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Parents urge CNUSD to provide IEP supports and question rising legal spending
Summary
Parents addressed the board during public comment alleging delays in providing an appropriate IEP for their child and accusing the district of prioritizing attorney fees; speakers cited increases in special-education litigation spending and urged trustees to act.
During the public-comment period on Dec. 16, two parents told the Corona-Norco Unified School District board that their child, identified in remarks as Braxton, still does not have an appropriate individualized education program (IEP) and accused the district's special-education staff of —legal bullying.
Ben Van Horn, who addressed the board as a parent, said he had returned for a third time to raise his family's concerns and described the district's decision to send attorneys to an IEP meeting for his 4-year-old daughter as a —waste of money.
"It's called legal bullying, and that is ridiculous," Ben Van Horn said, adding that he and his wife would not stop advocating for their children. He also presented a chart he said showed litigation and settlement spending for special education rising from $1,000,000 in 2021-22 to $2,800,000 in 2023-24.
Angela Van Horn, who identified herself as a CNUSD employee and parent, said multiple clinicians and doctors had recommended an IEP for Braxton and that the district's special-education team had not met or documented the concerns she and other parents raised.
"Braxton needs and deserves an IEP," Angela Van Horn said, adding that she was disappointed that, after multiple meetings with trustees, little had changed for her son. She also criticized the district for deploying legal staff to an IEP meeting for which the family had not retained counsel.
Board policy announced during the meeting notes that staff may follow up with speakers after public comment, but no direct, on-the-record response to the Van Horns'specific allegations was made during the session. Trustees thanked the parents for their comments and noted the district's complaint procedures and follow-up channels.
The parents requested that trustees use oversight authority to ensure their child receives appropriate assessments and supports rather than escalating matters to litigation. The board did not take immediate action during the meeting but the record shows staff and trustees acknowledged the report and follow-up avenues for complaints.
