[blindkid] Leaving classes early

Mike Freeman k7uij at panix.com
Mon Jan 26 03:56:51 UTC 2009


Carol:

This discussion is interesting. I confess that it never occured to me 
(nor did it ever occur to my parents or teachers or school counselors) 
that I ought to be permitted to leave classes early. The attitude was 
that if I expected to succeed in public schools just like everyone else, 
I should encounter the same conditions as did everyone else.

This was long before the Education for All Handicapped Children Act or 
any other special provisions in law for "special ed" students.

AS I recall, I never had any difficulty making it to my classes and the 
one time when I was late in the morning, I served my detention time just 
like everyone else! (grin)

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carol Castellano" <blindchildren at verizon.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 2:26 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Leaving classes early


When Serena was in junior high and high school, there was discussion
periodically about having her leave classes early--I think this an
assumption many people make, whether in the blindness biz or not.  We
said no thank you.  We were able to give Serena practice getting from
room to room in the summer before school began.  I was interested to
note that many parents were there with their with sighted children
give them some orientation.  My son John--2 grades behind
Serena--definitely benefited!

Serena, who is no O&M genius, was able to get to classes on
time.  She did get to enjoy walking to class with friends--very 
important.

I think I put the idea of automatically giving the kid extra time in
the same category of automatically modifying assignments.  As several
have said, how will they ever learn to move along quickly, if no one
expects them to.  By the way, Serena continues to be a poke in many
things, but she did make it to class on time!

There is a little known, but very important clause in the ADA, a
section that the NFB fought for.  And that is that the person with a
disability has the right to turn down an accommodation offered.  I
don't know of any cases involving students where this was tested in
court, but I have used the words of the law effectively with school
districts.  Here is the citation: The ADA ensures that "nothing in
this Act shall be construed to require an individual with a
disability to accept an accommodation, aid, service, opportunity, or
benefit which such individual chooses not to accept" (Title V: Sec. 501 
d).

Carol


At 08:38 AM 1/24/2009, you wrote:
>My son's O&M instructor has told him that next year in junior high
>he will be dismissed from classes 5 minutes early in order to get a
>head start into the halls to make it to his next class. I'm
>wondering if most of the blind kids out there get this
>"accommodation."  I personally think it is an opportunity to miss
>some afterthought the teacher has and to be singled out and isolated
>in the classroom. Walking to classes with friends is one of the few
>times kids have for private conversations.  Would you share your
>experiences with this?
>
>Sally Thomas
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