PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Stephanie Bonilla, CEC 11 District 75 Representative, on Special Education Challenges
6:48:09
ยท
3 min
Stephanie Bonilla, a CEC 11 District 75 representative, shared her personal experiences with the special education system, focusing on the challenges faced by her oldest daughter with an IEP. She detailed issues with a charter school, including credit accommodation problems and a concerning situation involving allegations of sexual assault by a staff member.
- Bonilla's daughter experienced crises at school, leading to suspensions and ultimately her withdrawal from the school.
- The speaker highlighted violations of IEP rights by both the DOE and charter schools, which she reported to Albany.
- Bonilla expressed frustration with the lack of accountability for principals and superintendents in addressing these issues.
Stephanie Bonilla
6:48:09
Hello.
6:48:09
Good evening.
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My name is Stephanie Bonija, and I I am a CEC 11 District 75 rep, and I am here at my own capacity.
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I have 3 children, and all of them have IEPs.
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Tonight, I will be talking about my oldest daughter.
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She has an IEP with ICT setting and related services of speech counseling.
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For my daughter, her charter school failed her with simply blessing on her new year at doctor Richard's Guaido Health and Science Charter School as of many things.
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One of the other things was her credits were not accommodated properly in her transcript as it has hindered her grades.
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She has also had to deal with a staff member that was accused of sexually assault allegations from one of her friends.
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This affected her a lot.
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She still wanted to maintain to go to school with her friends, not just to just not to engage with the dean as he was still working there.
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Her as he was still working there.
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My I stood by my daughter protecting her and keeping her safe and initiating a plan with the school and Children's Aid Society as they were involved with my family in advocating for my daughter at the time.
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On September 16, a meeting was held and the plan was for the dean to not be near my daughter.
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Shortly after that, September 24, my daughter got late to school because of busing and was advocating to go to the bathroom.
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Executive director Lindsay Malanga and and security to in her with ex suspension and also threatened her with calling the dean.
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My daughter got into a crisis, which end which she ended up calling her father and I, and the director ended up being disrespectful.
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On October 25th, my daughter ended up having another crisis as she was approached by the dean and told him he wasn't allowed to talk to her.
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And she was then faced to to, he was then faced with him approaching her, telling her he could talk with whoever she wants.
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She then went into crisis and was then suspended from school.
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After that, she was not in school anymore.
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I've been fighting with CSC to get for proper setting change for my daughter for IEP for residential.
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I have sent my violations to Albany as the city IEP rights have blatantly violated by DOE and charter schools.
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Superintendents don't hold principals accountable, where Albany superintendents and principals
Eric Dinowitz
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inspired.
Stephanie Bonilla
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Thank you.