Posted by: Unworthy Bum | July 31, 2012

Looks like it’s Democrat vs Democrat in Coppell this fall!

Bennett Ratliff, son of Bill Ratliff and brother to Thomas “ethics schmethics” Ratliff won the Republican primary by a hair. I am sorry, Coppell fiscal conservatives, it’s a race between a Democrat who at least says “I’m a Democrat” and…. Bennett. What a sad mess.

Who is Bennett Ratliff? Follow the money.


Be sure to ask Bennett about his stance on various issues like public school vouchers, but don’t do it on Facebook. He’ll ban ya if you force him to commit to something in a public forum.

So if you ask Bennett an issue-related question here, you’ll get hissy fits and name calling from him. If you ask him an issue-related question on Facebook, he’ll delete it and ban you. “Call me! Call me!” is Bennett’s cry, so he can morph into whatever you seem to want, and he can’t be held to his word during the election and when/if he is elected.

I am calling RATLIFF on this one. This is a well-trained, albeit childishly impulsive, sycophant from a long line of liberal Texas politicians. Vote against is UB’s advice.

 

 

 

Posted by: Unworthy Bum | July 30, 2012

Bennett the Banner

Now y’all don’t go messing with Bennett Ratliff’s Facebook page. That page is only for comments that portray him in the proper light.

Don’t ask him to answer direct questions about his stance on education vouchers or any other issue a normal Republican (not a Really Not (H)onest RINO) would be happy to discuss. Don’t ask him about the money he’s taking from liberal anti-school choice groups like Texas Parent PAC which is funded by Bennett’s Sugar Daddy and Biological Daddy, that old school liberal William Ratliff. Don’t ask him to discuss political ethics, because his brother the lobbyist also sits on the State Board of Education.

Because Bennett doesn’t like it, and he’ll delete those comments and ban you. Support this joke or stay away from his pretty little campaign – that’s the theme.

Posted by: Unworthy Bum | July 26, 2012

Really? Did I just hear that?

Have you heard the attack ad sponsored by the Bennett Ratliff campaign? I don’t even know who is running against Bennett, but I encourage you to vote for him/her. The ad accuses his opponent of being the type of liberal who gives money to Nancy Pelosi.

Scroll down and you’ll see Bennett Ratliff recently took cash from his daddy, Bill Ratliff, via the Texas Parent PAC. Bennett’s daddy/benefactor is the liberalest liberal in the state, funneling MONEY MONEY MONEY to big awesome institutions like Parkland Hospital and Dallas ISD and the Texas State Schools where it all gets muddled up and lost in people’s pockets before it makes it to the people who are supposed to benefit from those tax dollars.

It’d be sad if it weren’t so funny. It’d be funny if it weren’t so sad.

Thomas Ratliff, practicing lobbyist and State Board of Education member, wants to redefine the term RINO which usually stands for Republican In Name Only. It’s a common game amongst the Ratliffs and the other state reps who receive funding from Texas Parent PAC (which is funded by these boys’ daddy, William Ratliff!). Thomas, the creep who sued Eanes ISD to decrease access to public information (detailed here: http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/booster_clubs.htm), says RINO actually stands for Rhetoric Is Not an Option.

So Thomas, which RINO definition do you think fits your “lifelong Republican” brother, Bennett Ratliff, based on his lack of response in the comments here: http://unworthybum.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/paying-the-piper/#comments

Bennett is running for state representative out in Coppell, and he’s playing Republican so no one can say his Papa’s PAC is a partisan anti-voucher group. Don’t miss the quote from Bennett’s campaign site called Bennett’s Pledge. How ’bout this one for RINO while we’re being cute: Really Is Not (h)Onest!

Posted by: Unworthy Bum | May 11, 2012

Bennett Ratliff Accepts Money from his Daddy

April 15, 2012 Texas Parent PAC funded by Charles Butt (yeah, him again) and Bennett’s daddy, Bill Ratliff, sent him a big fat check. If you are interested in school choice as many Republicans are, you might be scratching your head as to why Bennett is mixing it up with this anti-voucher bunch.

 

I have a plan: Knock it off. Educate these kids according to IDEA, even if it means putting public money toward an appropriate private education when public school isn’t cutting it. Quit tethering kids with extreme needs to schools that are not prepared to meet those needs, and quit boo hooing that Texas schools need more money when districts are flipping money to their pals in the private law firms.

Alief ISD’s Revenge: Effort to Bankrupt Autistic Student’s Family continues

Who has a plan to put an end to this? This is what I want to hear about during campaign season – details.

Does anyone know where our federally funded Advocacy Inc has been with this family’s ordeal? Someone go look around the Austin-area steak houses to let them know what’s going on. Remember how tight Advocacy Inc is with the private law firms getting rich off kids just like the kid in this story: http://unworthybum.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/senator-patrick-rockstar/

What’s the plan? Anyone? Bennett?

Fran Templeton’s Spectrum Autism is now enrolling for social thinking classes in Richardson, Texas.

Fran is the parent of an adult child with autism and is a wonderful resource for Texas children with autism. For more information on these classes and other Spectrum Autism programs, please go to SpectrumAutism.com.

Posted by: Unworthy Bum | March 29, 2012

Camp Progress – Ft. Worth

Registration is open for Camp Progress, Ft. Worth area autism families.

Say Yes 2 Progress! by enrolling your child in Spectrum Autism Services’ signature summer program – Camp Progress.

Students who attend Camp Progress will be taught Social Thinking® skills to improve their ability to interact with others while increasing their competence and confidence to develop and maintain lasting friendships.

All camps will be held at the Blackstock Center located at 700 McPherson Road in Ft. Worth, Texas. These camps will specifically teach two Social Thinking concepts daily.

For complete details, please download the registration packet. (PDF)

For more information on this and other Spectrum Autism programs, please go to SpectrumAutism.com

Posted by: Unworthy Bum | March 29, 2012

Parent Story

It Only Gets Better AFTER Your Child Leaves Public School

I am the mother of a 32 year old adult with Asperger Syndrome.  Without a doubt, the hardest part of his life and the life of his family was while he was in public school.  We both literally dreaded most school days.

First of all, it was nearly impossible to get a correct diagnosis.  It appears it was then and is still now almost impossible for Texas public schools to find an “educational need” to provide children with Asperger Syndrome a free and appropriate education.  When will Texas public schools ever figure out that kids with AS need to know more than academics.  Autism Spectrum Disorders create a triad of differences:  communication differences, socialization differences, and atypical behaviors. Most kids with AS can do the academic requirements.  It’s the socialization, communication and behavioral differences that keep the teacher calling the parents day after day.  I’ve always asked myself, why do they call the parent?  What can the parent do about it?  They are not at the school.

My son started out at a gifted and talented magnet school and was eventually transferred back to his neighborhood school as NOT so gifted and talented.   From the first day in school, it was evident that he was not going to fit into their system.  He was hyper, asked way too many questions, and had his own unique way of looking at the world.  His way of perceiving the world was clearly not the school’s approved way of perceiving the world.

His entire public school existence was ruled by two horrible factors: failure to find a place to fit into the school system of delivery of education, and constant bullying from his peers and some administrative and teaching staff. Years and years of dread was only punctuated by the skill and love of a competent teacher who could figure out how to teach my child while being careful not to let her bosses know that she was doing just that!

We never did find a correct diagnosis.  First he received services as “Other Health Impaired” because of ADHD.  Then there was lots of discussion about whether he met the criteria as “Emotionally Disturbed.”  Needless to say, the school never won that battle.  Then it was finally decided, after three different elementary schools and one private school placement in three different school districts, that he met the criteria of “Learning Disabled.”  Wow!  I’ll say!

We literally moved three times to find a school district who would teach my son in a way that he could learn.  Many Texas families do this every year.  We are not unique in that respect.

Today my son performs tasks in an engineering position at a major US company.  And guess what?  He’s still unique and marches to his own drummer.  The intent of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was to provide an  I-N-D-I-V-I-D-U-A-L-I-Z-E-D  education program to students with disabilities. This would mean that NO student should have to fit into any existing educational program.

Children with AS deserve an individualized program based on the “educational needs” of academics, socialization training, understanding how to communicate with others and how others communicate with them, and that addresses their atypical behaviors as a part of their Asperger Syndrome.

So, parents—if you survive public school, life only gets better afterwards.

U.S. Autism rate climbs to 1 in 88.

Across the U.S. the rate in boys is 1 in 54.

In New Jersey, the rate is 1 in 49.

In New Jersey boys, the rate is 1 in 23.

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