[Headline] Disabled Persons Back Debbie
By Fred Gillies
Denver Post Staff Writer

About 30 seriously disabled persons participated Wednesday in a demonstration on behalf of a cerebral palsy victim who has been told she cannot continue her education in a special education facility operated by Denver Public Schools.

The demonstration at the schools' administration building, 900 Grant St, was on behalf of Debbie Tracy, 21, whose first chance at an education was provided two years ago when she was enrolled in special-education classes at Denver's Boettcher School.

Recently, Denver Public Schools officials indicated that Debbie wouldn't be permitted to return to the school this fall because she is over age 20. Under Colorado's handicapped Children's Act, the state's public schools are obliged to provide an appropriate education for disabled persons aged 5 through 20 only, the school officials noted.

Main Speaker at the demonstration Wednesday was Mrs. Elaine Jacoby, Debbie's mother.

Mrs. Jacoby insisted that Denver public schools have a moral, if not a legal, obligation to provide an education for Debbie until she acquires the basic skills needed to take care of herself.

Mrs. Jacoby also pointed out that Debbie had proved her potential for an education after 15 years of deprivation.

"For the past two months," Mrs. Jacoby said, "I have been in contact with the Denver Public School Administration and the School Board in an attempt to keep Debbie in the system. Their response has consistently been that they have no legal obligation to her even though they provide 15 years of education to other children and even through a law was passed in Colorado in 1975 making clear the schools' obligation to disabled children between the ages of 5 and 20".

Existing laws, Mrs. Jacoby emphasized, "reflect an acknowledgment of past wrongdoing and a willingness to correct the situation."

She also noted that she isn't asking for the taxpayers to finance Debbie until she is prepared for college.

"However, I feel that the Denver Public Schools owe Debbie more than two years of very basic education before they throw her out into society," Mrs. Jacoby said.

After Mrs. Jacoby presented her statement, John Rankin, coordinator of instruction for Denver Public Schools, told her that he would do his best to arrange for her to meet with Dr. Joseph E. Brzeinski, Denver school superintendent.

Also speaking informally Wednesday with Mrs. Jacoby was Theodore White Jr., director of the schools' department of special education.

Created on

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Posted on

Monday 29 February 2016

Tags

Boettcher School, Debbie Tracy, Denver public schools, Mrs. Jacoby, public education access

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