# Should children with mental or physical disabilities attend public schools?



## ai.tran.75 (Feb 26, 2014)

12 - How children with disabilities came to be accepted in public schools - University of Florida News

disabilities came to be accepted in public schoolsDECEMBER 7, 2015JEAN CROCKETT

When Alan joined my class in September, I knew he needed help. So did I.

Alan had lived in an orphanage ever since he was an infant and faced many challenges: he was older than the other kids and did not want to play with them. He didn’t use words – although he could make sounds. He was very different from his classmates and stayed to himself.

But then, every afternoon he was a bundle of energy, imitating the barking of a dog and crawling on the floor around his classmates at circle time. He also had a passion for shredding my teaching materials.

I didn’t know what to do.

That was 1978. I was teaching half-day kindergarten classes in a New York school that year to 33 five-year-olds in the morning and to another 30 youngsters in the afternoon.
I had no assistant, and safety was my first priority. I referred Alan for an evaluation to see if he was eligible for special education services.

Luckily for Alan, three years earlier, President Gerald Ford had signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) of 1975 into law. Public schools were given three years to get ready for some big changes.

By the time I referred Alan, Public Law 94-142 (as the act was known then) had taken effect nationwide. As we mark the 40th anniversary of the law, it is an important moment in which to reflect.

From my perspective as a teacher, school administrator and professor of special education – who has followed this nation’s journey toward equal educational opportunities – I believe this law enabled many young kids with disabilities, like Alan, to lead more productive lives.

WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN THE 1970S

Back in the seventies, educating kids with special needs in regular schools was a new concept.

Before the law came in, 1.75 million children with disabilities were completely excluded from public schools. And of the three million children with disabilities who went to school, many did not receive an education that was appropriate to their needs. Most often they were taught in special classes or state-supported schools.

Children with mild visual or hearing problems, speech impairments or mild intellectual disabilities could spend at least some time in regular classes. But those who were totally deaf or had moderate intellectual difficulties were not allowed in regular classrooms. They were sent to separate schools or institutions – even if they did not need to be in those settings.

Some states even had strict laws excluding children who were considered “crippled,” “feebleminded” or “emotionally disturbed” from public education, based only on their “handicaps.” It was not unusual for them to be institutionalized.

The general belief was that children with a disability could not learn. Parents who could afford to pay sent their kids to private schools that provided special services through nonprofit organizations such as the Easter Seals Association or The Arc that were set up by parents early on to advocate for their kids.

The education of these children became an issue of public concern in their home communities only if there was enough money. At the time, education for children with special needs was seen to be more of a matter of privilege and not a right.

WHAT CHANGED WITH A NEW LAW

Once the EAHCA came in, however, it made the right to education a reality for students with disabilities across the United States.

It helped kids receive an Individualized Education Program so they could be taught the skills they needed in class or on the playground.

In Alan’s case, his special education teacher assessed his strengths and weaknesses – he needed to learn to recognize letters and numbers and learn to play with others. She also experimented with different teaching approaches and kept data on what he could and couldn’t do so she could target his learning problems. In addition, he received services from the speech-language therapist.

I remember, thanks to these services, Alan made good progress that year.

As this was 1978 and kids with special needs were rarely taught in regular classrooms, Alan never returned to my kindergarten class. He was taught in a separate special education classroom.

HOW THE LAW EVOLVED

In 1990, Congress updated the title and language of the law. It came to be known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

A great deal of activism on behalf of people with disabilities led to this change. The term “handicapped” implied dependence. Its origins went back to medieval times, when the only source of income for many people with disabilities was begging with a cap in hand.

Putting the word “individuals” before the word “disabilities” in the title was also preferred as an example of “person-first” language. This implied that people were not to be defined by others only by their disability.

Several other changes were made as the law evolved: In 1986, it came to include services for children under six years old. In 1990, it incorporated services for older students to get help planning their transition to college, work and life in their communities. And in 1997, Congress reauthorized the law to increase accountability.

As a result, IDEA 1997 came to incorporate new goals – such as getting kids ready for school, improving academic achievement in reading and other subjects, increasing graduation rates, bringing in highly skilled teachers, making schools safer and building stronger partnerships with parents.

These changes meant that more kids could be taught in the regular classroom – they could access school activities and the same general curriculum as other students without disabilities. Consequently, for the past 40 years, public schools in the US have been required to make a free, appropriate, public education available to all children with disabilities.

WAY FORWARD

I imagine if Alan were in school today, he would be one of 6.4 million students in the US who receive IDEA services from birth to age 21. He would also likely be among the 95% of special education students taught in public schools who spend some part of their school day in regular classes.

I would also like to think that if Alan were born today, he would not be given up for adoption. His parents would learn to care for him with support from early intervention services for infants and toddlers.

He would be included in a local preschool program where he could learn to be with other kids and feel safe. That would help him get ready for his first day of kindergarten.

But he would also be facing some challenges.

In my experience, educating students with disabilities is complex. Too often, effective techniques and materials are not used in schools. And even when students are included in regular classes, they are not taught appropriately.

In 2004, changes were made in the law to overcome low expectations for these students. Today, the good news is that dropout rates for students with disabilities have decreased – 64% of special education students now graduate with a regular high school diploma.

But the sobering news is the reading and math performance of many students is well below proficiency.

The challenge is for teachers and school administrators to make sure students with disabilities in their schools are taught in ways that are proven by research to improve their learning.

Special education students need the extra services provided by IDEA to develop, learn and succeed. Without the extra interventions and personalized support, the performance of many is unlikely to improve. Unfortunately, this isn’t happening in enough schools.

The issue is, special and general education teachers need to work together for these students to make appropriate progress. They need to be sure they respond not only to their students' academic needs but also to their social and personal needs. To do that, school administrators need to help their teachers build the will and the skills to work together.

I’ve been through this journey for 40 years. And I am celebrating the birth of IDEA today. For when I think about Alan, I recall the impact it made – on him and many others.

Link to article on The Conversation site:https://theconversation.com/how-chi...s-came-to-be-accepted-in-public-schools-50820



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## Cal (Sep 29, 2017)

That would mainly be dependent upon the quality of the schools special education programmes.

Some schools have better special education programmes in comparison to other schools.


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## ai.tran.75 (Feb 26, 2014)

EvilRedNoseRudolph said:


> That would mainly be dependent upon the quality of the schools special education programmes.
> 
> Some schools have better special education programmes in comparison to other schools.


I agree but I also think it's crucial for all public school and teacher+ faculty to be educated about children with special needs. A lot of cases nowadays deals with teacher refusing or complaining about how someone is inadequate to be in their class bc it makes it more difficult for them. 
A child shouldn't be refused education- course the child should be screened and assessed first to see what plan is best for the child. I guess my argument pertain more on whether it should be a school choice to accept a kid with special needs or not 

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## Belzy (Aug 12, 2013)

EvilRedNoseRudolph said:


> That would mainly be dependent upon the quality of the schools special education programmes.
> 
> Some schools have better special education programmes in comparison to other schools.


I think it would be a very good idea when public schools are more prepared for having different kind of children, and therefor including a better specual education program, yes, or something, like the availability of a certain school psychologist or counselour, or anything that helps them fitting in well enough to get along. And have teachers better educated on the special needs and differences of children. I am amazed at how little they tend to know, have no clue how to deal with certain children. And maybe it's for the best someone else at school is the right person for doing so, and such people can influence and inspire their collegues too.

While ideally, I am not sure sending all such children to special education is the best way to go. The best development involves getting along with others too, but obviously their is a need for better and stronger guidance in that. I really wish for that to happen. Plenty of people are willing to be a teacher, so I hope the human heart will win getting things like this done.


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## Mike555 (Dec 16, 2017)

In general, I like the idea, these children should know they are the same as others. But I see two issues: 1) will the chilren with mental disabilities feel comfortable and have a possibility to perfom; 2) will other children be kindly disposed towards such children


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## ai.tran.75 (Feb 26, 2014)

Mike555 said:


> In general, I like the idea, these children should know they are the same as others. But I see two issues: 1) will the chilren with mental disabilities feel comfortable and have a possibility to perfom; 2) will other children be kindly disposed towards such children


People treat people with special need different because they are not expose to them or know much about them- the more experience and understanding of something the better we adapt . Obviously screening and assessment need to be made on what's best for the child . 
Other children will get to interact with kids with special need- since they are expose to this they'll be less judgemental once they aged . Early intervention is crucial 

I mean look at down syndrome for example- 
In 1960 a person with down syndrome has an average life span of 10 years in 2007 47 years old 
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/downsyndrome/data.html




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## Flamme et Citron (Aug 26, 2015)

If I had kids I wouldn't be happy with them getting slowed down by people with serious mental disabilities in the classroom - people who will never be capable of handling any occupation above minimum wage anyway. If they're clogging the public schools, I'd have to send my kids to private school then.


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## Belzy (Aug 12, 2013)

Flamme et Citron said:


> If I had kids I wouldn't be happy with them getting slowed down by people with serious mental disabilities in the classroom - *people who will never be capable of handling any occupation above minimum wage anyway. *If they're clogging the public schools, I'd have to send my kids to private school then.


This is inaccurate, and shows how much ignorance there is towards these kind of children and people. There is still so much to do when it comes to this, and there is simply a massive lack of right education on schools when it comes to psychology and the different kind of people, children, personalities, and so called mental disorders, and everything.

There are many people and children with a lot of potential, if taken the right path and guidance at first.


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## Cal (Sep 29, 2017)

Flamme et Citron said:


> If I had kids I wouldn't be happy with them getting slowed down by people with serious mental disabilities in the classroom - people who will never be capable of handling any occupation above minimum wage anyway. If they're clogging the public schools, I'd have to send my kids to private school then.


Most kids with mental disabilities have a teachers aid in the classroom with them, and only go to normal class for half the day. They spend the other half in a special education. So their learning doesn't really slow down at all(or at least where I come from).

I'm pretty sure private schools have a similar system to this(I'm just going off my friends experience in private school).


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## dulcinea (Aug 22, 2011)

It depends a lot of the disability
Also, in a lot of places, private schooling is expensive, but in some situations it would be preferable
I think, if the disability is not sensory, and the student can get some kind of accommodation, it should be fine
With blindness and deafness, a special school you be beneficial that could teach them braille and sign language, as well as adapting to their disability


With mental disability, public school's special Ed might be able to accommodate some

I think autism is a little different though. For instance, non verbals are not necessarily always mentally challenged, but the question comes in, how independent can they learn to be, even if they're not very mentally challenged?


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## ai.tran.75 (Feb 26, 2014)

Flamme et Citron said:


> If I had kids I wouldn't be happy with them getting slowed down by people with serious mental disabilities in the classroom - people who will never be capable of handling any occupation above minimum wage anyway. If they're clogging the public schools, I'd have to send my kids to private school then.


With your statement I can easily say ' I'll choose a school that is predominantly made up with Asian Americans and Caucasian females bc they do the better in school and are most successful in the work force 

- There are many benefits about inclusion for all children . Your child will benefit from developing a positive understanding about themselves and others -children will grasp a better understanding of differences and diversity( respect of different cultures and people who have different abilities grows when interacting with one another) , also it's rare for me to see children judges at a young age - it's what they are expose to - having your child in inclusive setting can also help with developing friendships and developing empathy ( it's beneficial both ways) 

Also school separate kids into reading or math level their best at so I highly doubt including inclusion in school will make one less educated. Refusing a child because he or she has special need is no difference than refusing to accept a person because of their race or gender - 
In order to understand something one must be expose to it 


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## ai.tran.75 (Feb 26, 2014)

dulcinea said:


> It depends a lot of the disability
> Also, in a lot of places, private schooling is expensive, but in some situations it would be preferable
> I think, if the disability is not sensory, and the student can get some kind of accommodation, it should be fine
> With blindness and deafness, a special school you be beneficial that could teach them braille and sign language, as well as adapting to their disability
> ...


In California a child gets screened then assess on which plan or curriculum is best for them - so those individual who get sent to public schools are sent because of the assessment ( which follows and adapt to what works best for the child ) 



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## angelfish (Feb 17, 2011)

I think it's positive not just for the child with the disability/disabilities but also their peers. Of course there are some very severe cases where it does not make sense for anyone - individuals who have very complex medical conditions, are unable to communicate, are unable to engage at all with their peer group, and so on - those whose qualities of life would not be increased by going to a public school and following the school schedule. They are a much smaller minority, however.



Flamme et Citron said:


> If I had kids I wouldn't be happy with them getting slowed down by people with serious mental disabilities in the classroom - people who will never be capable of handling any occupation above minimum wage anyway. If they're clogging the public schools, I'd have to send my kids to private school then.


Being in the same school doesn't necessarily mean in the same classroom. An individual with "serious" disabilities probably wouldn't be in a classroom with your (presumably average to above-average intelligence level) child - they'd probably be in a smaller, more individualized environment that fits their needs. Regardless, even in the same classroom, your child learning how to adapt to the presence of and work with people of other ability levels will not slow them down as long as their school has adequate resources such that the primary teacher can address the pace for your child and the special education teacher can adjust the work for those with disabilities. The added challenge and new situation would be more likely to expand your child's skillset, their knowledge, and likely their compassion. Finally - some students with disabilities may be _more intelligent_ than most children, but are unable to express it or to socialize normally, and so need to be categorized differently from the mainstream.



dulcinea said:


> With blindness and deafness, a special school you be beneficial that could teach them braille and sign language, as well as adapting to their disability


Yes, this may be helpful in these cases. Still - I think it would be beneficial for everyone for there to be more visibility and presence of blind and deaf individuals. Not that they should go to public school for others' benefit. It just seems like the rest of us should learn a little more Braille and ASL, not just them and their families needing to learn it and being relatively isolated in that.



> think autism is a little different though. For instance, non verbals are not necessarily always mentally challenged, but the question comes in, how independent can they learn to be, even if they're not very mentally challenged?


It depends greatly on the autistic individual. There is a concept regarding autism that runs something along the lines of, _if you know one autistic child, you know *one* autistic child_. Autism runs the gamut of abilities and quirks. It's funny you mention independence because independence - at least, cognitive independence - is really typically a hallmark trait of autism. But I'm assuming you mean practical, life independence, to which the answer is, it just depends on the person. A non-verbal autistic person may use eloquent writing or perfectly fluent ASL to communicate, or they may end up being dependent all their life. Here's a great piece of writing by a non-verbal autistic 12-year-old that opens a window into his mind. That said - routine and a secure, familiar environment with mediated socialization and carefully introduced new situations can be very good for autistic kids. It certainly may not be in the same classroom as the mainstream kids, but it can be at a public school, to be sure.


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## Monadnock (May 27, 2017)

Nobody should attend public schools.


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## Arzazar Szubrasznikarazar (Apr 9, 2015)

> Should children (...) attend (...) schools?


Absolutely not.


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## chad86tsi (Dec 27, 2016)

moral question: why would we deny a citizen access to a publicly funded service because they had a disability?


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## ai.tran.75 (Feb 26, 2014)

chad86tsi said:


> moral question: why would we deny a citizen access to a publicly funded service because they had a disability?


Agreed denying somebody with a disability is the same as denying somebody for their race or gender 

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## Morpheus83 (Oct 17, 2008)

Hard to say. It most likely depends on the specific mental condition/disability, access to appropriate resources and teacher/specialist training in public schools, etc.. I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer.


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## Fumetsu (Oct 7, 2015)

The only time a kid should be unallowed to attend public school is if they are a danger to themselves or other students.


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## Fumetsu (Oct 7, 2015)

chad86tsi said:


> moral question: why would we deny a citizen access to a publicly funded service because they had a disability?


I was not kicked out of school for my disabilities but I may as well have been.

Several teachers isolated me in the back of the classroom with my desk facing the wall.

Others admitting to putting me in the “ special class” knowing full-well I was not mentally disabled bu5 because they didn’t want to deal with me-which was not hard. I had long since learned to do as little as possible to draw attention to myself- and the spec ed teacher admitted that she just didn’t care and left me alone in the back of the class until graduation, which is what the majorit6 of my teachers did.

Most skills are very ill-equipped to deal with students who do not fall under the most common “ text book” definitions if “ disabled.”


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## Hero of Freedom (Nov 23, 2014)

King Wenceslas said:


> Nobody should attend public schools.


Understandably so people can learn life as it is meant to be through experience? But where would they go to get an education in your suggested system only thing is?


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## Catwalk (Aug 12, 2015)

Students with severe cognitive-defects / learning malfunction(s) (e.g., extremely low IQ - which dims self-awareness - or escalates the potentiality for (X)-student(s) to be distracting (e.g., severe tantrums, disruptive behaviors, et al) with a combination of severely low EQ, and/or may cause _distractions _in the learning environment, should be isolated into distinct classes - in the_ same ways _as we segregate students with distinct levels of completed education - or higher capacities to learn (e.g., advanced placements). Thus, rather than "segregation" based on _dis_ability, the segregation occurs due to ones completed grade levels / _abilities_ / intellectual capacities, which is reflective rather early on with the severely impaired, demonstrably, the_ learning _impaired will either progress into (distinct levels / sections of education) - or they will not.

In other words, humanoids with severe learning disabilities_ fair better_ when separate _during instruction _ within public schooling due to ones needs - and (X)-public teacher(s) usually do not have time to attend to the unique needs of individual students without such disabilities; to migitate what is lost during segregation, this is usually addressed with (X)-students coming "together," during period(s) of free-socialization. (e.g., lunch, assemblies, field trips), and so forth, for healthy emotional/social-development.

I think if disabled students are to be present during "fun time," that strong monitoring is advised - if not, almost separate if such monitoring cannot commence, during 'recess', and other "fun breaks" due the_ underdeveloped_ brain(s) of surrounding students (e.g., lack the capacities to deal with (X)-students with strong distinctions (e.g., disabilities) from themselves (re: Childhood psychology / bullying - teasing) et al, that may cause high-functioning useless stress / unnecessary undectable traumas on the disabled (e.g., even lower-capacity to react/respond to mistreatment - let alone, report it). 

Having worked with, cared after, a man with the IQ of below 70, I was_ more concerned_ about surrounding agents (without disabilities - (e.g., instructing him to do inappropriate things, taking advantage of his lack of capacity of discern between "right/wrong" treatment) -- rather than his own low IQ causing extreme disruption(s) to the agents around.


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## 481450 (Aug 13, 2017)

They shouldn't be prohibited from public schools, in fact "normal" kids should be befriending disabled kids, they shouldn't be separated from everyone else, doing so is discriminatory.


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## trailerswift (Jul 24, 2017)

That should be a decision the students described should make with their parents.


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## chad86tsi (Dec 27, 2016)

In the states, there is a legal standard that they be taught in the "least restrictive" environment. A kid with mild impairment that is able to participate in most functions should be mainstreamed with only appropriate accommodations to assist. A moderate disability may require several segments of time away from the standard setting to ensure their educational or safety needs are met, and are given "special designed instruction". Kids with severe disabilities are often unable to participate and can only have their needs met in a non-standard setting. 

In some cases the kids need pulled away from the standard setting for the benefit of all the other students, IE extremely unsafe or terribly disruptive, but even then only to the extent necessary, it's a balancing act. Mainstreaming can be very detrimental for some kids in the mild and moderate range if they have certain social disabilities. The school is always trying to fine the least restrictive approach that still meets the needs of the disabled student first, and the other students second, and the schools interests last. At least this is the way it's supposed to be. I've seen it done horribly wrong (illegal) to the point of causing harm to disabled kids. Unfortunately I know far more about this area than any parent should ever have to know.

In all cases, they are all entitled to get the most possible out of the opportunity to participate in society, and to take advantage in collective publicly funded education. That will look different from kid to kid. If disabled by the standards of special education law, they all have Individualized Education Programs (IEP's), and the "individualized" is an important element to observe.


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## shinedowness (Dec 11, 2017)

I have sensed robotic elitism where people boast about their IQs, EQs, how much money their parents have that they can use for opportunities, where people harass and ostracize those who are "inferior" than them, etc. that it all becomes sociopathically regressive instead of intellectual. Stephen Hawking uses a wheelchair, can't vocally talk with his mouth, and is almost completely immobilized except for the use of his mouth with food, eyes, and whatever else. But, Stephen is a brilliant man. Why would a world not let him do what he awardingly did in the past just because of his disabilities?


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