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".
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