Here's a story that had me cringing on both sides of the equation.  A public school had misdiagnosed a student as mentally retarded and put him in their special needs classes.  They claim they did what they thought was best for this student. 

The parents knew this wasn't right and began to fight it and it took them several years to do so.  Meanwhile letting their son stay at the school until he left and demanding that the school be held responible for their sons years of misery and educational neglect.  The court agreed and the school now has to pay for a 21 year old to go a private school to make up for his lack of proper education.  Say what? 

While the school was definitely in the wrong they are not the only responsible party here.  I don't know why the parents didn't just pull their son out of the school and find somewhere else to educate him or to homeschool him or why they didn't take their son to their own doctor and get another diagnosis.  If you are going to advocate for the best interest of your child then you need to truly be searching all avenues, not just depending on the one that has already failed you. 

Tia Linschied
Senior Editor of HSB