"Why?" I can't tell you how many times I hear this during the course of a day. It just rolls sweetly off Bekkah's tongue like silk. Most of the time it's just a habit, like clicking the top of a ball-point pen. You aren't really aware you're doing it, it just becomes automatic. I can usually have an answer for her when she asks, no matter how many times. Sometimes my husband makes up things just to get her out of her rhythm. But today, I just can't answer her question.
It's hard enough to explain to our two typically developing teenagers how the economy has affected our education system. But how do I explain to my daughter why her science teacher--who fully embraced Bekkah's participation in her classroom--won't be there next year, neither will the high school special ed teacher she sees on a daily basis during adaptive PE? My daughter just lost two amazing teachers this past week as part of a drastic measure to reduce the county's education debt of reportedly $3.5 million. We lost a total of 35 highly qualified teachers throughout the school district and will have a four-day school week starting in the fall. To make matters worse, Bekkah's middle school special ed teacher hasn't been guaranteed that she will get to stay, that she may have to fill the vacancy at the high school. It drives me crazy that our kids aren't considered in these formulas for cutting the budget. Kids with special needs have the most difficulty transitioning through unexpected changes.
I am very fortunate to live in a county--and in a time--when kids with special needs are more accepted than ever. I accompanied Bekkah on a recent overnight field trip where I witnessed firsthand the genuine love and acceptance her peers have for her. The middle and high schools have a club called Friends Helping Friends. Eighth graders and above volunteer to help in the special ed classrooms, organize an annual field day, and sponsor special outings... and new this year, they sponsored a dance for them during school hours. All the kids loved it, special or not. Of course, I think all the kids in this club are special in their own right.
So how does a culture of acceptance get totally missed by administration? "Why?"
1 comment:
I can't answer why as many times as you, but I can tell you we face many difficult things as parents of special needs children. I have witnessed in my life a sea change in attitudes for special needs children. My brother grew up in a different world than our daughter. We will do what special needs children's parent are used to doing. Find a way.
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