that they are ignored like most social issues are. We started advocating for our children in the late 50s by standing on street corners selling hot dogs and soda to raise money for the schools that we ran in church basement because the schools did not serve our population even though we were taxed for the schools. Finally because we lobbied for their inclusion our children were moved into the school system. Special Education was given rooms and teachers of their own. Later some students were mainstreamed because the classes included some members who could benefit from regular classes. Each student was provided with a IEP (Individual Education Plan) based on their needs and their abilities.
That is were we are at today until the school testing started reducing the methods used to teach these students. Today we are under attack from what people are calling education reform. As a parent I believe that the Special Ed students should be exempted totally from these tests because they do not contribute anything to their needs and are not at all based on their abilities. They also drag schools that serve this population down compared to schools that do not. Arne Duncan does not seem to recognize any of this. What he is doing will end all of the progress we parents have worked for since the 50s. If his privatization of education is allowed to continue Special Ed will once again find itself in the church basement with no funding. Arne is using the disaster capitalism model to get rid of public schools and Special Education.
In case President Obama doesn't know it we voted for change and the change we wanted was an end to trickle down disaster capitalism form of economics. He needs to get rid of Arne Duncan and replace him with someone who actually believes in the public schools and Special Education. To hell with the testing that benefits only the charter/private schools who teach only the top students. We already have an economic 1% we do not need an educational 1%.
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