You have to know where you have been in order to know where you are going.
The foundation of AdvocacyDenver is advocacy. In the first years parents supported each other, advancing the dream that one day all children would be able to attend school. For decades countless number of advocates worked tirelessly to forward the human rights of children and adults with disabilities. Over time we realized change in the different public systems. Sometimes change was a result of collaborative work championing legislation and forwarding systemic change, and sometimes leaders would listen. Other times system leaders, in particular school systems, would lawyer up and taunt advocates to “bring it on”.
According to Wikipedia an advocate is a professional in the field of law. In 2002 The Arc of Denver and the Association for Community Living embarked on adding a legal representation program for parents of children with disabilities. With time the Legal Representation Program found its forever home at The Arc of Denver. September 2009, the Legal Representation Program was renamed The Center for Special Education Law. For over two decades The Center for Special Education Law has provided representation to Colorado parents and their children with disabilities. Furthermore, The Center has been instrumental in defining case law that touches public school students across the US.
Looking forward . . .
When contacted by an attorney who represents parents in issues related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, an attorney for the school district said, “we didn’t think the parent could afford an attorney.” It speaks to the fact that school districts respond to privilege; that is, in this case the district admitted fault but did not think the family had the resources to challenge their decision. AdvocacyDenver looks forward, to expanding The Center for Special Education Law. Looking forward The Center for Special Education Law will prioritize the most egregious cases; looking forward, representation will be provided on a sliding scale or pro-bono.
