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'Flagpole Mom' ends her protest
Wednesday, September 20, 2000 By Janice Crompton, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
After spending 19 days tied to a flagpole at Blaine-Buffalo Elementary School in western Washington County, Deanna Lesneski last night packed up her lawn chair and jump ropes, ending her protest over how her special-needs son is being educated.
Lesneski, 47, of Buffalo, met with about 20 officials from McGuffey School District, Washington County Intermediate Unit One and the state Department of Health for four hours yesterday to iron out an agreement for the hiring of an aide for her 7-year-old son, Ryan "Max" Lesneski, who has Down syndrome, asthma and a hearing disability.
Lesneski said officials from the intermediate unit agreed to take over the hiring of the aide, who should be in place by Monday. She had maintained that the district mishandled her son's education by not providing him with an aide proficient in sign language and by not administering his medications. The intermediate unit receives federal funding for special education students and will help fund the aide's salary.
Lesneski said she met the aide yesterday and was satisfied that she and Max would get along well. The aide, she said, is to work one-on-one with Max for seven hours a day, five days a week.
Lesneski said two of Max's therapists, her attorneys and a representative from Tri-County Patriots for Independent Living, a disability rights organization in Washington, Pa., also attended the meeting. Members of the group and other supporters had joined Lesneski early in her protest, staying at the flagpole in shifts.
Earlier this month, the district hired a teacher of the deaf for Max, briefly ending Lesneski's protest. But Lesneski said the teacher did not work as closely with Max as promised, and the teacher resigned after one day.
Lesneski began her protest Aug. 28, the first day of school, when she said she was informed by district officials that they would not be administering Max's asthma medications this school year. She set up a lawn chair and used jump ropes from her car to tie herself to the flagpole, beginning a protest that would draw media attention from as far away as England and earn her the nickname "Flagpole Mom."
In a meeting last week with a mediator from the Department of Health, district officials agreed to modify a policy to allow Max to carry his medications, including a puffer.
Currently, only the school nurse can carry and administer medications.
The agreement also would allow a licensed practical nurse who works as a clerical aide in the building to administer his medications, Lesneski said.
A registered nurse who works one day a week in the building had been the only employee permitted to give medications.
Both agreements were used yesterday to form a new Individualized Education Program that spells out specific services to be provided for children such as Max, who cannot communicate with his teachers or peers because of his hearing disability.
A previous program ironed out for Max in February included a 13-point agreement that called for the hiring of an aide proficient in sign language, an extended school year and inclusion training for the community and district employees. Lesneski filed a federal lawsuit in March, claiming the district reneged on the agreement.
In all, Lesneski said she has been at odds with the district for three years over Max's educational and medical needs. She said she is glad it's over, and promised to strap herself to a flagpole in Harrisburg if anything goes wrong with the latest agreement.
"This is all I've ever wanted," she said.
"I'm delighted to be home. I'll be putting my kids to bed tonight."
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