(August 25, 2017 at 1:10 am)Wyrd of Gawd Wrote: This is a very complex issue that requires a long essay to give it justice. But start by considering the question of fairness. Is it fair to the more intelligent students with IQs of 110-140 to be held back by students with IQs of 70-90?
Who benefits from having low performing students mixed in with high performing students? Is it just a ploy to push the idea of school vouchers to enrich the operators of charter schools?
Based upon objective real world evidence what's the best outcome a student with learning disabilities can expect to achieve in modern America? Is it better for all of the students if such students be mainlined or should those students be placed in an environment specifically tailored to their abilities?
As a superpower on the world stage should we concentrate on producing the highest possible top achievers to compete with the rest of the world or should we be satisfied with a pool of low achievers?
And then there's the whole issue of foreign students. Some are smart, some are not. There are some school districts where the student body speak 130 different primary languages.
And of course there's the traditional problems of racial and class discrimination.
Mix all of those things up in a school and you have a heck of a mess.
In this country (USA) ALL children have the right to learn in a public school, regardless of IQ. Regardless of disability status or non-disabled status. Every single child has the right to be given the chance to grow intellectually. The fact that there are people out there who doubt any disabled person's chances of success - well that's just ignorance and quite frankly - those people shouldn't be governing any school system. Period.
Just as there are classes for special needs kids, there are also classes for children who excel in their studies. They are called honors classes. I have two children. One child went through the special needs environment. The other child is currently enjoying four honors classes in 9th grade this year.
Both kids are/were in the same school district.
Both kids have been given opportunities that ALL students in the school district are able to enjoy.
The district doesn't "suffer" any losses because of the inclusion of special needs kids.
My oldest daughter was the first child in this school district to break stereotypes and cause inclusion to become a regular thing in this district. She spent less than 4% of her time away from regular peers (non-disabled students in her class).
She graduated in 2016 with a regular diploma. The school district didn't take a loss of money from any title IV grants because of her testing scores.
I'd like to see what other excuses the Alabama BOE comes up with in regards to its special needs population. My school district went above and beyond to ensure that my oldest was given every opportunity to advance and grow, both as a person and academically. Not once was I ever told that she could not receive a certain type of education because the district couldn't afford it or didn't have anyone with the necessary training. It was the law that they provide what she needed, and they complied. Simple as that. For Alabama to go to the lengths of even suggesting institutionalization of any of its students is just mind blowing. If I were a parent living there - a Federal law suit would be filed the next day over this issue. This should be a wake up call to the entire nation that children are being treated in this fashion by this state.
Disclaimer: I am only responsible for what I say, not what you choose to understand.
