitted false billing information regarding one of its students. ...
...
DOE Sued Over Special-Education
MANHATTAN — Brooklyn special-education providers are suing the New York City Department of Education (DOE) and Chancellor Joel Klein, claiming thousands of Brooklyn’s disabled children will be deprived of essential services.
The plaintiffs are Brooklyn Community Management, Gross Care and Sumner Health Providers. Their lawsuit against the DOE and numerous other city and state agencies was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan last week. They are seeking money damages as well as injunctive relief to renew their funds and restore their roles as special-education providers in Brooklyn.
They are alleging that the DOE is trying to cut costs and is doing so at the expense of providing adequate educational services for thousands of handicapped children, many of whom are autistic. The city agency is choosing “the path of least resistance,” said plaintiffs’ advocate and Touro Law School Professor Aaron Tyk, who assists parents in obtaining educational services for their disabled children in New York City.
According to the civil complaint, “The defendants, led by the DOE, have embarked on a planned and meticulous scheme to save money on these special-education programs at the dear cost to handicapped children.”
However, according to the DOE, which cannot comment on ongoing litigation proceedings, these disabled students, like all children, will receive adequate educational services either from the DOE itself or from another education provider.
It appears that the DOE simply decided to no longer use these particular special-education providers, and as a result, the plaintiffs have now elected to sue.
Further, according to a report from the special commissioner of investigation for the city school district, the lead plaintiff, Brooklyn Community Management, was found to have submitted false billing information regarding one of its students. ...