[JerryS]

First, a lot of the money in the special education budget does go to children of normal or even above-average abilities who happen to have physical, behavioral or emotional disabilities. Two of my children received services, although they are of normal intelligence. This clearly differs from school system to school system, and we were lucky. That being said, there is some merit to your question. Our oldest son (who is physically disabled, by the way) is a special education teacher, and in his first teaching job his major work was to change diapers, wipe drool and touch the students with interesting textures. One might well ask what, aside from eliciting the occasional gurgle from one of his charges, was the point. I suppose it comes down to compassion, which by definition doesn’t have well-defined boundaries.

User Detail :  

Name : JerryS, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 52, City : New Britain, State : CT, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[K.]

I’ve worked with disabled children and ‘normal’ children from low socioeconomic areas in public school settings. I often compare the educational facilities provided for both groups, and the disabled children certainly seem to receive the best educational resources and most support. Unfortunately, many of the ‘normal’ children become lost in the educational system, fall behind in their schoolwork and develop behavioral problems. It’s very disheartening to see potential go to waste. I often feel it would be better if this situation were reversed and the normal children received the ‘special’ education. The achievments of the disabled children rarely amount to much, so would it really matter if they received a substandard education?

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Name : K., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 22, City : Sydney, State : NA, Country : Australia, Occupation : Educator, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Julia27017]

I cannot believe that you worked with special needs children and still have the impression that their achievements don’t count for much. I know it wasn’t the point of the question, but I was very offended. I hope that my little brother’s teacher doesn’t hold the same view as you do.

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Name : Julia27017, Gender : F, City : Arlington, State : VA, Country : United States, 

[Wanjiru]

It is sad that in today’s society, where all strive for perfection, there is little room for those considered ‘imperfect.’ I am glad that in the United States all that money is being poured into those disadvantaged mentally and physically. I wish the same were happening here in Kenya. Perhaps you need to change careers, because all are the same in the eyes of God, and we cannot measure success in terms of achievements only. Success is in the process of trying and the strength one gets out of it.

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Name : Wanjiru, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : African, Religion : Christian, Age : 28, City : Nairobi, State : NA, Country : Kenya, Occupation : Social Worker, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Glen]

You clearly don’t know what it is like to be disabled. I have a sight problem that isn’t that serious, but I know people with much more severe disabilities than mine. Everyday life is challenging for them, so of course they won’t achieve what ‘normal’ people would. When they do achieve something, though, they are incredibly proud, even if it seems a simple task to others. To achieve something often means you overcome something that is difficult, whether you are disabled or not. Different people achieve different things, and it means different things to the individuals. Don’t push disabled people aside. They have a lot to offer. It’s sad that people like you don’t realize that.

User Detail :  

Name : Glen, Gender : M, Disability : Partially sighted, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 19, City : Exeter, State : NA, Country : United Kingdom, Occupation : Student, 

[DD31832]

I must say that I, too, was offended by the suggestion that educational resources allocated to the disabled are being ‘wasted’ and could be better used elsewhere. As a disabled person (I have been confined to a wheelchair since age six), I am appalled by such a suggestion. We are as entitled to an education as the next person, and yes, we can learn as well (or better) as them in spite of (or perhaps due to) our physical limitations. I hold a Ph.D. in molecular biology – not an easy task even for so-called ‘normal’ people. I feel that everyone is entitled to an education, no matter what their situation in life. Would it be fair to limit access to an education only to those from middle- to upper-class areas – since statistically those from the lower social-economic areas are more likely to end up as criminals or on drugs? Wouldn’t that be a waste of our resources as well?

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Name : DD31832, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : Paralyzed, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 26, City : Toronto, Ontario, State : NA, Country : Canada, Occupation : Molecular Biologist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, 

[Alex29055]

The justification is as follows: most people start out on an even playing field (or should, but we’ll get into that later) and thus all have an equal chance for success. Disabled children, on the other hand, start with a disadvantage and more resources are necessary to balance things out. Of course not all normal children start out evenly due to economic situations so you really need to back up and look at how the entire education system in most societies work. Schools are funded locally thus middle and upper class areas start with a huge resource advantage while lower class schools have little in comparison. Kind of like the rest of life.

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Name : Alex29055, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 19, City : Beloit, State : WI, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Jeff Cobner]

Thats the way the world is. Why do bad drivers who cant get insurance can pay 400 bucks to wave having it, while good drivers pay through the nose for insurance?

User Detail :  

Name : Jeff Cobner, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : Blind and wheelchair, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 25, City : Richmond, State : VA, Country : United States, Occupation : College Student, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Lower class, 

[Bobbie Jo]

I can’t believe you would say such a thing. My brother was in a car accident when he was in high school and it left him in a coma. The doctors told us he would never come out of the coma, and if he did he would be a vegetable for the rest of his life. They wanted us to pull the plug on him, but we refused. He finally came out of the coma 6 months later, on Christmas Day 1988, and he was left quadraplegic. He had to be in a nursing home for quite some time, but from that nursing home he went back to school. He finished High School in regular and special edclasses. His graduation was one of the proudest days of my life. It was the first time I saw him walk. He walked across the stage to get his diploma. While he was going to school he was going to therapy also. He was working so hard to do all this. Today, 14 years later, he can talk and walk (with a walker). So all of the money spent on special ed is not wasted in the slightest. That is only one example of this. There are so many others in this world. I don’t know where you have been working but it sounds like you need to pay a little bit more attention.

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Name : Bobbie Jo, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 28, City : Temple, State : GA, Country : United States, Occupation : Housewife, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[michelle20544]

The achievments of the disabled children rarely amount to much, so would it really matter if they received a substandard education? ….this is what I read. How sad this makes me to think that this is a wide view. I have a brother who has Down Syndrome. My mother spent many years fighting for schooling that would teach him the skills to be a great memeber of society. He is now 27 and an inspiration to so many people with his talents. I’ve seen special education do great things in the lives of people and I have also seen when people have been brushed aside do to their disabilities. As our culture accepts all differences more I hope resentment passes away.

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Name : michelle20544, Age : 24, City : atlanta, State : GA, Country : United States, 

[Nicole]

I find it disheartening and even appalling that an educator could say something like that… especially since I am going into the field! My youngest sister has a mental disability, and yes, even though her achievements will not be as substantial as someone who is not disabled, they will still be substantial to her and to the rest of our family… especially when she graduates and walks across the stage with her diploma. Also, the education programs they get differ a lot from those in a ‘normal’ education program. For instance, at my sister’s school 3 out of her 4 classes are about living in the real world, and the one that isn’t about the real world is an art class because she is very creative and our parents, as well as her teachers agreed that she needed a creative outlet while at school.

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Name : Nicole, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 19, City : Davenport, State : IA, Country : United States, Occupation : College Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[TM24636]

A child with a disabilty is already at a disadvantage when he or she comes into school. Services and resources are set up for them only to create what is hoped to be an equal level to children without disabilities. If special education resources were eliminated, what would be your solution to educating students with disabilities? Institutionalization?

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Name : TM24636, City : Albany, State : NY, Country : United States, 

[D]

Recently we were forced to make the choice of whether our autistic son, would recieve a grand total of 2hrs early intervention services, or 8hrs at a special school. Additionally he shares an aide at preschool with another boy for 6hrs between them. He gets a great deal less access to preschool than a ‘normal’ child would. To get access to these services required me to beg, cry, chalm, cajole, scream at people almost full time for the past year. At this point, before he even attends general school the process has left me utterly exhausted. Why? Because many people with the power to make a decision in this regard, be they a preschool parent on a committee or a petty beaureaucrat, share your attitude. The reason my son gets his small share of the resources available is because that I do not accept that we are ‘stealing’ from these so-called ‘normal’ children, and because parents like ourselves are forced to advocate for our children every step of the way – if we don’t our children get nothing. Frankly, if I had a choice, I wouldn’t want you ‘educating’ any of my kids. Try to walk a mile in our shoes and live this every day. Your inability to empathise makes me think you should not be an educator AT ALL, let alone of special needs children.

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Name : D, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 35, City : Melbourne, State : NA, Country : Australia, Occupation : Parent, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Ems25408]

Resources are poured into these childern because just to come to a ‘Normal’ school they have demonstrated a gift. A gift to rise above incredible challenges. Shall I tell you why its important? The disabled were included in the right to education without prejudice. Because without the extra resources my Autistic brother would never have discovered speech, friends, a gift for impressions, an aptitude for engineering. Because for those few short school years these children are given a push to become valuable members of a society which too often in later life will reject, ridicule and ignore them. By giving them extra chances now they are allowing them to grow. Please if you cant find compassion then you are in the wrong job take it from someone woho has worked and lived with the kids that resources are ‘wasted’ on. If you dont go home at least once a week and weep over a childs progress or the struggles they have had then this isnt the right position for you.

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Name : Ems25408, City : Enland, State : WY, Country : United Kingdom, 

[Deanna]

I wonder if some people realize how gifted some of the disabled can be. My son has autism, and while your first impression of him, since he talks funny, is that he is mentally challenged, this is not the case at all. He is ahead of his ‘normal’ peers in reading and writing, with them on almost everything else, is very alert to his surroundings, and has a memory that astounds his teachers. He cannot always express himself verbally, but I think a good educator can get past that. Had he not had the services that he got, he might still be nonverbal, in a diaper, uncaring about anything but flipping his fingers in front of his eyes. Don’t knock special education for these kids. As far as I am concerned, not enough is spent on them. It can mean the difference between a person having to be taken care of all their life versus someone who is able to function partially or fully in society. Some autistics who didn’t speak or weren’t potty trained until they were 8 or 9 have college degrees. What if someone had thought they weren’t worth the services they received?

User Detail :  

Name : Deanna, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 34, City : Belvidere, State : IL, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

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