Margie tells me that her daughter keeps getting hit by the kid with special needs in her Kindergarten class. The boy really likes her daughter, but only knows how to get attention by whacking people.
While waiting for the school bus, Maria says that our kids are in a class with several kids with special needs. There are three aides in the class to help them out, but there's one girl in particular who jumps up a lot and disturbs the class. The class also maintains a rigid schedule to coordinate with the schedule of the kids who are pulled out for special classes. Jonah is getting in trouble for going ahead in his workbook. I have to meet with his teacher next week.
I'm the last person to complain about the inclusion and mainstreaming of special education kids. My youngest one, Ian, will probably be one of those kids -- the boardline problems who aren't severe enough to require a special school, but aren't going to sit quietly and conform. He's going to be easily distracted. He's already doing Kindergarten work, so he's going to be bored by the time he gets there. He's going to have trouble answering questions. He's going to have sloppy handwriting. He's going to need an aide to help him stay on task, and this is going to cost the district a lot of money.
One of the neighbor boys has a learning disability. Last year, he was an angry, frustrated kid always picking on Jonah and fighting with his mother about homework. Now, he gets pulled out for work in the resource room where he gets a slower pace and one-on-one attention. He's a lot happier. His future looks a lot brighter. Instead, of becoming a high school dropout and drug addict (which would cost the state a lot of money), he'll perhaps ending up working for his dad's construction company. He'll graduate high school, pay taxes, and own a home.
I know that Ian is going to annoy other parents and teachers in the future, just as these other kids are bugging Maria and Margie. And I can see their point that their kids shouldn't be hit or disturbed. However, these kids probably need extra help, more expensive aides, and more support to help them overcome these behaviors. I just hope that there isn't a major backlash brewing.
