SILENT SEGREGATION

I DO BELIEVE,  FOR THE MOST PART THAT THESE PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE WHAT THEY ARE DOING . THAT THEY ARE DISPLAYING THE SAME MENTALITY THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THIS COUNTRY  MANY TIMES DURING HER HISTORY YET HERE IT IS AGAIN--ONLY THIS TIME IT IS  DIRECTED TOWARD A POPULATION THAT CANT EVEN STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES! YES I AM TALKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGED OR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD  IN THE SCHOOL ENVIROMENT.
YOU WOULD THINK AND EXPECT THAT ALL KIDS WOULD BE SAFE AND TREATED  FAIRLY IN AN EDUCATIONAL  SETTING BUT I SADLY REPORT AS A  MOTHER WHO IS ON CAMPUS  EVERYDAY, IT IS JUST NOT HAPPENING. MY OBSERVATION COME FROM WITNESSING THIS SAME TYPE OF BEHAVIOR AGAIN AND AGAIN AND ON CAMPUS AFTER CAMPUS.
IT IS THE SILENT SEGREGATION PRACTICED BY THE MAJORITY OF EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS. TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, OFFICE STAFF,OH AND LETS  NOT FORGET THE PRINCIPLES ! ALL SAY THAT THEY WELCOME OUR CHILDREN AND THEY HAVE A PLACE IN SCHOOL JUST LIKE THE OTHERS KIDS , TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AND BE INCLUDED WHILE THEY DISCRIMINATE IN THEIR SILENCE.
EVERY SINGLE EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE "NORMAL" KIDS THATS ITS  OK TO NOT RECOGNIZE ,ACKNOWLEDGE OR INCLUDE THESE CHILDREN  WHEN THEY THEMSELVES DO NOT MAKE THE EFFORT TO DO SO BY SETTING THE EXAMPLE. SPECIFICALLY I AM TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF OF NUERO-TYPICAL KIDS NOT TAKING AN EXTRA STEP TO EVEN  SAY HELLO TO A CHALLENGED KID IN THE HALLWAY, OR GOING OVER AND ENGAGING IN A LITTLE CONVERSATION AS THEY PASS THEM IN THE CAFETERIA, OFFERING THEM A PLACE TO SIT WITH A CLASS DURING AN ASSEMBLY ,TELLING THEM OR THEIR TEACHERS ABOUT AN OPPORTUNITY  ON CAMPUS THAT MIGHT WORK  FOR BLENDING THE COMMUNITY-- MAYBE A CHOIR PRACTICE OR AN SPORTS ACTIVITY ON CAMUS. THE ABSENSE OF THIS  EFFORT IS A SILENT SIGNAL TO THE "NORMAL" KIDS THAT ITS  OK TO IGNORE, EXCLUDE OR WORSE YET MAKE FUN OR A SPECTICAL OUT OF THESE KIDS. TEACHERS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL STAFF  ARE SUPPOSE TO BE THE LEADERS, THE ONES WHO SET THE EXAMPLES ON CAMPUS . EVERYTIME A SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT DOESNT GET RECOGNIZED , INCLUDED OR PASSED UP FOR AN OPPORTUNITY BY THESE PROFESSIONALS  IT SENDS A MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR TO THE OTHER STUDENTS THATS  ITS  "OK" TO INGNORE AND SEGREGATE THEMSELVES FROM A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD FINALLY  CONQUERED THIS IN THE 60'S . WE ARE A PATCHWORK QUILT IN THIS COUNTRY AND WHAT MAKES US SO UNIQUE IS THAT COMPLEX BLENDING OF EVERYONE-- WHETHER YOUR HAIR IS STRAIGHT OR CURLY , WHETHER YOU HAVE FRECKLES OR WARTS,TALL OR SHORT, FAT OR SKINNY, ASIAN BLACK OR WHITE WE ARE ALL PEOPLE WHO DESERVE THE COMMON COURTESEY OF BEING INCLUDED AND RECOGNIZED AS  LIVING CREATURES ON THIS EARTH. AND WHERE BETTER TO LEARN THIS THAN AT SCHOOL? FROM  THE PEOPLE THAT WE SOMETIMES CARRY WITH US FOR THE REST OF OUR  LIVES AS THE ONE SHINING EXAMPLE OF A PERSON WHO CHANGED OUR LIVES OR DID SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE US REMEMBER THEM .
I KNOW ITS EASY TO SAY WOW I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT EVERY PARENT OF EVERY CHILD  THAT HAS SPECIAL NEEDS  NEVER STOPS THINKING ABOUT IT.  NEVER STOPS WISHING THAT THEIR CHILD WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE EVEN JUST ONE "NORMAL" THING  ESPECIALLY AT SCHOOL. TO BE ABLE TO NOT BE THOUGHT OF AS THE KIDWITH THE CRUTCHES OR THE FUNNY "TICKS" BUT TO BE THOUGHT OF AS
JUST ANOTHER  KID.