I did not want to ever see this happen in my community. Whenever a parent and a public school are 180 degrees apart regarding the direction and care of a child in the public school system, especially when the child is suffering, it is a ugly thing to be a part of. There ultimately will be no winners in this case, regardless of the eventual ruling. Alpine District paid a lot of money to retain a lawyer I have great respect for. Pouring over her 275 exhibits, and reading her well crafted legal briefs have left me in awe. The two expert witnesses retained by Alpine from BYU and U of U, one who is on the Utah Board of Psychology, have resumes longer than my dissertation. They are more educated and experienced than anyone working for the Tenbrink family. (With the exception of my wife, who I believe is the most talented clinician in the country). I could not be more impressed. Yet I cannot help but think that Alpine District, and the suits at Utah State Office of Education, are going to experience something that I have been honored to experience for the last two months.....the passionate voice and pain of a mother and a father who do not match the qualifications of the experts your tax dollars paid for, but will forever know their childs strengths and limitation better than any of you reading this post. I am grateful to the Tenbrink family for choosing on their own volition to open this Hearing up to the public. Those who attend will be able to experience something never before seen in this State. Its funny, because for the past three years, politicians and administrators in Utah have looked at me like I was some crazy right wing nut bag. I have received a ton of hate mail, a few death threats, and a general lack of respect from my peers in my profession. Im no genius. Im nobodys role model. Im just a dad who felt something strongly, and acted on it I did not get my doctorate to become a licensed clinician, I went back to school to save my own kids....... This coming Monday, you all finally get to witness and see what has broken my heart for the past three years in this state. I wont get to hear this mother testify. My role now has been limited to that of a expert witness (not an advocate) charged with providing direction to the Judge. I cant be there until I am called to testify, and then I must immediately leave. Judges order for all witnesses. When I leave the witness stand, I will retire from this business. I will never again enter into a Utah public school to advocate for the rights of a child and their parents. I simply do not have the heart or the will to ever again sit in a office and feel the pain of another mother. The system? Its broken. Broken as hell. My Facebook rants wont change it, and will only put me and my family under the crosshairs of some people with a lot of unchecked power and money. Im going home to my Toddler and my three other kids to heal. My own kids need a hero...I have heard their calls, and Im going to answer them. I also want to get to know my wife again. I miss her. It has been a great ride and I have made many friends via my advocacy efforts...several whom I now consider to be family. All Journeys, however, must end. I do not want to fight USOE or another public school district again in my life. I will be damned, however, if I dont end my career with a smile on my last mothers face. Thank you Utah for these wonderful teaching experiences you have given me the past three years. The lessons I learned from you all will make me a better husband and father. Please send a prayer my way so that I may be able to perform my duties as a witness with the highest of degree of ethics, and that I will be able to represent the profession of clinical psychology, and the CEO of Early Life, my wife, honorably, honestly and with the objective skill of a local clinical community scientist. Please pray for the assistance of attorney Edward Flint who is in great pain. He simply is the most gifted lawyer I have ever known in my entire life. If you want to watch something special, watch this guy in courtroom. I will write one more time on this case this Sunday on the IEP Journeys: A Day In The Life Facebook page, then I will be gone. It has been my pleasure. Parents are, and must always be, the resident experts of their own children. Best Regards: Gary Thompson, Psy.D. Father
Posted on: Sat, 12 Apr 2014 01:13:10 +0000
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