Yes, that is very true. My parents were quite activist, but not always activist enough. They tolerated stuff that wasn't really acceptable because they'd already pushed the system to make things better for me and didn't think they should push any more. They asked teachers about the possibility of me having Asperger's, but when the teachers said, "Well, we're not sure whether she has it because she's pretty high-functioning, and there's no point in having her assessed anyway because it's not treatable," my parents accepted that. My parents also never took me to a psychiatrist for my anxiety or for my trauma issues resulting from bullying (and later, a horrible camp leaders in training program) because nobody told them they needed to, and they trusted the school system. Additionally, they knew nothing about the possibility of me having ADHD--my hyperfocus and difficulty with transitions made me seem like the reverse of the ADHD kids they knew about, and my mother was emotionally invested in blaming me for my ADHD symptoms.

And really, the system should be set up to respond to kids' needs well enough that activist parents aren't necessary, because otherwise kids whose parents aren't conscientious, VERY well informed, and willing to be pushy suffer. If MY parents weren't enough to get me an adequate education, the vast majority of other kids' parents wouldn't be either. Children's education shouldn't be at the mercy of whether they have parents with your outstanding level of knowledge and willingness to push hard to get your kids what they need.