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School failing to address disability:
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| By: Linda Laumann, Cameron |
July 29, 2009 |
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Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States and around the world. Each year, one out of every 150 children will be diagnosed with some form of autism ... more children than with AIDS, diabetes and pediatric cancers combined.
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While the fundamental understanding of Autism is rapidly improving, our ability and commitment to educate these children is severely lacking. Our school systems seem all too happy to stand on a podium with their gifted students and rant about how successful their programs are, while at the same time turning a blind eye to any child with a learning disability. Is it not the mission of our schools to educate and arm all of our children with the fundamental skills and knowledge they will need?
We have an 8-year-old grandson with high-functioning autism. Up until this past spring, he was attending Roselawn Elementary School. Seth, like all autistic children, has difficulties with sensory processing and communication skills. Although these conditions create a situation where teaching in a "normal" classroom setting simply won't work, the alternatives are not unreasonably demanding or difficult. They do necessitate a change to the educational approach a school system takes and a commitment to the child.
Rather than taking a proactive approach to addressing a real and growing challenge, our schools would rather push these children aside (and eventually completely out of the school system) and focus their attention on the non-challenged students. Not all school systems are the same. Locally, there are schools that have very good programs to work with autistic children. They do this without any significant budget issues or disruption of their overall educational process.
Unfortunately, Roselawn Elementary is at or near the bottom of the list. There are a number of local services and training programs offered to the school to assist with their autistic students and to educate the teachers and staff on proven methods for working with these children.
For some reason, our school system refuses to acknowledge or participate in any of them. Because of this blaring lack of commitment to protect the future of their children, many families with autistic children have opted to open-enroll out of the Chetek schools. This trend will continue unless there is a significant change in policy and a commitment to educate "every" child.
The schools do not have to tackle this alone. There is help and assistance available. They simply must be concerned enough to look for it and ask for it.
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©The Chetek Alert 2009
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Kathleen Evertsen |
Aug, 06 2009 |
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Linda, I agree with you wholeheartedly. As a parent of children in this district, some with special needs and some without there is a clear lack of training and accomidations in the Chetek school district. I currently have a 15 year old going into his Sophomore year that NEVER should have been moved on and now will not graduate on time, it was easier to push him on to another teacher to deal with year after year. Last year, during a meeting when I asked why his IEP wasn't being followed the principal, nor anyone else in the room was even AWARE of the IEP he has had since KINDERGARTEN. This school district has an alarming number of students listed as receiving special education, but they get anything but....Another of my children who is hearing impaired struggled last year in his math class of 21 students to hear the teacher over the background noise, even with his hearing aids. What is going to happen now that we will be getting Wheyerhauser students as well, if class sizes were 21 students last year?
And the Chetek school board blames falling enrollment on other districts advertising. What they fail to realize is that NONE of us would drive our kids clear to another town for school if the schools in our own back yard were up to par.
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Barbara Blevins |
Jul, 29 2009 |
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Linda, By law your school has to address the needs of your child. Get yourself an advocate.Good luck.
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