Wednesday, February 8, 2017

They Deserve So Much More

***Let me first just say, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. And everyone should vote & support whom they feel is the best representative of themselves & the values they stand for. I do not believe this is party specific (which is why I personally do not identify as either republican or democrat- I believe if you are more loyal to your party than your country that's a problem... But that's a rant for another day). ***
All this being said I do NOT believe that DeVos is the best representative for our school systems. I say this not only as someone who studied Special Education, worked in the special education & behavioral health fields for going on 8 years now & as someone whose personal passion has been advocating for the rights of people with developmental delays & physical disabilities but also as a mother to a child with Special Needs.
It is evident DeVos has no idea what the American Education system is about but even more disheartening is the fact that with her dodging & refusing to answer questions about IDEA it implies that she does not have the best interests in mind for some of our already most underrepresented & vulnerable students now in her care.
People assume that the our children have the right to a free public education but what many do not know is that, that children with special needs were awarded that  "right" only about a generation ago... & these parents had to fight like hell to get their children these rights. The fight for these equal rights was a long & hard won fight and even then we have a long way to go as a nation to give these children the kind of education they deserve.
Special Education itself is basically in its infancy in this country. Our children deserve so much more & that is why I cannot support DeVos, not when her lack of knowledge & lackadaisical attitude towards concepts like IDEA (which is a Federal Law- I might add) threaten to torpedo what little progress has been made in the Special Education System.
 As an educator/behavioral health specialist, I'm concerned. As a Developmental & Physical Disability Advocate, I'm outraged. But more so, as a Mother I'm terrified. I wanted so much more for my child. I wanted so much more for ALL our children.