Humpty Meets Dumpty. Again.

Having a particular interest in special education (gee, I wonder why), I subscribe to a couple of Education newsletters. They're both US-based, of course, but something is better than nothing, says I.

So it was that today I came across a synopsis in Education Week stating that a Tennessee Senator wants to pass a law requiring counselors and other school officials who learn that a student has engaged in homosexual activity to report this information to the parents. Thinking that this sounded interesting in a warped sort of way (and admitting that the thought that some right-wing politician strikes again did cross my mind), I clicked on the story.

The only thing is that (in my reading, at least) the story doesn't quite work as advertised - what the synopsis and article purport to say and what the proposed Bill actually says simply do. not. mesh.

The proposed Bill, you see, would provide that

1. classroom instruction, course materials and other informational resources that are "inconsistent with natural human reproduction" will be classified as" inappropriate" for students from pre-K - Gr 8;
2. any counseling by a school counselor, nurse, principal or assistant principal of a student who is "engaging in, or who may be at risk of engaging in, behavior injurious" to their or another's "physical or mental health and wellbeing" must be done, if possible, in consultation with the student's parents and the parents must be notified that such counseling has occurred; and
3. the parents must be notified of a student "whose circumstances present immediate and urgent safety issues involving human sexuality".

And that, right there, is the problem, you see. Or, at least, the problem I see.

Because, for me at least, a requirement that the parents be notified in the case of a student whose "circumstances present immediate and urgent safety issues involving human sexuality" is very different from requiring notification in the case of homosexual activity. This despite the fact that it would appear that the good Senator, himself, might believe otherwise.

Admitting that, if perhaps you are a total homophobic, you might consider any and all homosexual activity to present immediate and urgent safety issues involving human sexuality, might I suggest that just because you say it or think it does not make it so?

Don't get me wrong, I am not making a comment on the "rightness", "wrongness" or "morality" of homosexuality; what I am saying is I find it very hard (read: impossible) to make the stretch that would equate homosexuality with "urgent safety issues".

The Senator, apparently, considers homosexuality to constitute an urgent safety issue because of the possibility of contracting HIV and AIDS. Putting aside the rather awkward fact that you can also contract HIV through heterosexual contact, doesn't any form of sexual activity open you up to the possibility of contracting various sexually-transmitted diseases (some of them pretty nasty, by the way)?

And, by the by, doesn't heterosexuality by a female open her up to the possibility of pregnancy, which some might see as potentially dangerous (be it physically, emotionally or mentally) depending on the age of said female? We are, after all, talking about students here.

But. Back to my original point (yes, of course, I had one; why do you ask?).

Much along the lines of 'Humpty Dumpty Strikes Again', just because you say it doesn't make it so. And, just as an aside, when you attempt to legislate, you might just want to choose your words carefully. Or else you may just run the risk of legislating "human reproduction" right out of existence, which I'm thinking might have some might nasty consequences, in and of itself.

The Law of Unintended Consequences being what it is.

Knee Meet Jerk

A knee jerk reaction is defined as:

an immediate unthinking emotional reaction produced by an event or statement to which the reacting person is highly sensitive; - in persons with strong feelings on a topic, it may be very predictable.

Synonyms (or perhaps more accurately, symptoms) include:

pavlovian response, absence of thought, automatic reaction,gut reaction, involuntary impulse

So what do you think? Generally speaking ... a good or bad thing?

Now tell me what you think of this.

A 17-year-old high school student has been suspended (and might face expulsion) for writing a dark poem that mentioned the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Her "crime" was, perhaps, one line in the poem; namely a statement that she understood what drove Adam Lanza to do what he did.

But since I'm a big fan of context, let's see how the poem actually read.

They wanna hold me back.
I run, but they still attack.
My innocence, I won't get back.
I use to smile.
They took my kindness for weakness.
The silence the world will never get.
I understand the killings in Connecticut.
I know why he pulled the trigger.
The government is a shame.
Society never wants to take the blame.
Society puts these thoughts in our head.
Misery loves company.

Her poem actually reminds me of something I read in a high school English class. An assigned reading. I can't quite recall now whether it was meant to be a suicide note or something written and handed in by the young man as part of a class assignment, shortly before he hung himself but I believe the latter.

At any rate, that poem has stuck with me my whole life. Not the exact words, of course, but the ideas, the pictures and thoughts remain bright in my mind.

Written in the the third person, the poem told the story of a little boy who started school so full of energy, curiosity and a desire to learn. So full of life. It goes on to tell what the school experience was like from his perspective and although my memory falters in some places, the ending remains crystal clear. Essentially, from his perspective, school had sucked all the colour out of life (starting with things as simple as being repeatedly told to "colour within the lines" in the primary grades), emphasizing demanding conformity in writing, dress and actions. It the end, it sucked the very life out of him.

That was assigned reading in a high school English class and despite the subject matter, it was a very good poem. Both from the perspective of how it was written and because it accomplished what I believe literature, at its best, is meant to accomplish: it made you stop and think. To this day, that little boy still comes back to haunt me.

Now, you might quite rightly point out that poem was assigned in a different time - a time when "school shootings" were unheard of, at any level. In a more innocent time, a time when parents felt safe sending their children to school. When horrors such as Sandy Hook were unimaginable, even in the movies. So it was.

But one of my immediate reactions when I first read that poem (which has stuck with me to this day and makes me think that it was something the young man handed in at school before he took his own life) was to wonder why ... why no one had paid attention to what he had to say, why no one could hear his scream for help, why he was simply given a grade and handed the poem back.

Much like reading the article about Courtni Webb and her poem makes me wonder why.

Why, if the school took this matter so seriously, did they simply suspend her? Did anyone sit down and actually talk to her before this decision was made? Was the first question that crossed administration's mind really "Should we suspend her"? Really? Seriously?

Did it occur to anyone to actually express some concern about the girl, herself? If the poem is to be interpreted as the school so obviously has, shouldn't there have some concern for the state of her mental health? Did we learn nothing from Sandy Hook? Other than that lesson pounded into granite for so many years? Cover. Your. Ass.

But you know what?

I really doubt whether anyone talked too much to Courtni about what she may or may have been thinking when she wrote this poem. But realizing that I am only basing this on the short interview I've watched where Courtni explained the poem, how about if you tell me what you think.



Sociopathic killer? Potential mass murderer? Possibly, I suppose. We are all well aware that we live in a world where anything, indeed, is possible.

Or, perhaps, merely (an apparently bright) high school student using her writing to work through her feelings?

I didn't hear a threat of violence in her words. Which has to make me wonder if the blunt mechanism of suspension was not used because she supposedly somehow violated a zero-tolerance policy or because of a perceived threat of violence, as alleged but simply to "punish" the young woman for her lack of good taste in writing such things so soon after all those little children were so senselessly murdered.

Either way, whether Courtni was actually contemplating violence or simply writing a poem, threatening and intending to threaten no one, if that poem caused concern for those who knew her, the first priority should have been (and should continue to be) her mental health.

Knee. Meet. Jerk.

World Record

I think we just set the record for the world's shortest IPP meeting. Ever. Well, at least the shortest one I've ever attended in 15 years of being involved with special education.

The funny thing is how I walked out of the world's shortest IPP meeting feeling quite good about the whole thing. Better than I have in the past 3 years of IPP meetings, in fact. And that after half an hour as opposed to the usual 1.5 - 2 hour meetings.

The reason, you ask? Might shorter, in and of itself, actually be better?

No. No, not at all. In fact, we have another IPP meeting scheduled for next week (minus the subject teachers who were present today but with the addition of the autism specialist) that I am sure will run much closer to what I am use to.

No, here, my dear friends, is the difference. Today's meeting was (finally) chaired by a Resource teacher that gets it.

Previous Resource teachers, although extremely experienced, who should have (and, no doubt, did) know their stuff, were so stuck in their ways of doing things that there was absolutely no room for anything different.

Did I mention there was no room? Because, really. There. Was. No. Room.

I'm sorry, but the term dinosaur does come to mind. While they may have been very good at what they did many years ago, they clearly couldn't (or, I'm thinking, more likely wouldn't) adapt to the times. It was their way. Or the highway.

But our current Resource teacher, while relatively new to "Intensive Resource", has family members with disabilities and he really seems to get it. To get the importance of life skills for a young adult like the Blue Jay. To get the importance of life skills for so many of the students in that class.

I can actually see him building a resource program that will be so much better than what this school previously had. I can actually see it benefiting so many more students. My only real complaint is that the Blue Jay didn't have access to such a program three years ago, when she first entered high school, as she should have.

Well, that and the fact that when our previous dinosaurs teachers ruled the land, nobody (and I mean nobody) seemed to have any issue with the way things were done or the way they insisted things had to be done. They were backed up all the way.

Nope, nobody had any issues with them. Nobody except me, that is.

Interestingly enough, now that they've retired, I am finding people starting to agree with what I've consistently been saying (and thinking) for the past couple of years - that things didn't have to be (and, in fact, shouldn't have been) done their way. That, dare I say it, these particular teachers were the problem.

Apparently, now they are. But then they weren't. Go figure.

Legal Edumucation

It looks like the South Shore Regional School Board finally got themselves some.

This story has received so much play over the past week that I seriously considered not wasting my life time with it, but ... really, I couldn't resist.

Not when I've waxed poetic (or not) so many times before on exactly this sort of thing. (Ah, the good old days ... the fun we would have had with this at Lex's. But I digress.)

"Whazzup now?", you ask.

Let me see ... how to explain this?

Oh, I don't know. What say we just cut right to the stupidity?

The dispute arose after Grade 12 student William Swinimer was suspended from his school in Chester Basin for continuing to wear a shirt with the slogan, ``Life is wasted without Jesus.''

He says on his Facebook site that he did it to stand up for the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution.

Pynch-Worthylake says Swinimer and his pastor have agreed to take part in the debate that will look at how to ensure students' rights are not violated, while protecting other students from criticism.

She says it's not clear what the school will do if Swinimer wears the shirt when he returns to classes Monday.

Pynch-Worthylake said the school tried working out a solution with Swinimer before suspending him.

However, the 19-year-old says the school’s disciplinary action infringes on his right to freedom of religious expression.

“I do a lot of witnessing in school,” he said. “People talk to me and they ask me about my religion and I tell them.”

That has got him sent to the principal’s office in the past, Swinimer said.

“They say that it’s hate speech and that it hurts people’s feelings, but I don’t hate anybody.”
However, Pynch-Worthylake said the t-shirt's wording offends some people at the school because it tells them their beliefs are wrong.

“So let's recap, shall we?

A 19-year-old teen likes to take wear his favourite blankie T-shirt to school. Which just happens to read "Life is Wasted Without Jesus".  Apparently this T shirt makes at least some of the staff and students very, very unhappy. So unhappy that he is repeatedly asked not to wear said shirt. And when he doesn't heed these requests, he is given in-school suspensions. Repeated in-school suspensions.  Until this last 5-day out-of-school suspension given last week.

At which time he is warned, in no uncertain terms, that if he wears the T-shirt to school again, he will could be suspended for the rest of the year. The kid is in Grade 12. Hence, a suspension for the rest of the year means he would fail to graduate this year.

Want to hear the school board's reasoning in this regard?

If it said My Life is Wasted Without Jesus, that would be fine” because it expresses a personal belief, she said.

But the T-shirt he wore went further by telling non-Christians their lives are wasted, she said.

The school has asked Swinimer to replace it with a shirt that communicates his Christian faith without violating others’ beliefs, but he has refused, Pynch-Worthylake said.

Uh huh.

So it's okay to wear a shirt that says "My Life is Wasted Without Jesus"  but because the kid's shirt dares to state that "Life is Wasted Without Jesus", that might make someone else feel bad. And that's not just a problem.

Nope. It's A. Problem.

This whole thing is ridiculous in my mind but what really got me going on the subject was a news story last week stating that the Board intended to consult with a "human rights expert" on this issue.  I can only assume that they found someone with half a clue about human rights law, which is the reason they now say the kid can wear the T-shirt to school.

Really? Without a rest-of-the-year suspension?

Sure. With a little bit of back-tracking, of course.

“For us, it never really was about the one shirt,” Pynch-Worthylake said Friday.

Right. Gotchya.

Now, I realize that this kid might well have some other issues (around proselytizing witnessing to his peers). And I can fully understand how that might cause some problems at the school. But I think the Board was pretty clear in just about every news story - they wanted the shirt gone, it was wearing the shirt that got him suspended and would result in a further, harsher suspension.

So tell me, about that human rights edumucation. Just what will it take to get this simple concept through people's heads?

Listen carefully, class, I do not want to have to say this again.

And, yes, there will be an exam.

1. Although there is a right not to discriminated against (on certain enumerated grounds), there is no right not to offended.
2. And, as I've said before "... rude and insensitive remarks do not constitute discrimination. They are simply rude and insensitive remarks. Period. Full stop."

I know, I know. My snarkinesss is showing, Just a wee bit. My apologies but it's been a bit of a long life.

But seriously, people, should you doubt what we face .... yes, I do realize it's the "media", but please, I do expect somewhat better in Canada. The CTV Atlantic News ran a poll* the other day asking what people thought about this issue. 

The three choices looked something like this.

• It's okay. Everyone has the right to wear whatever they want to school. It's free speech.
• Religious messages are okay in school as long as they don't discriminate against another religion.
• No religious messages at all should be allowed at school.

Anybody see a problem with these choices?

The closest one that worked for me, personally, was No. 2. But that implied stated that a religious message could "discriminate" against another religion. And, frankly, I can't see how that could work. At any rate, it certainly didn't apply in this case.

Oh well, it's nice to see that at least some people in our Province are imbued with the least common sense of all. Which, by the way, would include a national atheists’ organization, the Atlantic Jewish Council, the Islamic Association of Nova Scotia and a provincial opposition leader.

Heh.

* For anyone truly worried about the state of "free speech" in Nova Scotia, you should be happy to know that close to 75% of the respondents to that CTV poll picked either No. 1 or 2, above. And the majority picked No. 1.

Success

About our little adventure in trying to get out youngest daughter into that private school for learning disabilities ... I have only one word to say.

Success.

Okay, maybe nine words ... Thank you Lord. And Thank you Dept of Education.

And, trust me, the latter are not words you would ever often hear me say.

Next up is applying for the Tuition Support Supplement and seeing how much of a bursary she migtt be eligible for but we are definitely over the biggest hurdle...

Hard

So it's been a bit quiet around here the last few weeks. Meaning quiet at Free Falling. Not exactly so quiet in my life.

Having made a very last minute (although not because it was left to the last minute) decision to try and get the Kit Kat into our local, extremely expensive private learning disabilities school, it has, in fact, been rather crazy around here.

This was something we had been contemplating two or three years ago but because our school board refuses to give IPPs to students with learning disabilities and, without an IPP, a student in Nova Scotia isn't eligible for the substantial chunk of funding available through the Province's Tuition Support Program ... it pretty well seemed out of reach at the time.

So imagine my surprise when, sitting in a meeting with the Minister of Education a couple of weeks ago on what I thought were totally practically unrelated issues, I happened to spontaneously bring this issue up in a  discussion concerning inequality between school boards and I was told that students in our particular school board didn't need an IPP to access the program.  After picking my jaw up off the floor, I made a valiant effort to move on with the meeting because, trust me, I couldn't actually say out loud what I was thinking at the time. 

You see, back when this issue had come a few years ago I had approached the Dept of Education with the fact that our Board refused to provide IPPs for LD students and was told that no, I must be mistaken, that wasn't allowed but they would check into it and get back to me. When they finally did get back to me, a few months later, I was given the brush off with some comment to the effect that perhaps my daughter didn't require an IPP. 

Given that my Mom had been recently diagnosed with a terminal condition (this was about six to eight months before she passed away), I wasn't in any position to take on the battle so I let it slide.  And then, suddenly there I was being told that this change in requirements about the necessity of an IPP had been made right about the same time as I had made my enquiries of the Department. Imagine that ... funny how no one had bothered to let me in on that little secret.

At any rate, such began the mad rush to once again check out the school and begin the stack of paperwork needed to 1) apply for admission; 2) apply to the government for Tuition Support funding; and 3) apply for a bursary.  Because given our current financial situation, unfortunately there's very little we can contribute at the moment to the cause. Although I might point out that, ironically enough, back when I had initially inquired about this (and was turned away), we had actully been in a position where we could have contributed something to the cause.

And, oh yes, lest we forget, one more little detail to be taken care of ... the person who had advised me in that meeting that students from our Board didn't need an IPP to qualify for the Tuition Support program quickly backpedalled when I phoned him up a few days later; no, of course, he hadn't said that; what he had had meant to say said was that new program parameters now allowed a student to be "working towards an IPP".  Whatever that means. 

Well, apparently that meant that I had to very quickly call a meeting of the Kit Kat's Program Planning Team at her former school (wait, did she even have a Program Planning Team??!!) to see if they would agree that she should be working towards an IPP. 

But all things come to those who wait work hard enough ... or so I hope, anyway.

The private school agreed that the Kit Kat could start with the other students the first day of school even though we didn't (and still don't) know if we will get any funding from the Province.

And the Kit Kat ... well, let's just say she's working on "adjusting" to her new reality, tenuous as it might be.  She had been completely behind this move and I had warned her to think long and hard about it before I put the works in motion because once I started, there would be no turning back. I had also pointed out that her biggest challenge in the new school would most likely be her lack of friends.  Because it's hard for any teenager to change schools and make new friends.  And it's even harder for a kid with a learning disability. And harder again still for a kid with a nonverbal learning disability.

So, while we still don't know if we will get the funding to make this work, we remain hopeful.  And if the answer is no, there is, of course, always an appeal process. Oh joy, oh bliss.

In the meantime, while we await word on that and the Kit Kat adjusts to some very big changes in her life, I have now begun the even larger stack of paper work necessary to get some additional services for the Blue Jay. Because, one thing about my kids, they never want to play second fiddle to the other. Meaning if one is demanding all of my time and attention, the other one will be sure to soon follow.

Creative Writing - Potential Op Ed Piece

UPDATE: This was published as an op ed piece in the Chronical Herald on May 19, 2011. Not quite the headline I was going for but we will take what we can get.

It's a good thing I'm not Ralph from The Honeymooners because I'm seriously tempted to threaten to send the Nova Scotia Department of Education "straight to the moon" at the moment.

First, the Department amends its Teacher Assistant Guidelines to eliminate any reference to supporting the teaching of students with special needs or providing "support for instructional program", leaving the only remaining job responsibilities of a TA as "personal care" and "safety/behaviour management support". If you don't have a child with special needs or aren't otherwise involved in the school system, that may not mean much to you. But if you do, it’s not hard to picture exactly what that bodes for the future.

Now, we learn that a review of the Province's public education system is calling for the Province to "consider reducing the number of teaching assistants in special education". Does anyone else see any connection here? Is this the beginning of the end of a proper education for our children?

The Province's newest Teacher Assistant Guidelines provide that "Teacher assistant support should be considered only when the student cannot perform prescribed outcomes independently, as determined by the program planning process" but I have to wonder how even those students will receive support when 1) supporting students who cannot meet prescribed outcomes (independently or not) is most definitely no longer part of a TA's job description and 2) the current recommendation is to cut back on the number of TAs when many would argue we don’t have enough to do the job now.

I find Mr. Levin’s concern about the number of students receiving special education services due to an increase in the "soft" areas of identification, like “students thought to have learning disabilities or behaviour problems” rather odd. If he had spent any time at all in Nova Scotia's schools he would know how difficult it is to obtain any special education services for such students. Students are not considered to have a learning disability simply because a parent or teacher thinks this may be so; services won’t be offered (if at all) until a student has been diagnosed by a qualified psychologist. And, given the wait times to be seen by a school psychologist, students can literally wait years for that type of assessment.

If I Had My Druthers ...

A bit of a personal missive this evening (I know - most of them are lately) - some of my readers will know that I have two children with special needs.  Two teenage children, to be exact.  My oldest daughter has a laundry list of labels and diagnoses - mentally challenged, PPD, speech/language disorder ... none of which accurately describe her - and my youngest has a learning disability.

As I walked out of my oldest daughter's IPP meeting today and into the bright sunshine, it struck me that many days it really doesn't seem to matter how much or how well you think you know the law or which government entity is responsible for this or that - creating something meaningful and functional for our children seems nearly an impossibility.  The key words here are, of course, meaningful and functional.

It I had my druthers, Nova Scotia's Canada's education law would be very similar to that in the US.  We would have legislation similar to IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) - which, admittedly, would be somewhat difficult given that IDEA is a federal law whereas, in Canada, education is a provincial responsibility - which actually had some teeth in it, which actually gave parents meaningful rights and a process to challenge a school or school board's actions (or inaction). 

Yes, that's what we would have as opposed to the current namby pamby wishy washy excuse we have for legislation - legislation which uses much of the language in IDEA (such as guaranteeing our children an "appropriate education") but lacks both the process and the teeth to back it up.

I have definitely discovered that high school is a whole new ball game when it comes to IPPs.  From everything from the way they are created to the way they are reviewed and implemented, it is, quite simply, different.  And much harder, from a parent's point of view (or at least from my point of view) to meaningfully participate, to offer meaningful input that is actually included in the IPP and to get information as to how well the goals, once they are finally created, are (or are not) being met (and no, I don't mean the pathetic excuse for "reporting" that is passed off as report cards).

Although it took a long time for IDEA (as it exists today) to emerge, it also took a lot of parental involvement and advocacy.  And I can't help but think that's the only thing that is going to move Canada's educational systems for children with special needs forward.

In the meantime, I suppose we will all just keep putting one foot in front of another.  And keep hoping that somehow, through it all, we can manage to actually obtain an appropriate education for our children.

There's only one problem with that, of course.

Hope isn't actually a strategy.

[One of the] Stupidest Comment[s] Ever

I read the following comment on a blog today:

Public school is cracked and failing. It is basically a socialist program - maybe even communist since they try to keep all students on the same standard. Teachers so fear being sued that they have lost their purpose. They can make a student memorize some horrible poem that no one would agree with or enjoy. They can make students learn about all sorts of religions and cultures so that students will be tolerant of others. But they won't teach about Christianity or anything to do with their own culture/American patriotism for fear of stepping on toes. Definitely cracked!

Now don't get me wrong, I think the commentor makes a few valid points about public schools. I am far from suggesting that they are places of utopia with no problems to be found. They have many issues. Period. Full stop.

But, please.

... It is basically a socialist program - maybe even communist since they try to keep all students on the same standard.

You know, that's so far beyond the pale that I can't even begin to formulate a response to it.

~ shakes head and walks away ~

Wish Me Luck, Eh?

Just taking a break from the fun this weekend - that being working on a response to a Request for Proposals for a federal government contract.

Yeah. That's what I said. And that's exactly what I thought, too.

Having never come near doing anything like this before I was intrigued by an email landing in my inbox earlier this month. The federal gov't being looking to contract with organization to educate people with disabilities and their families about and applying for the RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan).

Seein' as how I'm somewhat taken with the RDSP, having written a bit here and there on the topic. And being on a committee to have it implemented in each province. Having opened two - one for each kidlet. And even having given a presentation here and there on the topic.

Alas, I needed to be an "organization", though. One with a corporate profile showing four or more years in operation and previous experience serving people with disabilities in their families. Which, personally, I have more than four years experience in that. But as an organization? Not so much.

About having given up on the idea, things suddenly started to come together just this past week. And from Monday to Friday I went from asking an organization if they might be interested to a decision being made to give it a go.

So it's busy we are now. And somewhat lost at sea. Given that the deadline to get the proposal in is Wednesday. As in 3 days away.

We're going to have fun, fun, fun ...

Oh well, wish us luck, eh?

Zero Tolerance = Zero Sense

Zero tolerance has been variously defined as:

1. A "get tough" policy of making no exceptions in regards to a particular (usually criminal or undesirable) matter, born as a response to a general sense of uneven application of rules and punishments. To react to a proscribed activity or substance with absolute prejudice... Without regard to mitigating circumstances or conditions.



2. Authoritarian rule system whereby breaking of the rules is taken very seriously and punishment is overly severe to get the message through.



3. A common phrase referring all lack of being able to tolerate something. Often a policy referring to various rules to increase strictness and banish all regard for anything against the zero tolerance policy.



4. A policy, usually by American schools that any reference to a gun, violence, or drugs will get you expelled automatically with no trial.

You can read more on the history of the concept here.

Since the 1980s the phrase zero tolerance has signified a philosophy toward illegal conduct that favors strict imposition of penalties regardless of the individual circumstances of each case. ... Critics of zero tolerance believe that inflexible discipline policies produce harmful results. Moreover, school administrators have failed to use common sense in applying zero tolerance, leading to the expulsion of children for bringing to school such items as an aspirin or a plastic knife.

I have a friend who rightfully likes to note that common sense is the least most common sense of all. And that last statement about school administrators failing to use common sense in applying zero tolerance could probably win an award for the understatement of the year.

A six-year-old was suspended ordered to spend 45 days at his school district's "alternative school for troublemakers" after he brought a combination folding fork, knife and spoon to eat his lunch at his Delaware school last month.

The knife is banned as a dangerous instrument under the Christina School District’s zero-tolerance policy, which officials said required them to expel Zachary or send him to the equivalent of reform school regardless of his age or what he planned to do with the utensil.

But don't worry he's in good company - a fifth-grader in the same school district was expelled last year for bringing a birthday cake and a serrated knife to cut it with. In that case, perhaps, common sense prevailed; the expulsion was overturned.

The Board isn't too worried though. They seem to think they have it under control. They're prepared to consider a narrow change that wold affect only kindergartners and first-graders and allow for [wait for it] three to five day suspensions rather than mandating harsher punishments.

That's right, boys and girls, apparently the solution to 5 or 6 year old bringing his camping utensils to class is a 3 to 5 day suspension. As opposed to being expelled. Because that's compassion. That's common sense.

And these are the people we entrust with the care, teaching and discipline of our children? What does that make us - as crazy as them?

But sadly for all of us, there's more to this than just the obvious insanity. In theory, Nova Scotia has recognized [See pages 2 & 3 of the link] it's disparate impact (or some might say, stupidity) and it's harmful effects and thus, does not have a zero tolerance policy.

Notice I said "in theory". In reality, students are being suspended or otherwise punished for behaviour for which is a result of their disability. Behaviour over which they have little, if any, control.

Anybody remember this story? About the Digby teacher who permitted encouraged his students to hit a child with Down's Syndrome. As a way to "teach" him not to hit his classmates. And I am aware of more than a few other instances in this fine Province where students with special needs have been punished (in some cases up to the point of multiple suspensions) for behaviour which is caused by or related to their disability.

I am all for challenged children learning self-discipline. But that can be a long slow process. For which many times teaching appropriate behaviour as opposed to punishment is much better suited.

But consider this: Would you suspend a child with verbal Tourette Syndrome for shouting out inappropriate comments in a classroom? Would you punish a blind child for walking into a wall?

Don't be ridiculous. Such a thing would never happen, you say? Go back and reread the fate of the six-year-old above. Are you so sure?

And although a child with Tourette or who is blind are more obvious examples, is there really any difference between those scenarios and suspending an autistic child (for example) for her behaviour? As opposed to developing an appropriate program and behavioural interventions for the child?

And don't let anyone say it can't be done. For proof otherwise, we need only look to the US.

On the positive side, the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is viewed by many in the United States as a sound legal framework for accommodating students with disabilities within the school system, including in the application of discipline. The purpose of the Act is to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services to meet their unique needs.

The provisions on discipline in the Act flow from this principle. First, a child with a disability who is removed from school must still have access to educational services. Second, a child with a disability cannot be removed from a regular school placement indefinitely. And third, a child whose behaviour was a manifestation of disability must be accommodated.

Golly gee, what a good idea. Think there's any chance it might just catch on here?

'A Journey of 1000 Miles'

I attended a Learning Disability Conference today.

The speaker, Rick Lavoie, has quite an impressive and extensive resume in the field of special education.

His topicwas The Motivation Breakthrough: 6 Secrets to Turning On the Tuned-Out Child. I suppose I was in good company considering that he has delivered his message to over 500,000 parents and professionals throughout North America. You can read a little more about that (and him) here, if you're so inclined.

But I will say that he was a very good speaker. And, it was in that regard, that I wanted to share something with you.

As an aside though, despite being neither a Republican (thank goodness) nor a Democrat (thank goodness again), I must say that I have, on occasion, been impressed by Sara Palin, particularly when it comes to issues around disability. For example, you might recall this post and video which, if you haven't yet seen the video yet, I would highly recommend it.

But Lavoie told a story today of how he was asked to write a newspaper piece during this past US Presidential election with his thoughts on Governor Palin's promise to be a champion for "special needs families" because she "knows what they are going through".

He shared with us his response, which he now has posted on his website, and which I found truly amazing. And I must admit, did occasionally bring tears to me eyes.

As an advocate for families of handicapped children for over three decades, I have taken a special interest in the role that Trig Palin is playing in the Presidential campaign. Trig, now six months old, is nominee Sarah Palin’s son. He has Down Syndrome. Governor Palin often tells her audience that she will be a champion for “special needs families” because “she knows what you’re are going through.

With great respect and empathy, I must say, “Sorry, Governor, but you don’t.” You will…someday. But not now. Not yet.

Trig is – and always will be – a blessing in your family’s life. But, Governor, your journey has just begun. You will understand…someday. But between that day and today, there will be a lot of other “somedays.”

Someday…you and your family will spend stressful hours in a hospital waiting room while Trig undergoes corrective surgery. The doctors will call it “routine” … but that characterization will seem foreign and insensitive to you.

Someday…a relative or “close friend” will suggest that Trig not be brought to a holiday function because “it may be too much for him to handle.” Your relationship with that person will never be exactly the same again.

Someday…some stranger in a store will stare at him and ask an insensitive and Intrusive question. Startled, you will give a bland response. But for several days after the incident, you will generate great and clever retorts that you “should have said." (By the way, you won’t be able to recall these “clever retorts” the next time this occurs).

Go read all of it.

And watch what for some of us comprises our world, our reaities unfold before your very eyes.

Stupid is as Stupid Does

I like to think that as Canadians, we might be a tad bit more civilized, nay, refined in some ways, than our American counterparts. Alas, apparently it is not to be so.

In which case, I'm sure those Dal and Saint Mary's students are right proud of themselves for doing things the left way. After all, don't we all just know that Lockheed Martin is, like, evil? And, like, must be destroyed?

But the best part was this:

The Student Coalition Against War sent a letter to the president of Dalhousie University and to the career centre at Dal, demanding that Lockheed Martin be pulled from the event, but they did not get a response.

Mr. Rashid and other protesters tried to get inside the job fair to further make their point but were denied entry by police and Cunard Centre security.

It just goes to show what this event’s all about," Mr. Rashid said. "It’s totally controlled by the corporations on the inside."

"It’s not in the spirit of a university where students are supposed to be critical. There’s no criticism here."

No, none at all.

And, apparently, if these 15 students had their way, there would be no freedom of speech or freedom of association either.

Perhaps they ought to check out the Charter. Just as part of their eduction, you know.

Asif Rashad, a protester calling himself Dr. Clusterbomb, reads to the gathering

of demonstrators outside a summer job fair at the Cunard Centre in Halifax on

Tuesday. The group was protesting what they said was university support

for war profiteering by allowing companies with military contracts such

as Lockheed Martin take part in the job fair for students of Dalhousie, Saint

Mary’s and Mount Saint Vincent universities. (Tim Krochak / Staff)

It's About Time ...

I was pleased (if somewhat surprised) to read this morning that young patients in the IWK (our regional children's hospital) will now be electronically hooked up to their classrooms.

No more missed school, right? Maybe.

The Blue Jay spent a lot of time in hospital, both locally and the IWK, while growing up. In fact, the IWK often felt like our second (and in many months, first) home. And I am a huge fan of the place. Most families might be able to see that they hope and pray they will never have to use it but are just happy to know that it's there. *Just in case*.

Our family says "Thank God that it's there. No, really. Thank you, God".

But of course there will always be some gripes, no matter how good the institution. One of my pet peeves was the Blue Jay's schooling. Or lack thereof.

Being in the hospital four times a year (like clockwork) for two weeks at a time definitely put a crimp in her education. And this was a child who could ill afford it. Take a child who is already delayed, already has difficulty learning and add in the regression caused by each bout of seizures. Not a pretty picture, even without taking into account the missed school time. And the week of post-ictal psychosis (there now, isn't that a nice term?) after coming home.

The IWK had a teacher, you see. One teacher.

Consider this. In 2003, there were "approximately 4,500 babies delivered at the IWK and Maritime children, women, youth and newborns spend approximately 260,000 days as inpatients or in clinics at the Health Centre". So, yeah. That's a few kids, I suppose. All to be served by one teacher.

So there were rules. We must have rules, mustn't we?

Time blurs the memory. Or maybe I just work hard to forget that time in our lives. But it went something like this ... you had to have been in the hospital for one week before you were eligible for the service. One week of missed school.

Okay, but what if you had already spent a total of two weeks in hospital that school year? But in your local hospital, not the IWK. "Hmm, good question, let us check into that."

"Oh wait, we know the answer. Your local school board will provide that service. Here's the name and contact number." With such a bright smile. Such helpful people. So pleased with themselves.

The only problem being that I was well-acquainted with this particular contact at the local school board and knew how far that would get me. I knew they didn't "offer that service". But you go through motions anyway. So you can be told "No" and take that response back to the hospital.

Actually as I recall, we finally did get that worked out. The IWK agreed that the Blue Jay would be automatically eligible for the services of a teacher if she had spent a total of seven days in any hospital that school year. Which was good.

Ironically that occurred just at the time that we got the Blue Jay's seizures under some semblance of control. Meaning a lot less two-week long hospitalizations. Not that I'm complaining. Not about that.

But let's just be clear here.

When we talk about the services of a teacher, that which we worked so hard to get, we are talking about one half-hour two to three times a week. So I don't think I was shooting for the moon here. And were we, ultimately, successful? Sure. After a lot of advocacy. Did I mention it took a lot? As an inordinate amount of time and mental energy? Right.

But wait, things are better now. Right?

The IWK launched the Child Life Interactive Computers for Kids pro­gram on Tuesday. The program al­lows patients to see and talk to their teachers and peers with a computer while they’re in the hospital.

The IWK is the first hospital in the Atlantic provinces to adopt the program.
With the click of a mouse, patients can listen and participate in the day’s lesson.

Austin Husbands, 9, tested out the virtual classroom, waving to all his friends at Sycamore Lane Elemen­tary School in Lower Sackville when they gave him a raucous hello. “It’s good because I can see my classmates and be with them," Aus­tin said.

The eager student said he misses French class the most because he wants to learn Canada’s other offi­cial language.

He’ll be able to do that by booting up a laptop at the hospital, connect­ing to a wireless network and using a webcam to be a part of the class.

Cool.

It's great to see Microsoft contribute $400,000 to set the hospital up with the equip­ment and Aliant contribute $200,000 to provide Internet service. The program equips the hospital with a wireless network, hardware, software, technical support, Xbox systems and age-appropriate games.And the Microsoft funding also pays for a three-year contract for an individual to oversee the program and teach patients how to make the most of it.

But will it help that segment of the IWK in-patient population who, like the Blue Jay, require the services of a one-on-one teaching assistant? Even when they are actually physically present in the classroom with their teacher and peers?

Maybe not so much.

Nine-year-old Austin is quoted in the article as saying "“Technology is a powerful thing when used for good".

Know what, Austin? I agree completely. And I will even raise you one. Technology is a real boon to kids like the Blue Jay.

But just as the school often seemed to delight in telling me that it was just one of many tools to be used, might I suggest that as wonderful as this new program at the IWK will be, it won't be, it can't be, the be all and end all.

That the hospital will still require the services of a a real teacher (or two). A physical body with the appropriate training and experience. In the hospital. To help that large segment of their in-patient population for whom a wireless network, hardware, software and technical support will not be enough. At least that's my (admittedly somewhat) warped perspective.

But the Xbox? Cool. Appreciate that, Microsoft.

He Believes ... Do You?

'Tis the season for political speeches.
Personally, this is the kind I prefer.



H/T to Pipecleaner Dreams

What's The Big Deal ... It's Just A Word, Right?

I know that there was some good feeling engendered concerning the movie, Tropic Thunder (a comedy about selfish, pampered actors who go overseas to make a war movie and accidentally provoke real jungle warlords) when the Hollywood stars choppered into the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base recently for a special USO screening. Which is nice. Don't get me wrong.

But the movie has also been a bit of a hot topic in the disability community recently. For example, the President & CEO of Special Olympics Canada has issued a communique concerning the movie-within-the movie wherein Ben Stiller plays "Simple Jack", a man with an intellectual disability, notings that it contains "material that would be considered offensive to members of our community".

Of particular concern appears to be the movie's original tagline "Once upon a time … There was a retard” and a scene in which Robert Downey Jr.’s character advises Stiller’s character to “Never go full retard.”

For this reason, Special Olympics International is leading a public campaign surrounding the film in the US. Although SOI, along with a coalition of US disability organizations, has engaged in conversations with DreamWorks (the production company) to address the content, requesting that action be taken to delete these scenes from the film and marketing platform, as well as to promote public service announcements and educational opportunities about people with intellectual disabilities, apparently, this has been to no avail.

It is hard to argue with the premise that the words we choose are an expression of our values and that much hurt and harm can be caused by using hurtful language. And while I don't know that I would personally go so far as to label the "R-word" as "hate speech", it's no secret that I have a lot of trouble with the word's casual use. I have, in fact, for a long time.

But that being said, in the past I have perceived the disability community, on occasion, to overreact to various movies. And not having seen Tropic Thunder, I will reserve judgment.

I would, however, like to point you to the words of a young man with Down Syndrome. John Franklin Stephens is a Special Olympics Virginia athlete and a global messenger for the Special Olympics. Here is just a portion of what he has to say on the subject.

So, what's wrong with "retard"? I can only tell you what it means to me and people like me when we hear it. It means that the rest of you are excluding us from your group. We are something that is not like you and something that none of you would ever want to be. We are something outside the "in" group. We are someone that is not your kind. I want you to know that it hurts to be left out here -- alone. Nothing scares me as much as feeling all alone in a world that moves so much faster than I do. You don't mean to make me feel that way. In fact, like I say in some of my speeches, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers," and it works out OK most of the time.

Still, it hurts and scares me when I am the only person with intellectual disabilities on the bus and young people start making "retard" jokes or references. Please put yourself on that bus and fill the bus with people who are different from you. Imagine that they start making jokes using a term that describes you. It hurts and it is scary.

Last, I get the joke -- the irony -- that only dumb and shallow people are using a term that means dumb and shallow. The problem is, it is only funny if you think a "retard" is someone dumb and shallow. I am not those things, but every time the term is used it tells young people that it is OK to think of me that way and to keep me on the outside.

You can read the rest of it here.

H/T to Pipecleaner Dreams

Update: Cruising around the intertubes a bit on this subject, I came up with this response, which seems to say it well.

"Hey... in case you have been living under a rock for the past 100 years, using the R word reinforces a negative stereotype that we have been trying to get rid of forever... thanks, assholes... "

So, 'nuff said, I think.

Still Stunned

I first read about this story last night at Pipecleaner Dreams.

In all honesty, I was shocked. I knew better than to try to blog about it right then. It was late and I really needed to get some sleep. But as I sit here this morning, I can honestly say that I am still stunned. Just as stunned when I first read it last night.

The kindergarten teacher of a 5 year old student held a vote to see whether or not the other students wanted him in the class. The boy lost. By a margin of 14 -2. The vote was conducted (in front the little boy) only after each classmate was allowed to say what they didn't like about the 5-year-old.

Now, I'm sorry but I wouldn't find this acceptable behaviour by any teacher. About any young student. But here's the clincher - 5 year old Alex Barton was in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

For those who don't know, Asperger's is an autism spectrum disorder. Although not what most people typically think of when they here the word "autistic" (these kids have no general delay in language or cognitive development, meaning they tend to be very verbal and can appear typical in many respects), there are huge social, communication and behavioural issues involved for kids like Alex.

In Asperger's Disorder, affected individuals are characterized by social isolation and eccentric behavior in childhood. There are impairments in two-sided social interaction and non-verbal communication. Though grammatical, their speech may sound peculiar due to abnormalities of inflection and a repetitive pattern. Clumsiness may be prominent both in their articulation and gross motor behavior. They usually have a circumscribed area of interest which usually leaves no space for more age appropriate, common interests. Some examples are cars, trains, French Literature, door knobs, hinges, cappucino, meteorology, astronomy or history.

A child like Alex would tend to stand out like a "sore thumb" in any group of children. Appearing awkward, they don't "act right", they're "strange" and often engage in one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic while being oblivious to the listener's feelings or reactions, such as signs of boredom. Picture that in a school situation.

Given the obvious lack of support the teacher showed for Alex and the lack of compassion and empathy she evidenced, are you surprised that they voted him out of the classroom?

Where to begin?

First of all, to me, this is the very antithesis of what a teacher should be. There's a Chicken Soup for the Soul story that circulates around the internet occasionally about a teacher who had every student in the class write on a slip of paper one thing they liked about every other student. She then collected them, organized them and read out to the whole class the nice things that was said about each student. I can't remember now exactly how, but in some form she then gave each student the comments the others had written about them.

To me, that's an example of teaching at it's best. We can all find some quality about other people we don't appreciate and let's face it, when it comes to some people, we can easily list off numerous things we don't like. But for the vast majority of those we interact with, if we try hard enough, we can usually find at least one positive thing about them. Not only were the students in that class taught to look for the good in others but I would think that would have been a huge positive moment for each child to hear the good things his classmates saw him.

Maybe Alex's teacher read that story too. Perhaps she thought she could creatively bend it to "teach Alex a lesson". Perhaps she has no idea what it really means to be a teacher. A kindergarten teacher, for heaven's sakes.

Add to that, the challenges and social isolation Alex already faced from having been born with Asperger's. This teacher had even sat in on IPP (Individual Program Plan) meetings for this kid. What in the world was wrong with the woman? If his behaviour was such a problem, the obligation was on the team (which includes school personnel and the parents) to create a behaviour plan. Such plans don't generally have a spot to be checked for "humiliation" as a strategy.

Shouldn't a child like Alex offer a teacher a true "teachable moment"? A chance to teach his classmates about differences and accepetance of those differences. I'm not saying that Alex's behaviour should be condoned. It needed to be dealt with. Properly. And appropriately. By a group of trained professionals and those who know Alex the best (his parents) sitting down, conducting a fucntional behavioural analysis and coming up with a plan.

Personally, I've never had much use for 'reality TV'. It seemed like a harmless enough diversion though for those that like it. Or so I thought ... do you think this teacher has watched one too many episodes of Survivor? Sorry, kid you're outta here ...

Did she honestly believe she was doing Alex some kind of a favour? That he would walk out of the room and experience an epiphany of sorts ... "These kids don't like me, hmm, I guess I better smarten up"? And as an aside, did she really think they could vote the kid out of the classroom? Out of the school? The neighbourhood? The country maybe? Or perhaps just the state would do?

Apparently, Alex hasn't been back to school since. And he starts screaming when his mother brings him with her to drop off his sibling at school. Surprised?

As a parent and advocate, I have often envied American parents because their laws surrounding the education of children with special needs are so much stronger than ours here in Nova Scotia. Because they actually have laws. With teeth. But I've also been repeatedly told by US parents that No, they don't have it that easy, that terrible things still happen. Well, obviously they do.

I wonder if our friend has violated any of those laws. Let's see, how about a human rights complaint? It can safely be presumed that the behaviour Alex exhibited which resulted in the teacher acting this way was caused by disability.

Surely this kind of behaviour by a teacher runs afoul of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act? I wonder if No Child Left Behind has a subtitle along the lines of No Child Allowed in This Classroom if We Don't Like Them?

I wonder what, if anything, will come of this?

Grammatically Incorrect

You Scored an D

You got 4/10 questions correct. Your English mistakes aren't exactly forgivable. They're downright embarrassing. It's time to hit the books. There are many grammar rules that you need to memorize. Your writing comes off as illiterate, and your improper education is rearing its ugly head. For your friends' sakes, polish things up a bit. Then they'll be proud to show their friends your words.

Take The It's Its There Their They're Quiz

Say it isn't so ...
The only one I can never figure out is its. It's Its just darn confusing to me. *sigh*

Somber H/T to Reflections by Kris

How Does A Homeschool Mom Change A Lightbulb?

I have a few friends who home school their children.
And I admire them greatly.

Its not for me. As much as I love my children, I have none of the time, patience or desire. But its amazing to watch how many everyday activities can be turned into fun, educational experiences. Which is probably why I thought this was so funny. And true.

How Does A Homeschool Mom Change A Lightbulb?

Answer:
First, she takes the kids to the library and checks out three books on electricity. Then the kids make papiermache’ light bulbs, read a biography of Thomas Edison and do a skit based on his life. Next, the family studiesthe history of lighting methods, wrapping up with dipping their own candles. After that, everyone takes a trip to the store here they compare types of light bulbs as well as prices and figure out how much change they’ll get if they buy two bulbs for $1.99 and pay with a five dollar bill. On the way home, a discussion develops over the history of money and also Abraham Lincoln, since his picture is on the five dollar bill. Finally, after building a homemade ladder out of branches dragged from the woods, the light bulb is installed. And there is light.

Borrowed from the CHEAV [Christian Home Educators of the Antelope Valley] December 2007 Newsletter, with thanks to Jennifer

Update: Very nice to see all the moms dropping by via Mom's Talk News (thanks for the link). And please, feel free to stick around and check out the rest of the blog.

One Laptop per Child

One learning child. One connected child. One laptop at a time.

Submitted for your consideration.

The mission of One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is to empower the children of developing countries to learn by providing one connected laptop to every school-age child. In order to accomplish our goal, we need people who believe in what we’re doing and want to help make education for the world’s children a priority, not a privilege. Between November 12 and November 26, OLPC is offering a Give One Get One program in the United States and Canada. During this time, you can donate the revolutionary XO laptop to a child in a developing nation, and also receive one for the child in your life in recognition of your contribution. Find out more,

... Today marks the first day of our limited-time "Give One Get One" program. Starting today, when you donate an XO laptop to a child in the developing world, you'll receive one for the child in your life. The price for the two laptops will be $399, $200 of which is tax-deductible. Additionally, T-Mobile is offering donors one year of complimentary access to T-Mobile HotSpot locations throughout the United States, which can be used from any Wi-Fi-capable device, including the XO laptop.

While OLPC has a presence throughout the world, with official partnerships and various pilot programs, this exclusive North American Give One Get One program will specifically benefit Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti and Rwanda. We are currently in discussions with other interested countries and may be adding more, so stay tuned.

And now you know what I know.