Twin mom promotes school law changes continued

Kathy Dolan, who has 6-year-old twin sons, fought successfully to keep her sons together in school when she encountered inflexible rules mandating they be put into separate classrooms. But she knows she’ll have to fight the same battle next year and in subsequent years, and she wants to settle the issue once and for all, to the benefit of twins, triplets and higher-order multiples for decades to come. (Turn to pages 38-39 for more information.)

Dolan read in TWINS™ Magazine several stories about the successful 2005 effort in Minnesota that resulted in a law giving parents the power to choose separation or togetherness for their school-age multiples. She took her cue from Wendy Haavisto in Minnesota and decided to begin campaigning for such a law in New York. Her efforts since early January 2006 have snowballed beyond anyone’s expectations. "I want to allow parents of twins and higher-order multiples to have a primary voice in the placement decisions of their children (either separate or together) within the classroom," Dolan said.

This activist mom sent her first e-mail to a list of possible participants on Jan. 28, requesting that people sign her petition calling for introduction of a New York bill in the legislature. Dolan sent a copy of the request to TWINS™ Magazine. TWINS™ cheered her on and endorsed her efforts enthusiastically. We suggested she post a new "thread" on the TWINS™ Magazine Message Board (TMMB) to solicit nationwide support. (Anyone can sign the petition, no matter where you live. To lend support and sign her petition, go to www.twinslegislation.com, and/or http://www.petitiononline.com/ryannick/)

Within the first 24 hours of posting her notice on Twins Message Board more than 100 people signed Dolan’s petition. By early February, Dolan had become determined to take this issue to the federal level and try to get a "parents’ choice" bill introduced in Congress. She had contacted Nancy Segal, Ph.D., noted academic, researcher and author of books about twins and their development, in California, who agreed to join forces with Dolan.

Using Dolan's step-by-step instructions and piggybacking on her success, mothers of twins around the country began launching their own petition drives for laws similar to that in Minnesota, with volunteers in 11 states soon embarking on petition drives of their own. Meanwhile, Dolan pushed ahead full steam, enlisting a media rep who approached Oprah Winfrey to do a show on the subject of discrimination against twins in school by setting unfounded rules forcing them to separate. CBS also expressed interest in doing a show on the subject.

Thousands of people around the U.S. signed petitions being circulated everywhere, and Dolan’s petition has achieved major success. In mid-March, along came Inna Fershteyn, J.D., a Russian immigrant and lawyer in New York City, also a mom of twins. Fershteyn had read the stories in TWINS™ Magazine, and had seen Dolan’s post on the TMMB, online. She contacted Dolan by e-mail, offering her services and support, with a copy to TWINS™.

Fershteyn believes this issue has all the makings of a possible class action lawsuit at the federal level charging discrimination against multiples on the basis of their birth. She and Dolan are now talking with lawyers who could potentially handle the case. "Presently, individual school principals usually determine whether or not multiples will remain together or separate within the classroom. Decisions are not usually made on a case-by-case basis. The practice is 'across the board,'’ separating all multiples or keeping all multiples together depending on which practice the principal 'feels' is best for all. I however, believe that twinship and ‘multiplicity’ is a birthright. What is good for one set of multiples is not good for all. Arbitrary separation (or keeping children together) of twins and higher-order multiples based solely upon their multiplicity and past practices of individual principals is discriminatory and unacceptable," stated Dolan in her early e-mail contacts.

Dolan has received "the blessing" of Minnesota state Sen. Frederickson, who sponsored the bill there, and has been in regular contact with his assistant, Wendy Haavisto, whose twins were forcibly separated against her wishes and had a very difficult time adjusting to school. Haavisto launched the campaign in Minnesota on behalf of her twins. Dolan wants to believe that some day, because of her efforts, "perhaps the bond that my independent 6-year-old boys share will finally be looked upon as something to be treasured and marveled at, instead of being labeled as 'co-dependent' by school administrators who do not know any better."

As of late March, Dolan said she expects New York's draft bill to be completed and introduced long before the end of the year, as a result of the widespread support she has received.

Angela Drinkwater, Dolan's national media expert, had booked segments on FOX 5 News in NYC and the on the network CBS Early Show. Expectations were high for a twins-in-school segment on CNN and Good Morning America as well. Dr. Phil and Oprah had been approached.

Gary Braken, father of triplets and a consultant who works with the federal government, signed on with Dolan to work on the federal campaign as well as the NY state legislature. Ray Romano, actor and father of twins, is being approached to act as a national spokesman and advocate for this campaign.

Pam Eichner, mom of two sets of twins who is a freelance writer and contributor to TWINS™ Magazine, is pitching the discrimination-against-twins-in-school story to Family Circle Magazine and others, including a half-dozen TV shows that she has (at one time or another) been involved with. Hundreds of parents nationwide have offered their stories and support in the legislative process.

Parents in two states have begun letter-writing campaigns to state legislators, with plans to launch petition drives: Texas: Albert and Becky Zavala (abzavala@houston.rr.com; www.petitiononline.com/josoro/petition.html) Conn.: Heidi Hayes-Pandey (luxmi@pkidz.com) Petition drives to push for the introduction of bills are underway in 23 other states as a result of Dolan’s enormous energy: Alabama, Arkansas, California (www.petitiononline.com/twinlaw/petition.html), Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Maine, Massachusetts (www.petitiononline.com/twinslaw/petition.html), Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Dolan’s website explains exactly how to launch a petition drive in a state. Dolan received support letters and research materials from across the globe. Check out her site under ‘Support’ and read the letters from The International Society of Twin Studies, Dr. John Mascazine, NOMOTC and many more. Rachel Franklin, M.D., noted author and regular contributor to TWINS™ Magazine and the TMMB (Ask Dr. Rachel), has also lent her support as a physician and a mother of twins. She noted that Oklahoma, where she lives, is one of only two states to allow parental choice in the matter of keeping twins together or separating them in school.

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