[Sportsandrec] clueless coaches

[jody at thewhitehats.com]

Hi Ashley,

I look back on my education and I would have resented having an aide even at
an early age. I always had an attitude of 'I'd rather do it myself'.  I
think it is far more important to teach a child the skills they need.  What
I see is that in many cases the aide does too much and is there long after
the child needs them.  The aide needs job security after all.

When I was a kid I walked to school Other blind kids took the neighborhood
bus.  Now blind kids ride special buses and they have aides ride with them
to carry their bags for them so they won't trip on the stairs.  I know one
parents who finally got the school to agree not to have the aide on the bus
but the driver didn't know this.  The driver had the kids wait on the bus
for 40 minutes and she refused to drive because she thought it was too
unsafe.  The blind child was so embarrassed because she knew she was the
reason for the hold up.  She was in 9th grade for heavens sake!

As for the material being more visual, it is up to the teacher to simply
verbalize what is being presented visually.  It isn't that hard but most
teachers will complain it isn't in their job description.  If a blind child
has an aide to bail them out of every situation then what will happen when
the child goes out in to the real world and they get a job?  Just an example
but when I was a kid I called RFB&D (which was RFB at the time) No one did
it for me.  Now college students even have someone to order books for them.
Colleges even offer note takers and escorts.  It's too much.

About ten years ago I took some college courses.  I explored the campus
ahead of time, figured out where my classes would be and I talked to the
professors about testing etc.  Someone at the disabled student services
office offered me an escort, orientation to the campus, note takers etc.  I
said I didn't need them and I was actually called UPPITY!  Damn right!  I
never went back.

One thing that really makes me sick is the policy that many schools have
that it is a dangerous liability for a blind child to walk the halls alone
or walk to school or ride the bus independently.  What message are blind
kids getting from this hysterical reaction?  They grow up believing it is
too dangerous to do things without assistance every where they go.

I guess all this qualifies me as an old fart.  So call me an old fart and
proud of it.

JODY