Deri-

I really caan't speak to the state of Special
Education schools today but only for my experience of
them in the late 50's and early 60's.  (just after the
last ice age I think) During that time they were
little more than baby sitting service for the parents.
My fear is that when you create a totally seperate
system it tends to be a situation of out of sight out
of mind as far as society goes.
It doesn't mean that Special Education has to be that
way but I remain very skeptical about this issue.
Perhaps it is becuae my family had to fight so hard to
get me into the public school system.

> Quality of education is directly proportional to the
> amount of
> resources which society deems appropriate to put
> into it. It
> should be obvious that if a child attends a school
> where the
> class sizes are less than 10 and the teacher has 3
> or 4 helpers,
> and that teacher has been trained appropriately,
> then they will
> receive a "better" education than attending a main
> stream school
> where the class sizes are closer to 30.
>
> Society will never agree to fund this level of
> education in main
> stream schools - everyone wants low taxes - but it
> could afford
> this level of education (and better) in Special Ed
> schools. I am
> not talking about Special Ed within mainstream, I
> mean purpose
> built schools equipped and staffed for the purpose
> of educating
> the disabled.
>
> Of course, education at this level would not be
> "local", many
> would need boarding places, which is a terrible
> wrench for you
> Mums and Dads, but is a great start on the road to
> independence.
>
> I do not understand the "holy grail" of
> mainstreaming, why do you
> see it as an advantage (and that's not aimed at you
> Betty, but
> all the posters who see a stigma attached to Special
> Ed).
>
> Cheers
>
> --
> Deri James


=====
Bill Hyatt
"The shortest distance between two points is.....
 usually not accessible"

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