PERFECT EXAMPLE

I WANTED TO  SEPARATE MY THOUGHT BETWEEN THE 2 ENTRIES  EVEN THO THEY ARE  INNERTWINED THERE WAS A SPECIFIC INCIDENT THAT OCCURED ON CAMPUS YESTERDAY WHICH SPARKED THIS WHOLE TOPIC OF INCLUSION AND SEGREGATION OR THAT VERY UGLY WORD DISCRIMINATION.

I TOOK DAKOTA TO SCHOOL AS I DO EVERYDAY  WHEN  I WAS LEAVING THE CAMPUS I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A MOBILE IN-N-OUT BURGER  VAN PARKED AT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL . THERE WAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY AROUND IT AND THE PEOPLE WERE SETTING UP - I ASSUMED FOR LUNCH  MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO CALL TO THE CLASS AND TELL THEM  ABOUT  IT AND OFFER TO COME BACK AND BRING MONEY SPECIFICALLY FOR DAKOTA BUT PERHAPS ANY OF THE OTHER KIDS  THAT MIGHT BE  INTERESTED IN  GOING DOWN AT LUNCH TIME  AND GETTING A BURGER WITH ALL THE OTHER "TYPICAL" KIDS--PERFECT OPPORTUNITY  WE ALL LIKE TO EAT BURGERS -- A NON THREATENING ENVIROMENT; DONT  NEED TO MANY SOCIAL SKILLS AND DO NOT HAVE TO ENGAGE IN TOO MUCH "MINGLING " YET OPEN A DOOR TO THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING "SEEN".

WELL I THOUGHT IT OUT FOR MINUTE LONGER AND I THOUGHT:BETTER CALL THE SCHOOL FIRST AND ASK   ABOUT WHATS GOING ON.AFTER INTIALLY TALKING TO THE STUDENT RECEPRTIONIST I WAS PASSED TO A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR WHO WAS "IN-CHARGE" OF THIS EVENT. I ASKED HER ABOUT THE HAPPENINGS AND SHE REPIED OH - 'YES ITS BY INVITATION ONLY. " SHE FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS SET UP TO "REWARD " KIDS THAT HAD DONE WELL OR IMPROVED TEST SCORES. I ASKED " WELL WERE THE SPECIAL ED KIDS  INCLUDED IN THIS ?" "OH YES ANYONE WHO HAD TAKEN THE TEST AND DONE WELL!" I ASKED HER "WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM TESTING  BECAUSE OF THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS ??'{for anyone that doesnt know we have a waiver that many of our special students fall under because although they may be of "normal " intelligence or still have the ability to learn the TESTING PROCESS  does not accurately  measure their knowledge} SHE REPLIED "OH NO  I AM SORRY ITS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO TESTED" I SAID ""THANK YOU VERY MUCH -- EXCLUDED ONCE AGAIN " AND HUNG UP. 

NOW LET ME CLARIFY  I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AGAINST THOSE STUDENTS WHO HAVE IMPROVED AND DONE  WELL AND A RECOGNOTION  PROGRAM FOR THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT-- KUDOS    WHAT I TAKE ISSUE WITH IS THE FACT THAT "FAIR IS NOT NECESSARILY EQUAL"   HOW CAN A CHILD ACHIEVE THIS  RECOGNITION  IF HE /SHE WAS NEVER   ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE TESTING IN THE FIRST PLACE?  SOME OF THESE KIDS CAN TEST OUT AS HIGH AS THE "NORMAL" KIDS BUT THE SUPPORTS NEEDED TO AGUMENT THE TEST TO MEASURE THEIR K NOWLEDGE IS TOO EXTENSIVE TO PULL OFF  FOR THE SHOOL DISTRICT SO  THEY ARE EXEMPTED-- SOME OF THE OTHER  KIDS THE PARENTS CHOOSE TO EXEMPT THEM FROM TESTING BECAUSE IF THEY TEST TOO HIGH --LIKE ABOVE A 60  WHICH IS THE EQUIVILANT TO ABOUT FORREST GUMP  THEY WILL LOOSE ALL THEIR  SUPPORTS LIKE REGIONAL CENTER AND OTHERS WHO QUALIFY THEM FOR SERVICES. SO MY QUESTION IS  HOW  IS THAT FAIR TOO NOT INCLUDE THEM  IN AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS? WHAT BETTER EXAMPLE IS THERE TO TEACH OUR KIDS THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY OF MANY DIFFERENT KINDS AND THE LESSON  IS  INCLUSION?

WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS SAID IS THAT I DONT EXPECT ANYONE TO EMBRACE OR INCLUDE MY SON IF THEY ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH HIM OR HIS AUTISM  BUT WHAT I DO SAY IS IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT TO HIS DIGINTY TO TOLERATE HIM AS A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.                                         WHAT BETTER LESSON TO LEARN IN SCHOOL?? MAYBE ONE DAY WE WILL LEARN TO EMBRACE AND ACCEPT EACH OTHER {in the famous words of Mr. Rogers}"JUST THE WAY WE ARE".