September 5, 2008 9:44 AM
Loudoun County Public Schools inclusion: token or authentic?
Note to public school parents in Loudoun County and elsewhere:
Inclusion does not mean bringing a group of special needs kids into art class or the cafeteria and having them sit clumped together at their own table with only their assistant's attention.
This is stigmatizing and certainly not in the spirit of Least Restrictive Environment.
Some parents who've signed IEPs satisfied that their child will have a well-rounded day with opportunities for inclusion may not realize that this is their child's daily reality.
Schools and teachers using this practice out of habit should realize that while it may be more convenient, they need to raise the bar on their expectations of students with IEPS and the general population as well.
I would never have realized that this was common practice, except my kids have siblings and friends who tell me what really goes on. I may have fixed my own children's situations, but other parents might agree with me that it is in their child's best interest to be FULLY included rather than just in a corner of the same room.
When I expressed these concerns originally, I was told that some kids need a more protected, segregated situation at lunch - that their parents would prefer it. I have no problem with that. I'm all about parents knowing what's best for their kids.
What I have a problem with is segregation of special needs kids being a default position. As Eleanor Voldish of LARC (friend and advocate for parents like me) points out, unless there is a specific accommodation written into a student's IEP, the default position in the cafeteria is FULL inclusion, not token inclusion.
While teachers may say they are giving the special ed kids a choice, if they bring them into the cafeteria early (allegedly to give them extra time), of course they will sit together and be sitting there in the special needs ghetto when the other kids come in.
Think of the missed opportunities!
As a mom, I have to be ratcheting up my own performance all the time, challenging myself not to fall back on habit or convenience. I expect no less of teachers, who unlike me are being paid for this segment of their day.
I'd like to challenge all Loudoun teachers to rethink inclusion situations to see if the inclusion is token or authentic. This is not just for the sake of special ed students - for whom the benefits os higher expectations are clear - but the entire school population, which stands to gain by reinforcing values like acceptance, compassion and caring for others.
Parents of students with IEPs, I urge you not to think that the IEP meeting will take care of your child's educational needs. Be sure to take the time to go in to observe how that IEP is being carried out. Is your child FULLY included where you were left to believe he would be? Or is he stigmatized by being part of a group of special needs kids who are treated differently than others?
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As a mom of kids with special needs, I know that life is full of ups and downs. Not all of us have the time/energy/resources for quite a while to figure out the legal ins and outs we need to know to advocate for our children. Had it not been for a terrible experience I had 2006-2007, I might have floated along naively expecting that everyone was doing their job to the best of their abilities. My kids have had some wonderful teachers.
But as I began to bring myself up-to-speed I was able to be a better member of the IEP team, and today each of my kids has benefited enormously in their educational situations because of the time I finally invested and the amount of oversight and involvement I began to invest.
Don't wait like I did until something for a bump in your child's educational journey to get yourself up to speed (although if this happens, you can grab support from people like Eleanor Voldish). Best to be proactive. See Special ed, IEPs, Wrights Law and empowered parenting and Wrightslaw equips parents.
I still would love to see some parent - with skills I'm lacking - set up a discussion forum for parents of students with IEPs in Loudoun County. When one of us finds out about a systemic problem - like the practice of cafeteria segregation - and deals with it on behalf of our particular student, it would be good if that battle were fought on behalf of all the students who stand to benefit from it. That could happen if we could share our experiences. Anyone ready for this?
Posted in Disabilities, Inclusion, Loudoun County, Public schools | Permalink
Comments
Barbara, I've seen you mention this idea several times, and I think it's a good one. If the only thing holding you back is technical savvy, might I suggest using something like Google Groups (http://groups.google.com)?
You know me, whenever I want to do something I like to code my own specialized little program and host it on my server with its own domain name, etc. But I've found that for community based projects, using an establish service can be a real advantage.
* It's very easy to set up because it's designed for the average web user. Since you already have a Google account, you basically just name your group and set a couple of preferences.
* Lots of people already have Google accounts, so they don't have to sign up for something new, just join your group.
* They may even already be familiar with Google Groups from other groups, and won't have to learn to use yours.
* Because people know Google Groups is there, they may have an easier time finding your group than if it was on its own domain.
Just a suggestion.
Posted by: Michelle Potter | September 5, 2008 3:48 PM
