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It's insane what teachers are expected to do and how childern like these are being short changed just because of some nutjob with that bogus EdD had a theory that mainstreaming was the answer to everything!

Kim du Toit has a good idea on how to fix public education

Another day, she managed to scream at the top of her lungs for nearly an hour, from 1:25 to 2:15.

This girl is a natural-born liberal appologist. She has a great future as a democrat filibusterererer.

In 1990, 33% of special ed students spent more than 80% of the day disrupting normal classrooms. By 2005, that rose to 54% of special ed students.

Exchange the word "liberal" for special ed students, and the word "congress" for normal classrooms.

To paraphrase a Chris Rock bit:

"When I was in school, crazy kids had their own bus and their own class rooms at the end of the hall. And they got out at 2:30 instead of 3:00 so that if they went crazy, they would only hurt other crazy kids."

I love that bit.

I've lived in Scranton. The whole town belongs in Special Ed!

In this type of school environment, kids like Andrea are being deprived just as much as the others..

I don't think calling her a future liberal apologist or talking about her "nasty little fists" is especially helpful..

Phuknjrk - I'm sorry, I did mispell apologist, didn't I.

FYI - Laughter ALWAYS helps (almost). My younger brother is retarded. He is 47 with the mental capacity of a 3-year old.

He laughs at my jokes and we both feel better.

His entire life he schooled and socialized with 'like' folks. He's now in a group home of 'like' folks. Typically "they" (people like my brother) don't like to be around 'normals'. Normals tend to stare and to patronize. The worst of the patronizers are always liberals. My little brother really dislikes liberals because they are so disingenous. And no - he doesn't know they are "liberals" but he recognizes the disingenousness and the fact that if they help him it's not really for him, but to make themselves feel good. Retarded folks have perceptions normals will never understand.

I don't disagree with you.. laughter can always help.. especially if it's lighthearted as I'm sure it would be between you and your brother..

the point here is, you shouldn't single her out for the dumb choices the administration makes..

I don't disagree with you.. laughter can always help.. especially if it's lighthearted as I'm sure it would be between you and your brother..

the point here is, you shouldn't single her out for the dumb choices the administration makes..

Oh grow up phuknjrk.

Even mentally retarded kids know when they can take advantage of an adult's "sensitivity".

And kids dont like being treated like little kids either. Even when they are retarded or are mentally ill.

If you treat them as equals they feel that they are more normal. Many mentally ill children just want attention. If they feel that they can steal it then they will be encouraged to do more "stealing". If they are made to earn that attention they will learn more sociable behavior.

So tell that dumb kid to stop acting like a retard!!!!!!!!!

Andrea future chairwoman of the DNC

Grow up?

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I point out a couple unnecessary comments from what I assume to be adults, that are putting down a diseased girl that's not even going to read this.. and *I* need to grow up?

From the tone of your post it sounds like you agree that she should be in the class and simply insulted and offended until she snaps out it..

Hell, if that doesn't work, maybe take her out back and whup her..

You've been called a knuckle-dragger before, haven't you..

phuknjrk, please. Calling her "diseased" is offensive and insensitive.

Ok..

We'll just make fun of the genetically disordered girl then..

The point is she doesn't belong in the class.

She's being deprived of any sort of education, just as much as the rest of the class is.

Why can't 'adults' make that argument without putting down the girl, herself?

In response to John Hechinger’s 25 June 2007 article, Hard Lesson: 'Mainstreaming' Trend Tests Classroom Goals --- Disabled Children Join Peers, Strain Teachers; 'We Need More Help' , we the undersigned must note dismay, incredulousness and disgust at the irresponsible journalism that led to this piece. The Williams Syndrome Association has long served the needs of families with Williams syndrome (WS) and has made great strides in educating the public about our children; however, your article does nothing but endeavor to push our children (and all children with disabilities) into the closet. Not many years ago, children of color were relegated to segregated classrooms. John Hechinger is advocating that we do the same for children with special needs.

Throughout the piece (which is more worthy of National Enquirer than the Wall Street Journal due to serious inaccuracies in research), Hechinger puts the onus of responsibility for teachers leaving the profession, for lack of support and for lack of teacher training on the children themselves. This is ludicrous. Children, (with or without disabilities) are not responsible for the number of children in a classroom, for lack of school funding or for the lack of teaching training. We should be holding schools accountable for providing education for ALL students. That is the charge of public education. Until we, as a nation, decide that equity in education is a right rather than a privilege, public schools will continue to be under funded, understaffed and under supported.

If education were funded at the rate of the Dept. of Defense, ALL children would receive appropriate educations.

"Not many years ago, children of color were relegated to segregated classrooms."

Not many years ago, children of all ages were taught in the same classroom..

Separating by color isn't fair. Separating by ability is.

Segration is never fair. Hatred and bias are never fair. Not in any form and it will not be tolerated.Blaming children for the problems of public schools is inane. Fund schools, provide teachers with better training and pay, provide quality classrooms and equitable per pupil spending and ALL children will get the education to which they are legally entitled.
peace.
Carol

I'm not sure where you get "hatred and bias" from.. and I'm not "blaming children" for anything..

I'm trying to look at this realistically.. How exactly does including children like Andrea in the general classroom benefit her, or anyone else?

The only scenarios I see are..

A. The class proceeds as normal as they attempt to ignore Andrea's distractions.. she can't keep up, and gets left behind year after year..

B. The class is held back to accommodate Andrea's needs, and the rest of the students' educations suffer..

C. Andrea gets assigned a separate teacher within the classroom, and is still viewed as a segregated outcast, just now directly in front of the rest of the class.. not to mention the additional hiring of special needs teachers to accompany disabled children in every class..

The only way I can see integrating her into the general classroom as being helpful to her, is for her to learn how cruel the world can be as early as possible..

Maybe that's all that really counts..

Carol Comfort, you cite "inaccurcies in research." Please provide accurate research that rebuts my claim that your assertion that more money equates to "better education" is a lie. Nix that. It is a damnable lie, wilfully stated by you.

There is no research that shows that spending more money per pupil results in more/better learning. None. Are you a shill for the NEA?