Should Disabled Kids Be Educated With Non-Disabled Kids?

In a word: no.
Discussed (apparently I think I write for the Believer): bullying, "the real world," going to war in order to grow up, the politics of help (http://www.normemma.com/arhellbe.htm).

BY THE WAY. I know the reaction to this kind of thing is "but it costs so much money to give everyone a good non-traumatizing education." But if you could train kids to be each other's aides you could save money and also help the kids with future jobs.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• mainstreaming
• asperger's
• autism
• cerebral
• palsy
• mental
• retardation
• developmental
• disabilities
• helping
• lifeskills
• special
• education

[danielgmcnulty]

I'm not sure I understand why you're trying to put people into even smaller boxes and categories than they might already be in. You have some extremely valid points, but separating people with disabilities is not an answer and the implication that a non-disabled peer cannot be "real" friends with a disabled child isn't a fair observation.

[gorramdoll]

@danielgmcnulty I'm probably more educated on these issues than I was when I made this video and I wouldn't say I am anti-inclusion now. But while you're right that segregation isn't an answer to the problem of discrimination against PWDs, decisions about education should be made to benefit individual kids and not on principle.

[gorramdoll]

@gorramdoll Theoretically a disabled person can be friends with a non-disabled person. I have some myself. But I don't think disabled/non-disabled friendships should be valued above disabled/disabled friendships, which are easier to form and more important.

[danielgmcnulty]

@gorramdoll I couldn't agree more!

[gorramdoll]

@danielgmcnulty I guess my concern is that most people making decisions for disabled kids are not disabled themselves, and they don't seem to think about issues like power dynamics, developing a positive disabled identity, and having friends who share your experiences and history. These are all things that I would worry about with regard to a kid who is "mainstreamed."

[doulasc]

I had a learning disability and you are saying I should not be with regular

people? I am not severly LD or retarded. Now days those with just a LD

are in regular class and go to a resource room and get tutoring so they

can stay in mainstream class.The help was not there in my time and

thats why I fell through the cracks.

[gorramdoll]

@doulasc well, I have a developmental disability and I was mainly thinking about how these issues affect people with DDs.

[Popanator2010]

Retards should be separated from non-retards. The retards are at best a nuisance to the normal kids and at worst they are dangerous animals.

[danielgmcnulty]

@gorramdoll These are very valid points and ones that I agree with. But, don't put me in that box either! I'm a non-disabled person and I help to make a lot of decisions for people who do have disabilities. I've dedicated my professional life to it. I don't think it's fair to assume that I am unable to make appropriate decisions just because I don't have a disability myself. It's no different than telling someone with a dis. that they can't make appropriate decisions for people w/out dis :)

[doulasc]

I beleive in least restrictive environment if possible.I had a learning disability and there was no help in my time.I was reading at 6th grade level at 18. People like me have the same rights as others in society.