The school sent me an email regarding my request to tape the IEP meetings:
"The meetings should not be taped. If a parent tapes the meetings without staff permission it is a felony eavesdropping." Therefore, the meetings will not be taped and we will all continue to take personal notes. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please don't hesitate to contact XXXXXXXX at the XXXXXXX legal department.
Felony eavesdropping? First of all, I asked to tape the last meeting. I was told that they were reluctant to let me do so unless the principal allowed it. When the principal arrived, she permitted me to tape, but at that point, there was only about ten minutes of the meeting left, if that. The tape recorder was not hidden, nor was it running without permission - they all could see it. I did not eavesdrop.
Second, this was in response to my email about taping future meetings. There was no attempt to do so without permission. It's all been above board. And I am rather offended that they would even say that to me.
Thirdly, why shouldn't meetings be taped? On IllinoisSpecialEd.com, they even go so far as to recommend a brand of digital tape recorder to use for IEP meetings! Yet in my district, they not only believe that meetings should not be taped, but that to do so without permission would be felony eavesdropping?
I have to wonder why they are so resistant to tape recorders, but allow note taking?
What do you suppose they are afraid of?
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