Mike, I totally agree with you in that parenting is the hardest job in the world, and that too many parents have let the schools be their substitute.  I never said that parents do not have input, they do.  But its still up to the teacher to incorporate their input in their work.  Different teachers use that input in different ways, and thats what makes them a good or not so good teacher.  Getting back to my original question, Mike, is there anything you would like to comment on regarding inclusion or c.p. or special ed in general?  I want to be certified in special ed, and your viewpoint does mean a lot to me.  At the moment, I simply can't remember if you've already commented.  If you have, I'll see it when I'm done with this post, but if not, please feel free.  Take care.

Lee McElhenney

>From: "Michael H. Collis" <[log in to unmask]>

>Reply-To: "St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Inclusion
>Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 16:51:49 -0500
>
>Lee, I'm not a teacher, but I don't think you have painted a very realistic
>picture of what actually goes on in school. What really goes on in school isn't
>only up to the teachers; the parents have to do their part by setting boundaries
>for acceptable behavior before the child starts school and enforcing those
>boundaries by positive or negative discipline, and by keeping tabs on the child
>through the PTA. Parenting is the hardest job in the world, and too many
>parents have let the schools be their substitute.
>
>Lee McElhenney wrote:
>
> > What really happens in the classroom is solely up to the teacher, be it a
> > special ed class or general ed class. Curriculums are given, but the way
> > our teachers deliver this curriculum is the key. Fed government cannot
> > mandate humaneness, its something the teacher needs to bring to the table on
> > their own. There are teachers in our schools who don't have a scrap of
> > compassion, and there are teachers that are overflowing with it. The
> > teacher sets the tone for their classroom, they are the conduits who foster
> > attitudes of acceptance in their students. In the mind of students, their
> > teacher's behavior is what kids pick up on most acutely, content tags along
> > in varying degrees. Every individual in these 50 states is guaranteed a
> > free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.
> > It's up to the people who care about the students' welfare to ensure the
> > appropriateness of their placement. As an educator, I want to make sure I
> > can help find the most appropriate placement for students who need that kind
> > of attention.
> > I, for one, am NOT for full inclusion. There are some kids better off in
> > special ed classes, and there are some kids better off in general classes.
> > It's all on an individual basis, that's why I support a range of options
> > available determined by parents, gen.ed. teachers, special ed. teachers,
> > psychologists, and whoever else needs to be involved.
> > Part 2,
> > If schools are in such dismal states of disrepair that they cannot keep up
> > with the same standards EVERY other school keeps up with, the state will
> > intervene and take over the school district. Who else will go into Camden
> > or Trenton NJ to teach their kids? Who else will go into Chester PA school
> > district, ranked number 501 out of our 501 school districts? Who better
> > than the state?

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