[dasboot]

I think you and gunny might be misunderstanding the motivation and foundation for the 'egregious' post.

That aside, the LAST place I would choose to place my kids....especially ones with special needs....is in the regular public schools. For example, my wife was once an ASL interpreter, within several districts, for mainstreamed deaf kids. One promising young man whom she was assisting was failing miserably, and very unhappy: he was contemplating dropping out and going to work at a crappy job. Wife talked to Kid's mom and encouraged her to enroll him in a school for deaf...much to the chagrin of the administration: they lost a lot of dough on the transfer...where he would be facilitated by instructors who overcame the same obstacles (roll models), and fellows who could communicate with him on his level. (a lot of inclusion stuff is, ostensibly, for the benefit of the non-disabled students....develop "sensitivity" and such...and not necessarily in the best interest of the disabled child)

Anyway, that almost dropout , last we heard, was matriculating through Rochester Technical Institute or some such....engineer, wife thinks.

Just thought I'd mention it.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Thanks for reminding me that I had a friend in jr high and high school who was deaf. How could I forget Sarah!!! She was very popular and had a lot of friends. She read lips, and could talk, even though she couldn't hear. I'm glad she wasn't segregated into her own little world of deaf people.

Your one anecdote sounds like a person who had emotional problems or something else going on. He obviously didn't like the school he was at - probably had nothing to do with being deaf. Maybe he wasn't popular. But my friend Sarah had no problems integrating into a regular school.

It's a shame you have such a narrow view of people. There is no reason to isolate, segregate, or ostracize people who have disabilities. And deafness is not such a severe disability that they have to be segregated and kept to themselves.

fellows who could communicate with him on his level

What the heck does that mean, "on his level"? He was deaf, not retarded. That just shows the problem you have with it.

(a lot of inclusion stuff is, ostensibly, for the benefit of the non-disabled students....develop "sensitivity" and such...and not necessarily in the best interest of the disabled child)

When I went to school, they didn't have "sensitivity" training - we just accepted people for what they were - disabilities and all. I'm not saying that everybody accepted people with disabilities, but I certainly did. I had no problem with it; still don't. Too bad that you do. The sensitivity programs were created for people exactly like YOU.