Posted on 06/17/2004 5:17:11 PM PDT by mlmr
I have four children in three different schools. In the past week I have talked to a number of teachers and administrators about different issues pertaining to next semester. I have been told three times so far that the school cannot manage A or B anymore becasue Individual Student Goals(or whatever the technical name is) cannot be honored because of the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT. One called it Bush's NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. Tell me, is this a national trend? Those of you with children in public schools, are you hearing that the Bush plan is hurting your child? Or otherss?
Here's a hint. Yesterday my sister, PS teacher, received a call through her school's call chain inviting her to a get-together with a member of John Kerry's staff. She declined, of course, but there's little doubt it's actually a bash-Bush get-together.
The complaints probably refer to students with an IEP, or Individual Education Plans. And yes, this is a real problem.
Some students are not going to read on grade level with their peers. It's not going to happen for about a dozen reasons. Some are born mentally retarded, brain damaged, severely autistic, in addition to those who are learning disabled. Yet, only 5% of the special education population may be exempted.
In my school we have about 50 Learning Disabled kids, but we have 10 kids in the severe population. These kids have IQ's in the 30's and 40's. What magic wand can we wave to teach them to read on grade level? Several are still learning self care--at 6th, 7th and 8th grade.
Is there a problem? You bet. Our school WOULD have passed except for the special education population. We had to exempt too many.
Anyone out there have an answer? I'm open to suggestions. Perhaps their parents should home-school them?
Do these kids really belong in a regular public school?
Remember that a private day school for this population runs about $100K a year--of tax payer money--Residential is about $200K.
You raise good points, also note that Bush's plan includes accountability, the word strikes fear into the very heart of the NEA. Naturally they are opposed to Bush and are doing there best to have each child tell their parents to vote for Kerry.
Well, no, we don't sing "God Bless America" in the classroom. However, we do say the pledge of allegiance every morning of the school year-- and have been doing that for years.
The No Child Left Behind Act is indeed a pain, but change is always painful.
The situation at your school sounds so familiar. Are you required to test those students with the very low IQs? We have to test ours, but they take a special test, not the regular mandated state test-- the TAKS.
Many of these kids are the ones who survive a traumatic birth. 20 years ago, they would have not lived past their first day of life. Remember the McCaughey septuplets? Two of them require extensive therapy. Paid for by their local public school. If one of them needed a private placement, it would be provided. Again, courtesy of tax dollars.
When I was a child there were special schools for mentally disabled children that taught them the basics, if they were able to manage them. The severely disabled did not go to school.
Why are you bothering to give IQ tests to children with very low IQs. It is not as though a five or ten point difference on the S-B scale is going to make a difference. Why bother to have them in school in the first place?
Every public school is allowed to exempt 5% of the total population from whatever standardized test is used. There are only a few tests on the list--Stanford, Iowa, in Virginia, we are allowed to use the Standards of Learning. 5% may be exempted.
You can join me in what I have done on a small scale. Teachers have the right to demand a refund of their dues that were used for political purposes. I think they can go back at least three years. If enough teachers did it, it could cause them some damage.
I am aware of this. Frankly, I think it is ridiculous. These children have no business being in a regular school. And no I dont think that they should go to private schools. The children obviously need some sort of daycare and basic skills traingint if parents need respite. But not much more.
Children cannot be placed in a warehouse or forced to stay at home.
The quality of public school education is inversely proportionate to the growth of the NEA. Think about it.
I am not a teacher, I am a parent. I have had a lot of testing theory courses for my profession and I am a developmentalist as well as other things.
Some would say "brazen hussy."
This is what they do get, in a public school where they at least have the opportunity to interact with their peers.
It's called the politics of the leftist NEA.
Teachers are inundated with propaganda, and often criticized if they do not speak out against the right, whoever the person might be.
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