FAPE, FREEDOM and FERPA

Jorge searched the list, The Best Seller List: He knew what he wanted needed and was necessary. Lessons,

prudent, common sense advice for a full life, a life well lived. Jorge yearned for a A Book Recommendation that was:

The Textbook of all Textbooks. Inclusive, Environmentally “Friendly”, something he could sink his teeth into, feel the pages as he turned, touch the words as they were consumed. Carry with him in his heart and mind daily. A collection of earnest wisdom that, contrary to its many cynics and critics, has the tenacity to continually,

Stand the test of Time.

It is thrilling beyond belief. Thrilling beyond imagination. It is about life and death, pain and sorrow, triumph and defeat, fear and happiness, hunger and thirst, sacrifice and wisdom. New, Old.

Jorge was beginning to fret, as if there could not possibly exist a collection of such generous wisdom. He felt lost. But continued his search.

Jorge did not want to simply “check out” this book. Although still quite young, he did not think in his wildest dreams it would be “free.” He pondered further, everyone has a price, everything has a cost. Who would be so crazy as to give something so valuable away for free. Realistically, in the real world, every one has a price, everything has a cost. Every single human being has value. Even animal beings have a cost, have a price, have a value.

Indeed.

Jorge roamed the aisle, looking for a magnificent book, one that possibly exists that also influences art,music, literature, visions, images, symbols, communities, life, life’s troubles and joys. This book circulates across county and country lines. Ideally a book that updates with the times, with a translation for people who speak English either as their mother tongue or as an acquired language. As a distinctly new translation, it does not conform to traditional vocabulary or style, but seeks to express the meaning of the text in words and forms accepted as standard by people everywhere who employ English as a means of communication.

English is the International language of business. Jorge’s family had always dreamed of one day journeying to the greatest country to embrace the opportunities of a businessman, or a teacher, or a doctor. He would desperately need a book that guided him principally and ethically. He would never want to do injustice to the wonderful land that allowed him the opportunity to become the man, the person he dreamed of becoming.

He dreamed of raising his own family, of participating in a community of a family. He would do equally well by both. Jorge really needed to find this book.

He walked the aisles, of “How to” books, “This or that for” “Dummies”. What is a dummy, he thought and walked along. He came to a section of books for elementary, primary, lower, middle school and college education. Hmmm. He thought. Is this a path to consider? The best path the best way to reach my dream life?

Jorge was young and naive. Little did Jorge know about the hoops he would be required to jump through that lied and lied ahead. Oftentimes no individual really does. Jorge held on to hope. That those who offered him this grand plan of life, had his best interests in mind.

Hope can be a four letter word.

He perused the educational materials. Hmmm. What is this stack over here? “Entitled” Regular Education. Over here, Notices of Procedural Safeguards for Students with “disabilities”. What is this, he thought? A document entitled, FAPE (not VAPE) which stood for Free and Appropriate Public Education. Hmm. That sounds “heady” and a bit scarey honestly.

The condition of someone’s abilities is categorized as free or appropriate. Is the individual who wrote this particular document section a God? How is it this document determines a person’s abilities and what the heck is dis-ability? If the Education is “free” is that better. Or worse.

Depending on who says what is appropriate? Jorge had never heard of the term “ red tape”. Still another document entitled, A Parent’s Guide: The Educational Rights of Student with Disabilities. Practices and Safeguards. This stuff is practiced? A dread began to be-fall Jorge.

Perhaps this was the one paper he should bring to his parents. He surely should know the procedural safeguards. It sounds, well, safe. Jorge yearned more and more for the textbook he came in looking for. His heart was beginning to pound. And he was beginning to sweat.

Although not yet a citizen of this home country, his dream country. His family’s’ full intent was to the letter of the law. Not this red letter thing.

Then, he came across a fairly thick document entitled, FERPA (he kinda chuckled because it sounded like a pet hamster or gerbil’s name).

But it was a heavy, lengthy document called Federal Education Rights to Privacy Act. Gulp. Jorge thought. Why in this greatest of countries does someone need to have their rights protected? Their privacy protected? What would lead to such a document needing to be necessary? What goes on in a world that requires such protections?Who steals another person’s private information? Isn’t it, well, private?

He was beginning to get queasy and he had still not yet: found the book he was seeking, a good school to attend, he forgot to eat lunch, and was beginning to become overwhelmed, weak. His family required his presence because he was a contributing person to the daily running of the family business. Jorge helped to care for his siblings and again, although somewhat naive— a very hard worker.

A person with good and honest aspirations to contribute to his family and his families, wants, needs and future.

They were not a rich in the monetary sense family, but they were rich in love for one another with kindness and regard. That is why Jorge entered into this majestic building looking for a book similar to his life’s trials and tribulations. So he could learn the best practices, the best ways to conduct himself. Before he entered this building, for a moment he thought it to be a church. But what he discovered inside this building instead were heady rules and regulations that seemed to take away freedoms from individuals based on their abilities or this other word he just learned—dis-abilities. Kinda frightening.

Why is the value of a person labeled with such words as special, safeguards, gifted, appropriate, notices, guardians, health, mental health, meets and exceeds expectations. “Expectations”, Whose “expectations” Jorge thought. “Says who?...

To be fair, Jorge did not yet fully understand yes, individuals are individual and unique. We have similarities and we have differences. It is life and a part of life. But what was this movement, this pecking order, and why did it exist? This movement seemed unjust, it seemed inhuman, prejudice, to impose a description on a person’s life through labels, rules, descriptions of abilities, dis-abilities and regulation… And then cram them into a neat and tidy little box?

Jorge thought, “I do not get it”.

As he saw the sun beginning to set, Jorge realized it time to head for his family. As he turned to exit, out of the order of his eye, he saw a thick, worn book, with the words: The Bible on the cover.

Instinctively, he knew. This was the book he had be searching this majestic building for. He picked it up, read the sign above the book that said: “return in two weeks.” And so he was relieved and somewhat resolved. Relieved he had found the pure guidance he sought. Resolved to read this book cover to cover. He had a strong hunch it was the book he was searching for all along. He better get to work.

Indeed. The thriller. The “how to” to a full life, a life well lived. Lessons to live by Lessons to learn by.

He realized why this book was not on the “Best Seller” list. So much value in its pages, it clearly is priceless.

The Lessons of and for a life long learner.