I'm not sure what it is about my earlier message or about handicapped children that generates such hostile remarks from Michael Atherton, but my response to him is below:
Atherton writes: The Disabilities Services Act has place an undue burden on the schools, both financially and on teachers and students. Mainstreaming children who negatively impact the
instruction of other children does not contribute to quality education. Not to
mention the fact that some handicapped students can be better served by special
teachers, special classrooms, and special schools.
Kosnoff responds: The inclusion of children with disabilities into mainstream education, to the extent appropriate, was mandated by Congress more than two decades ago in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The legal standard is "most appropriate, least restrictive" and many kids with severe disabilities are educated for all or part of the day in special classrooms or in special schools. They are also included in mainstream activities to the appropriate and agreed to by parents and schools. Yes, a child in a wheelchair or a kid with involuntary tics can be distracting, but the inclusion of all children, to the extent appropriate, is federal law--not just my good idea. I make no apologies for my years of advocacy on behalf of these kids in education, healthcare, social services or elsewhere.
Atherton writes: "The public schools need to focus on educating children, not on meeting the
social, emotional, and physical needs of every individual child.
Many children with special needs can best be served by quality care in
schools that are uniquely designed to serve them."
Kosnoff responds: When poverty, disability or even exceptional aptitude & intelligence are part of the complex package that a child presents in the classroom, we cannot educate that child to his/her maximum potential without addressing the needs that impact that child's ability to learn. Every child should have an individual education plan that addresses the range of needs, academic & otherwise, that affect his school success. Schools can't by themselves meet every need; but they should be the place where the resources of the community and the family are integrated and coordinated to plan for each child's needs. Your belief that those who are a little different or need a little more should be segregated is abundantly clear. I just don't agree.
Atherton writes:So what you are saying is that other than your experience with children with
special needs, you don't have any proposals to lower the dropout rate, increase parent involvement, raise the quality of teaching, insure that all students can read
and do simple math, or prepare students for a dynamic workplace? Not to
mention violence, drugs, and teen pregnancy.
Kosnoff responds: No, I don't think I said that. In fact, I think that all children have special needs--some need a ramp to get into the building, some need accellerated math instruction to keep them engaged, some need a volunteer reading tutor. See the Individual Education Plan proposal above--it's only one of many concrete proposals I have put forward in my campaign & will be outlining in this Forum over the next few days. Stay tuned, Mr. Atherton.
onal philosophy?
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