Special Education - One Teacher's Thoughts: Questions Evolving Out of the Broad Issue of Sp. Ed.

» Baugh - Questions Evolving Out of the Broad Issue of Sp. Ed.

Bats' article (and, site) is (are) much appreciated. As both a parent of two disagnosed,
"special education" girls, and as a classroom teacher (4th grade), I maintain a dual
perspective which tends to drive some people nuts.

A third major question evolving out of the original (94-142) and subsequent embellishments (but, not answered by any), is the pertinent issue of conflicting rights. Specifically, are there limits to "complex equity", especially when considering
the effect of a highly-intrusive, problem-behaviored, included child on the regular
classroom. Full-inclusionists (however defined),
tend to answer in the negative.
I, more often than not, disagree.

"Complex equity" refers to the notion that it takes "more" of everything (money, teacher time'
energy, and tolerance on the part of everyone) to
"level the playing field" for many special eduation children. The price of equity is, at least in a temporary sense, inequity. As both a
parent and teacher I subscribe to this notion.
However, I believe that it has to have limits.

There is nothing explicit is any federal legislation (although there is some LOCAL jurisprudence) which requires a school district to keep "included" in the regular classroom children
so disruptive to the learning environment so as to
essentially shut it down. My moral, ethical, and
professional values will not allow me to agree with that. Protestations of all else to the contrary, the value of one does not override the
value of twenty-five.

(As Bats has heard a variation of this on a mutually shared list, she may well have tired of it.)

John_Baughman@everett.wednet.edu

-- posted by Baugh