A Mother Finds Her Voice
When Ana’s son Hugo was eight years old, she knew something wasn’t right. He struggled to read, write, and do basic math. Ana raised her concerns again and again with Hugo’s teachers, certain that her son needed help. Eventually, Hugo was diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and other learning disabilities. On paper, the support process began. In reality, nothing changed.
Despite evaluations and the start of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Ana felt unheard. The school insisted Hugo was making progress, but Ana saw the truth every day. Hugo grew discouraged. At one point, he no longer wanted to go to school at all. “As loud as I could be, they were not hearing what I was saying,” Ana said.
Like many parents of children with special needs, Ana entered the IEP process believing it would be collaborative and supportive. Instead, she found it confusing, overwhelming, and isolating. She didn’t always know what questions to ask—or even what rights she and her son had.
That’s when Ana came to Legal Aid SMC.
Legal Aid connected Ana with an attorney who stood beside her at IEP meetings and helped clearly articulate what Hugo needed to succeed. With that support, Ana began to feel empowered. “I felt stronger,” Ana says. “I felt that no one could stop me now. Not just because Legal Aid was on my side, but because I was learning to advocate for my son.”
Legal Aid first began helping Ana when Hugo was in fifth grade. At the time, Hugo was bright but unable to read. His school district didn’t have an appropriate program to support him, putting him on a path that too often leads students with dyslexia to fall further and further behind. With her attorney, Anna challenged the school district which secured a placement for Hugo at a small private school where he finally received the instruction he needed.
For three years, Hugo attended a school that taught him how to read. He caught up to grade level. He began to thrive academically. And perhaps most importantly, his confidence grew. “There was a point when I thought I was failing as a mother,” Ana shares. “But Legal Aid kept telling me, ‘This is not your fault. We’re going to get it right.’ And I believed them.”
Today, Hugo is a different child. He finished school with nearly all A’s. He has friends. His self-esteem is dramatically higher than it was just a few years ago. “Hugo is happier,” Ana says. “I am extremely thankful for the support from people who truly care. I will be forever thankful to my lawyer and to the whole organization.”
At Legal Aid SMC, parents like Ana are seen as partners in the fight for justice. Every case is driven by a simple belief: our community is stronger when every child has access to a free and appropriate education. Hugo’s story is proof that when families are supported, systems can be challenged, and lives are changed.