Separate but equal was outlawed years ago, and is now a federal law called the Fourteenth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, which includes educational facilities, that makes inclusion a part of the educational process, to include children with special needs.
As I read Sylvia Schon's story on the subject, and the statement she made about children with special needs, I too, must wonder where she got her information to do this story from. What is meant by "fix the ones that can be fixed?" Students with special needs are human beings, just as all others are, and should not be labeled as a group of people who should be placed in a corner not to be recognized as a human being.
Since the Daily Star is the official journal for the TPSS, we make the attempt to see why some things are written as they are written by Schon. Two of the responses to Sylvia's story give a positive response for children with special needs. We are elated to see them. The one written by Mrs. Rachel Mixon shows the efforts of a teacher of students with special needs in a positive light, as well as the letter written by an out-of-state special needs teacher, Mr. Colby France.
I can attest to Rachel's tenacity and dedication to the profession she has chosen to work with children with special needs. I worked in the same department with Rachel at Amite Elementary, and can truthfully say Rachel gives her all to her students, and as the former Director of the Special Education Department for the TPSS Mrs. Glenda DuFresche often referred, the students under Rachel's care are her "babies," as Mrs. Dufresche affectionately referred to all students with special needs as, Rachel feels the same way.
While I do not know Mr. Colby France, his letter shows the same dedication.
A simple question asked at this point is, what if you had a child with special needs? What would you want to see done to help your child? I believe the answer is obvious. You would want your child helped in any positive manner possible, and not have your child shoved aside as if there was no assistance to be given to him/her. It is unfortunate, we have this problem in some of the schools in this school system. Is it easier to help children, or to push them aside and say, "Why bother?" We get these types of complaints all of the time, and it needs to stop.
As we look at the possiblity, and we say possibility of special education students being placed into a program in a special building at Crystal Street next year, who may have discipline and other problems, we say we will fight this measure to its fullest extent of the law, because there are other alternatives to be used already in place, and according to Federal Law must be done, especially for those students who are in Pre-K through the Fifth Grade who may have special needs.
We list the links to both letters, as well as the letter Schon wrote. You decide, the reading public, what is logically sound, and what is not. Afterall, the students is guaranteed an equal and quality education.
http://www.hammondstar.com/articles/2010/04/19/opinion/columnists/8739.txt
http://www.hammondstar.com/articles/2010/04/23/opinion/letters/9098.txt
http://www.hammondstar.com/articles/2010/04/23/opinion/letters/9097.txt