Yesterday was our annual review and transition meeting from CPSE to CSE with the district. The whole process literally sucks the joy out of parenting my beautiful boys who happened to have been born with an extra 21st chromosome, a genetic condition known as Down syndrome.
Now it's true that the extra chromosomal material results in a syndrome of possible common conditions and/or symptoms for those born with it. But that doesn't mean that everyone with Down syndrome is the same or has the same medical, cognitive, or social/emotional characteristics as anyone else with Down syndrome. It doesn't mean that everyone with Down syndrome should be tucked quietly away into a special needs classroom separate from all the other "regular children" -- a phrase actually USED during my meeting and, whether it was meant that way or not, demeans children with Down syndrome and keeps them away (just like the institutions of yesterdayyear) from the general population instead of a making them a natural part of it... as it should be. Children with special needs should be embraced instead of hidden.
It's also true that the current Best Practices research supports educating children with Down syndrome -- and other children with special needs -- alongside their typical peers. That's why the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) law was created. Because it has been proven over and over again that educating children with special needs works BEST when they have peer role models to help them model the desired behaviors. The best outcomes academically and socially/emotionally occur when children with special needs are educated alongside their typical peers with appropriate supports in place to help them succeed. It's more effective AND less expensive!
So WHY does the CPSE-CSE committee insist on committing children with special needs to segregated classes and schools? Because the whole process is self-sustaining. At least in New York it is. New York is ranked 2nd in the United States for segregating children with special needs from the general population with regards to education. Without giving you an in depth history lesson, New York had the money to build and staff an intricate special education brick and mortar infrastructure to educate individuals with special needs after institutionalization lost favor as a best practice many many.... MANY years ago. Although research now shows that the education of children with special needs is most effective when it occurs side-by-side with typically developing children (as I said previously), New York continues to support and defend it's segregated special education infrastructure... Committing children with special needs to segregated educational environments -- schools and/or classrooms -- ensuring that the schools continue to exist, the classrooms continue to be staffed and the special education teachers continue to teach based on antiquated practices... certainly NOT Best Practice inclusion principles. You see, a lot of people would lose their jobs -- or the nature of their jobs would change -- if we actually did what's best for our children with special needs.
The CPSE-CSE is run by professionals in the special education arena. Their own jobs depend on sustaining the segregated environments New York and so many other states have supported for too many years. I choose NOT to be a part of this. I CHOOSE to be part of the solution in moving New York State forward and toward actually implementing best practices in educating children with Down syndrome and other children with special needs. It may take me awhile, but I WILL make a difference. I and my two boys will NOT succumb to illegal and ill-informed practices. One step, one class assignment, one child (or two in my case) at a time. I will not waiver because the future of MY children rely on ME to step up and fight for them... To make sure the CPSE-CSE committees and other education powers-that-be do what is right and best for them and others like them.
Join me. I'm on a mission to do what's best for my children and for all children with special needs despite the ill-informed efforts of the state's education system! I can't fail... I can't afford to! My boys' lives depend on it.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
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I am right here next to you on your crusade. We are our children's best advocates. I have no doubt in my mind that our sons will grow to be productive members of society and will make us proud. Yes, the road will be long and bumpy, but the rainbow at the end shines brightly waiting for us.
ReplyDeletesuper post!! How do you know NY is 2nd in the US for segregating? I'm just curious where you find information like that. I live in NC and would love to learn more about the state education program. :-)
ReplyDeletePave the way...
ReplyDeleteI gain strength by reading posts like this! We can be powerful advocates if we ban together.
I m NYC teacher and unfortunately children with special needs in a mainstream class are lost. At least in a smaller class size the teacher is able to collaborate with service providers. They are able to teach in small group because there are paras in the class to help with differentiated learning. A normal class can be over 26 students with one teacher. Reality is that one teacher isn't able to accommodate iep of students with special needs with over 25 kids to teach. I do agree that no student should feel isolated or segregated but wanted to give u a teachers view.
ReplyDeleteThe law requires special needs students with one or more impairments that effect their ability to learn be placed in general education with their non disabled peers with the maximum supports/service's/ and accommodations to the extent of the child's needs. Examples, special ed teacher goes to school with the child, consults for the gen ed teacher, modifications in how the special ed teaches the child in a way they can succeed.......longer time to move from activity to activity, time for gross motor to attend to his/her sensory needs, different seat to sit in such as ball, bean bag, or floor, sit away from doors/Windows, etc. All that doesn't effect the way the gen ed is taught to the other typical children. Even speech/auditory needs, braile book, headphones to block background noise, etc.....to the extent of the child's needs to be able to learn in a gen ed setting amongst peers. That law does not mean cutting services slowly as the child adjusts or constitute removal or alternate placement because the child needs the supports and services. All these should be on the child's iep or 504 plan to protect the child from gen ed policy for removal to breaking student code such as disturbing the class, or need for a break. My child is in public preschool and the district says he can't keep up with the gen ed kids, completely against the law, but they recommend a special class in a separate school from his twin brother and want me to agree to put him on a bus when he rarely expresses his need, sickness, or yell for help, although his vocabulary is large he is scared of new people. Yanking him out now after he adjusted and likes school and his peers would put him back at square one. The ny districts, well most of them are evil and do not put the students needs on the iep to protect themselves instead of the child. Shame on you all! I will file due process happily with state and federal complaints no matter what it takes!
ReplyDeleteThe law requires special needs students with one or more impairments that effect their ability to learn be placed in general education with their non disabled peers with the maximum supports/service's/ and accommodations to the extent of the child's needs. Examples, special ed teacher goes to school with the child, consults for the gen ed teacher, modifications in how the special ed teaches the child in a way they can succeed.......longer time to move from activity to activity, time for gross motor to attend to his/her sensory needs, different seat to sit in such as ball, bean bag, or floor, sit away from doors/Windows, etc. All that doesn't effect the way the gen ed is taught to the other typical children. Even speech/auditory needs, braile book, headphones to block background noise, etc.....to the extent of the child's needs to be able to learn in a gen ed setting amongst peers. That law does not mean cutting services slowly as the child adjusts or constitute removal or alternate placement because the child needs the supports and services. All these should be on the child's iep or 504 plan to protect the child from gen ed policy for removal to breaking student code such as disturbing the class, or need for a break. My child is in public preschool and the district says he can't keep up with the gen ed kids, completely against the law, but they recommend a special class in a separate school from his twin brother and want me to agree to put him on a bus when he rarely expresses his need, sickness, or yell for help, although his vocabulary is large he is scared of new people. Yanking him out now after he adjusted and likes school and his peers would put him back at square one. The ny districts, well most of them are evil and do not put the students needs on the iep to protect themselves instead of the child. Shame on you all! I will file due process happily with state and federal complaints no matter what it takes!
ReplyDelete