I remember the first time I was gaslighted at an IEP meeting. I was working in a local district and had been there a lot. I had read IDEA and PA education code on discipline many times and had been through more of these hearings than I cared to remember. I protested and showed them the education code and what the discipline code says about kids with IEPs. I had two back-to-back hearings and they pulled the same crap in each one. I started to doubt my knowledge, memory, and sanity, so I emailed an attorney friend who is well-versed in all of this and told him what happened. The experience stuck with me and was a learning experience.
Gaslighting is a form of mental abuse in which a victim is manipulated into doubting their own memory, perception, and sanity. It can range from denial to staging of bizarre events to disorient the victim.
– Go in prepared. You know what your sticking points are going to be. So have your data ready. If you are going to ask for an IEE, have that section printed off from IDEA. If you are debating ESY, print that off and bring it.