Response to “Complaining Parents” Article in Idaho Statesman

A school illegally denied entrance to a student. It took Michael Snyder’s interview video and additional media reports to prompt the school to take accurate action to remedy the situation. Professionals such as dentist Blaisdell feel the parent should just ‘get over it’. 

Guest Post: Sara Walton Brady This is my response to Dr. John D. Blaisdells public letter in the Idaho Statesman “Complaining Parents”. I’ve linked the letter below.

Dr John D. Blaisdell,

I saw your letter today about “Complaining Parents” in the Idaho Statesman.

I always find it interesting that people take time out of their busy lives to complain and criticize people about their choices. Did you not have enough patients to take care of today?

The first item you’re ignorant about is: “When a school district follows the rules and tries to do their best in a very conflicted situation such as vaccination exemptions, there are always those that act like little children when they don’t get their way.” What exactly do you mean by that? What was MY way? My way was the school needed to follow the law. Do you have a problem with the school following the law? Are you ok with Schools making rules outside of Idaho Law? How was the school following the rules if they were breaking the law? Do you follow the law or do you make up your own rules to live by?

“Get over yourself. Get over your anger and grow up.”

Ok. So when someone is violating my and my child’s rights and illegally denying my child his education, I suppose to get over it. Oh, and I can’t be angry that my child was illegally denied his right to education. Gotcha. Noted. Get in line, Sara.

“Institutions like a school district do a pretty good job in spite of parents like you.”

Institutions like the West Ada School district and the Idaho Department of Health Welfare do a pretty good job of breaking the law and denying rights despite parents like me trying to inform them they are breaking the law? Yes. We can agree on that.

“Sure, I have had different opinions than the school district that schooled my five children, but we always had a lively debate, an exchange of opinions, and then found a solution. Sara Walton Brady got her way in that she had a chance to argue and be heard. The system worked.

It’s one thing to have a difference of opinion. It’s a whole other issue to have the school breaking the law.
Which part did you think this was opinion? Is Idaho law opinion? Is discrimination opinion? Is denying my child his education a solution?

And no. The point of the “system” isn’t that I have to use measures outside of the system to get the school to follow the law. I had to go to great lengths to be heard and people like you criticized me at every turn. Criticized me for my right to my child’s education and that I demanded that West Ada school district follow the law.

“Now she wants an apology? Good grief, one should get a life and move on. Forget it and quit trying to be in the newspaper or on the radio.”

Yes. Yes, I do want an apology. What are you teaching your children? If I lied, I would admit it AND apologize for it. The school lied, The school told the world that I did not submit proper documentation when I DID submit it back in April. Is it ok that I go around and lie about your Dental office and then privately tell you I was wrong but refuse to correct or apologize in the media?

You suggested a lively debate, well my school denied my son, his education, so there was no lively debate. They made their decision even though it was in direct violation of that law. I had to go to outside sources to attempt to resolve this.

And just so you know, I didn’t put myself in the Idaho Statesman today, YOU DID. It’s people like YOU that have complained I was on the radio and in the paper because you keep FEEDING the story. I have a life. A life that YOU just can’t stop paying attention to. Maybe YOU should get a life. Don’t complain about me being in the paper when you’re the very reason I’m in the paper today.

“One should be thankful that here you can choose your own path. This parent’s rights were well served in my opinion.”

I am thankful I can choose my own path. But how were my and my child’s rights well served? Pray do tell?
Were they served well when my son was told that he could not attend school Aug. 23rd?
Were my rights served well when I had to address this in the media? It was only when they were getting negative feedback did West Ada school district change their minds. So your opinion isn’t fact, it’s ignorant opinion. The facts that are mine and my child’s rights weren’t served well.

“An apology from the school district should not be considered. I truly hope that West Ada School District does not cave and give one. Life is too short for this type of public tantrum.”

So I guess you don’t believe in admitting wrong, nor apologizing for breaking the law? I’d hate to see your children’s attitudes about restitution or redress. And it seems to me you’re the one who took time out of your busy day of serving patients to throw your little temper tantrum about me and complain ignorantly about a situation you know nothing about.

Dr. Blaisdell, I’m now asking you to apologize for your rudeness to me. I believe in free speech, but I don’t believe in freedom of consequence for free speech. I’ll let my circle of friends know your opinion of Mom’s like me that try to advocate for their children’s right to education while going up against massive institutions that are breaking the law.