Jeff Spitzer-Resnick: Nicki Vander Meulen deserves reelection to the MMSD School Board
/Dear Editor: In my role as an attorney who represents children with disabilities, I have been an advocate for improving our schools for the past 25 years. Early in my education advocacy, Nicki Vander Meulen’s parents sought my assistance when Nicki was 7 years old. At the time, they lived in Walworth County, home to Lakeland School, one of only three public schools in Wisconsin, where only children with disabilities attend, separated from their non-disabled peers for their entire education.
Nicki’s parents knew that if she attended Lakeland, she would not have the opportunity to thrive among non-disabled people. They knew, that regardless of her disabilities, Nicki deserved a chance to prove to the world that she could be a contributing member to society. Fortunately, I was able to help keep Nicki out of Lakeland so she could attend a regular public school.