[nfbmi-talk] integrated vs. segregated settings

[Fred Wurtzel]

Hi,

Clearly inclusion won out over quality with the closing of MSB in the 90's.
Now, what to do?  Working with schools in 83 counties is more difficult than
1 residential school.  The value, as you suggest in your comment, is that
the residential school, at least set a benchmark.  We can debate about the
level of that benchmark in any given area, but there were students learning
Braille, being taught wood and metal shop, hands-on science including
chemistry and biology.  There was physical education for everyone, not some
kind of namby-pamby special phys-ed for the blind kid.

Again, some districts do much better than others.  I believe every blind
student ought to have the very best all the time.  This does not happen for
sighted children, either, but  that is no excuse, there is no excuse for any
child not getting the very best education available, including and
especially blind children.  I categorically reject the notion that we can't
afford to do better.

now here we are.  We need to encourage more people to do what you are doing
and getting advanced education degrees to combine with an enlightened and
positive attitudee toward blindness and blind people.  Lead on!

Warmest Regards,

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Lydia Schuck
Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2012 6:55 PM
To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] integrated vs. segregated settings

Hi listfriends,
As a parent I want to give my child the best education I can find and
afford.  For blind kids the best might mean a segregated setting for all or
part of the day.  I like the idea of inclusive education, the "everyone
together" movement, if it gives kids the best.  But I have seen what
mainstreaming has meant in Michigan.  There is no residential option at all,
and the whole continuum of options for blind kids has been watered down as a
result.  Excellent programs are available to a very few students. 
I mention this "everyone together" inclusion model because we may sometime
find ourselves struggling to have any special separate services for our
kids, and being included may become a higher value than being educated.

Lydia

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