LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Carrie Dickerson didn’t expect to become a full-time civil rights watchdog. But after her daughter was denied services guaranteed under federal law, Dickerson found herself buried in red tape, automated replies, and agency apathy from nearly every corner of Michigan’s education system.
Her fight began in 2023 when her local school district, Dundee Community Schools in Monroe County, refused to conduct a timely evaluation of her daughter for special education services, even after clear signs that support was needed.
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According to Dickerson, the school ignored procedures required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – a law that mandates how schools must identify and serve students with disabilities. When she complained to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), the state’s response was slow, dismissive, and defensive.
The MDE was represented by Chantel Mozden who was the official overseeing Special Education complaints. She was aware of these issues but failed to hold the district accountable says Dickerson. Mozden became a focal point in Dickerson’s battle to hold state agencies accountable for systemic failures under IDEA. Dickerson said that Mozden intercepted and blocked her request for a review of the case and also refused to provide her with corrective action information requested.
State shrugged, feds passed the buck, and most lawmakers vanished.
Dickerson also tried going through the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) in August of 2024 regarding her concerns with the MDE. She received no initial response even after leaving voicemails and sending follow-up emails. She then went on to file a federal complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within the U.S. Department of Education. That was dismissed for “lack of jurisdiction” and they told her it was a due process issue and something that should be handled through IDEA’s formal hearing process. Dickerson disagreed, believing her evidence highlighted compliance issues with MDE beyond due process concerns.
Dickerson circled back to the state and was told by the MDCR to file with them again. That was done in October of 2024. After that, she got radio silence – no updates, no follow-ups.
Adding insult to injury, when she shared the situation with elected officials, most of them ghosted her. Only Congressman Tim Walberg’s office offered any substantive follow-up, eventually reaching out to the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice. The Dept. of Ed, under former President Biden, hadn’t reponsed to her concerns until the congressional inquiry was initiated under Walberg. Even then, she said she only got a phoned in canned response. Everyone else? Crickets and form letters including from Democratic U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow.
Almost $300 for missing emails.
In February of this year, following months of back-and-forth with state and federal agencies, the MDE finally acknowledged that the district had committed a procedural violation – though they claimed it had since been resolved. When Dickerson asked for documentation of the “corrective action” that was taken, MDE told her to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request even though she was the complainant in the case. After not receiving a response, she followed up and was told her request would amount to $296.96 which she reluctantly paid the fee to get the information.
After charging her nearly $300, the department provided a batch of documents via Google Drive, but Dickerson says half were incomplete or missing key emails she specifically requested.
In a response from MDE, Ken Coleman, Michigan Department of Education Office of Public and Governmental Affairs Spokesman said, “Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act provides for public bodies to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests within five business days. Please see MCL 15.235(2). It also provides for the public body to issue a notice extending the response period by 10 days. The Michigan Department of Education complies with these requirements.”
Lack of accountability.
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Reading through the documents she did receive, Dickerson uncovered that state investigators were given false information by school officials – and she has the receipts to prove it due to the records request. However, the state refused to cite the district for any of the substantive violations she documented.
Meanwhile, her daughter’s life was on the line.
While the bureaucrats were busy not doing their jobs, Dickerson’s daughter ended up hospitalized for three months, starting in November of 2024. Only then – and after major personnel changes and legal advocacy – did the school district finally admit she qualified for services all along. Now back home, the child is trying to continue her education via an online program that the district is paying for – something that only happened after Dickerson retained an attorney and captured the district’s reluctant agreement on audio.
Words from a concerned and frustrated mom.
Dickerson discussed the entire situation with Michigan News Source saying, “Instead of any form of proactive solution, my child’s case shows every single agency tasked with oversight and implementation – state and federal – has thus far failed the students in this state.”
She added that she hopes that the Trump DOJ “takes a serious look at the willful malfeasance of the Michigan Department of Education in their role subverting the rights and needs of the students in this state.”
President Donald Trump announced in March 2025 his intention to move oversight of special education programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Dickerson said that she hopes this would result in a more “streamlined and proactive way for parents to report and address state level non-compliance with overseeing the enforcement of IDEA.” She added, “It should not be this hard to ensure federal education law, and the civil rights of students, are enforced and that the proper legal consequences are swift to follow for when they are not.”
Dickerson continued, “Michigan’s national standing with regard to education is abysmal, and it’s in no small part related to how poorly Whitmer’s administration reacted to covid and the blind compliance by schools and professionals who should have known better. They failed the students in this state at the time, and continue to do so by refusing to address and support both the educational and mental health needs that have arisen because of their – at best – misguided policies.”
Michigan News Source contacted the school district for comment. Dundee Community Schools Superintendent Scott Leach said, “At Dundee Community Schools, we take our obligations to all of our students seriously, and supporting their success is a core part of our mission and values as a district. Our trained team of educators works hard every day to comply with all state and federal requirements to help ensure the needs of our students are met. We will continue to do so as part of our commitment to supporting every student and providing high-quality learning opportunities for all Vikings.”
Bottom line: Michigan failed a vulnerable student. How many more are out there?
This issue isn’t just about one family though. Dickerson’s story shines a harsh light on the broader dysfunction in Michigan’s education oversight.
Dickerson said, “Most families of such children (special needs) struggle to begin with and simply do not have the bandwidth, finances or energy to pursue the issue to the degree displayed here. The districts, and the state, count on this – in my opinion – so that they can continue to squander/spend the money they should be allocating to these children on whatever they see fit instead…Somebody, or group of somebodies, with a platform and a loud microphone could be immeasurably impactful for thousands of families in this state.”
Dickerson also pointed to other problems within the school district including a number of students and parents who came forward to tell their board their complaints of bullying and harassment that are going unaddressed by school administrators.
Change is needed.
Dickerson believes that the agencies meant to protect children are more busy protecting themselves instead – and her plight shows that the only way parents seem to get results is by lawyering up, FOIA-ing everything in sight, and hoping someone in D.C. cares.
As Dickerson puts it: “Right is right, wrong is wrong, and enough is enough.” Maybe it’s time the entire education system, including in Lansing, learned the difference.
