x-sender: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com x-receiver: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com Received: from mail pickup service by sc.lmhostediq.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Thu, 12 May 2016 15:24:37 -0400 thread-index: AdGsg+xNy7hSXoTjQtu+l6y8MRCu1Q== Thread-Topic: Response via eform 100002 - Help with a State Agency From: To: Subject: Response via eform 100002 - Help with a State Agency Date: Thu, 12 May 2016 15:24:37 -0400 Message-ID: <38BF6EF9B6B14CC1948C030349494357@IQ12> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 12 May 2016 19:24:37.0767 (UTC) FILETIME=[EC6C5170:01D1AC83] WORKFLOW 344 Ms. Lisa Russell Ms. 18 Dover Dr Taylors SC 29687- umum@charter.net 8649056517 8649056517 Dear Governor Haley, I am writing you and time is of the essence. With graduation ceremonies approaching and such bad press about what is happening to kids with Autism I am in need of someone like you that knows how to make things happen to help me with a situation. My nephew has Autism with other disabilities. He is graduating with a diploma this year. He has always been in public school until the last few months when his doctors advised us to pull him out and homeschool him to finish. This was due to bullying, cyberbullying, and other issues like a teacher calling him stupid and telling him to drop out he would never amount to anything. Depression and other problems set in and it was recommended to finish at home. He has always been on honor roll, except the mess in Boiling Springs (this is where the teacher made the comment in an IEP meeting - Zach present). He is finishing with a diploma. He took all the same classes (core courses) as other students. He did more assignments than the regular student because he had work in resource, learning support, speech, and occupational therapy. He passed all of the End of Course Exams. He has taken all of the required state testing. We had a teacher walk out of an IEP meeting in front of Zach and say I am not following the IEP and you cannot make me, these are just bad kids and according to my religion there is no such disability. Our state is suffering so much that I do not want to see any kid feel like rejected like he has been made to feel. Just on the news the last couple of days a student with Autism got sent home and was not allowed to attend his prom when he arrived at the door with his sister. This was because like most of these kids he had no friends. His sister graduated from that high school. Someone is giving him a private prom. In another situation a company found out that no one will hire these kids for work. They made there own college, that only Autistic kids can go to and make a facility for them to work. They found out that they are good with details, computers, programming, and game design. The press is hammering on the discrimination these Autistic kids go through. We know from the job field. Zach was hired at a job (Subway). He showed up. The manager was not there (that is who gave him his schedule and wrote it down). The two employees that were there (one of who pretended to be his friend) sent him home and made the comment they did not want to work with someone with disabilities. This sent him into a spiral of depression. We continued to fill out applications. He is suppose to train on a job tomorrow. All he wants to do is walk through a graduation line like all other students. Everywhere we have asked has said no. United Way recommended someone they work with, but they said no also. They thought this was small-minded. They have been trying to find him a place also. Zach sister Haley, who is ten, has even written the news media. She wants to see her brother walk through the graduation line, get his diploma, and she wants to have a picture with him. I have worked with Zach all these years to get him this far and it saddens me that someone cannot make this dream come through. We live in Greenville County. I am pleading for help. I have seen so many tears flow from his eyes over no place to go to walk through the graduation line like the other students. Please help us. I know you are very busy, but time is of the essence. I sent the money for Zach's diploma yesterday. He is registered through PHEA. We have followed all of the rules. I know him even meeting you would be so important to him. I know you have a very busy schedule and this is not possible. Everyday there is heartache and disappointment for him. He has even made the comment "I look in the mirror and there is no reflection because nobody sees me and thinks I am important too." How sad is this. Autism is not a disease you catch and these kids deserve a fighting chance also. 98% do not graduate and age out of the system, 1 1/2% get certificates, and only 1/2% gets diplomas. He is getting a diploma. Please help make his wish come through. Please let us help all of these students graduate. If Zach could walk the line he could become a spokes person to show them that it is possible. 71.81.230.224