It is not, technically, a crime and it can be difficult to detect. The mechanism that seems to trigger retaliation is effective advocacy. Retaliation occurs in an environment where school officials view IDEA as an unwanted imposition or as a way to develop a power base. Instead, school officials translate their responsibilities and duties to children and families into unquestioned decision making power over them. Hostile officials on the other hand use their position as an instrument of power to openly intimidate and even punish parents.
Many parents never encounter retaliation.
Those that do however, are usually strong advocates for their children. Regardless, retaliation does occur and the fear of retaliation inhibits many parents. This affords school officials wide latitude to implement IDEA and the ADA as they see fit. Like the food triangle, patterns of retaliation can be classified into three levels. Level I, the most frequent, is low-level passive activity, with the goal of delaying the process.