Sarah Palin on Sarah Palin
Policy Speech on Special Needs Children
Pittsburgh, PA 10/24/08
TOPIC: health, children, special needs
TRANSCRIPT:
PALIN: ... that they don't count or have nothing to contribute. This attitude is a grave disservice to these beautiful children, to their families, and to our country -- and I will work to change it.
And what's been confirmed in me is every child has something to contribute to the world, if we give them that chance. You know that there are the world's standards of perfection, and then there are God's, and these are the final measure. Every child is beautiful before God, and dear to Him for their own sake. And the truest measure of any society is how it treats those who are most vulnerable.
As for our baby boy, Trig, for Todd and me he is only more precious because he is vulnerable. In some ways, I think we stand to learn more from him than he does from us. When we hold Trig and care for him, we don't feel scared anymore. We feel blessed.
Of course, many other families are much further along a similar path -- including my best friend who happens to be my sister, Heather, and her 13-year old son Karcher, who has autism. Heather and I have worked on this for over a decade. Heather is an advocate for children with autism in Alaska. And as governor, I've succeeded in securing additional funding and assistance for students with special needs. By 2011, I will have tripled the funding available to these students.
One of the most common experiences is the struggle of parents to find the best and earliest care for their children. The law requires our public schools to serve children with special needs, but often the results fall far short of the service they need. Even worse, parents are left with no other options, except for the few families that can afford private instruction or therapy.
You know that your children are not getting all of the help they need, at a time when they need it most. The parents of children with special needs ask themselves every day if they are doing enough, if they are doing right by their sons and daughters. And when our public school system fails to render help and equal opportunity -- and even prevents parents from seeking it elsewhere that is unacceptable.
In a McCain-Palin administration, we will put the educational choices for special needs children in the right hands their parents'. Under reforms that I will lead as vice president, the parents and caretakers of children with physical or mental disabilities will be able to send that boy or girl to the school of their choice -- public or private.
Under our reforms, federal funding for every special needs child will follow that child. No barriers of bureaucracy should stand in the way of serving children with special needs.
That's why John and I will direct the Department of Education to clarify the statute administratively. We'll make explicit that when state funds are portable, federal funds are fully portable. We're going to make sure parents have choices and children receive the education they deserve.
Even the best public school teacher or administrator cannot rightfully take the place of a parent in making these choices. The schools feel responsible for the education of many children, but a parent alone is responsible for the life of each child. And in the case of parents of children with disabilities, there are enough challenges as it is, and our children will face more than enough closed doors along the way. When our sons and daughters need better education, more specialized training, and more individual attention, the doors of opportunity should be open.
LABEL: SP SP FNC 10-24-08 09.10 (MS#52) D - ClipB
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10:40
FNC: Stamina, Pressure and a timed body attack.by intoccabile1,954 views
i think parents should definently contribute to their child's education.. for example, they should pay for it, instead of forcing me to
longfootbuddy 11 months ago
Bristol has specials needs.
SHe needs a big fat hockeystick up her wazoo.
PutannaXXX 2 years ago
Or I have a different interpretation of the word retard.
I use it to connote people who are retarded.
It would be heartless for me to call a stupid person retarded because that uses the word as an insult instead of a purely scientific label.
No one's mocking or ridiculing retards. I agree with the Gov's plan and view on this issue.
But her means for implementing it are profoundly hypocritical.
Retard is not like the n word. THe n word is originally an insult. I will continue to say it.
applepie1e 3 years ago
"Riiiiiight...you do know Todd is an Alaska Native, don't you? A bit hard to reconcile with being a racist."
Distantly. There are many people in this country to claim distant ancestry to native americans but they sure as hell do not consider themsellves native americans. What does Todd Palin out on applications and other documents? I will bet he puts "caucasion".
jimitl5 3 years ago
This is her second year as governor. Her first year budget was inherited from Murkowski. She knew Trig had special needs before the end of her own first year. Nice try.
BestbankTiger 3 years ago
Riiiiiight...you do know Todd is an Alaska Native, don't you? A bit hard to reconcile with being a racist.
BestbankTiger 3 years ago
You're either to the right of both candidates, or you're so heartless you're willing to mock and ridicule special needs children to advance a partisan agenda.
BestbankTiger 3 years ago
A thoughtful, and thought-provoking speech that demonstrates that this woman talks the talk and walks the walk. She will make a great VP--go Sarah!
Pinkjob 3 years ago
Those were weak answers and more talking points than answers. The answer is that Obama's record is devoid of significant accomplishment, devoid of any serious attempt to reach across the aisle and devoid of taking courageous stands on tough issues.
Of course some elements of our society are somewhat "socialistic." I agree that unfettered capitalism is bad. McCain would agree.
Also, the term "retard" is an ugly one that should not be used. It's like calling the disabled "stupid people."
CPM9 3 years ago
I answered your questions. But I guess my answers weren't good enough for you...not a surprise.
I would have liked to have seen you answer my question.
Isn't spending 45$ billion on retards' education a redistribution of wealth since some of that money must come from people without retarded children?
Also a related question: is education socialism? Why can't we let the free market take care of the education system?
applepie1e 3 years ago