TWIN LEGISLATION BILL FOR THE STATE OF INDIANA

We the undersigned, petition you Senator Bayh and Senator Lugar to sponsor a bill for Twin Legislation in the State of Indiana similar to that of Minnesota's "Twin Bill" sponsored by Senator Dennis Frederickson and signed into law by Governor Tim Pawlenty on May 5, 2005, which would give parents a primary voice in the classroom placement of their multiple birth children. Renown researchers including Dr. Nancy Segal, Dr. John Mascazine and the International Society for Twin Studies as well as support groups like the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs all advocate a flexible classroom placement policy. As parents we believe that arbitrarily separating all twins and higher order multiples based solely upon their multiplicity and the past practices of The Department of Education, is discriminatory and therefore unacceptable. Multiplicity is a birthright and the decision to separate or keep the children together within the classroom should be made on a case by case basis, based upon the childrens individual needs. We believe as parents/guardians of our multiple birth children that we should have the primary voice in any classroom placement decision made for them, as we know best their individual psychological, social and emotional needs