Special Education: Are We All Special Even if We Don't Earn It?

Below is a letter to the editor I submitted to the Wall Street Jounal on 22 August 2007

The article by John Hechinger and Daniel Golden entitled “When Special Education Goes Too Easy on Kids” and appearing in the 21 August 2007 Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118763976794303235.html again highlights how public education has failed the most vulnerable students through a conspiracy of low expectations.

I worked as a substitute teacher and one on one aide for a disabled student for an entire semester. I have seen instances time and again where assignments, tests and quizzes were re-worked. The most egregious example of low expectations and waste that often accompanies public education was the fact that in one math class, every Friday was “Movie Day”. Over the course of an entire semester, I sat through films like Supersize Me and The Italian Job (hardly fare that in any way related to the subject of math).

I proceeded to report this to the assistant principal. Whatever became of my report, I have no idea, but the fact remains that for entire semester, 1/5 of classroom time was wasted. Added to that was the fact there was no textbook used in the class.

It is the flagrant violation of parent’s and taxpayers trust by school administrators and teachers that continue hobble the United States’ public education systems. A wholesale reevaluation of the delivery of education in this country is needed. Fundamentals, such as the length of the school day and school year need reexamination in the light of a global economy. In addition, new school models such as the charter school and most importantly, providing parents with access to alternatives to the traditional public school need serious consideration. Finally, public school districts have to be willing to cut back on those programs that are not serving the student in the classroom; interscholastic sports might be a good start.

Taxpayers are getting fed up with a public education system that is getting more and more expensive and delivering less and less, especially in the areas of special education and education for gifted students.

The global economy requires a highly skilled workforce. If the United States is to maintain leadership in that economy, education must be the foundation of that strength. If we don’t we are only kidding ourselves and it will be only a matter of time until the United States is considered a second rate economic power.