yeah it's because of all of the shit we face every day.
we better know our rights.
Yeah, that! :P
I am having trouble sleeping tonight... hubby's been out of state with the girls, awww. Looking forward to their coming home tomorrow night!
Anyway...I realized about "The People Speak" on History channel tomorrow night... so Noah (yup, that kid's up late! He's really fun to hang out with!) found it for me to set it for DVR.... was happy to see that it is CC.
That's GREAT!!
EXCEPT..... they left out "facts" that you've been making your point here.
Once again.... we've been.....
EXCLUDED!!!!
:evil:
Is it also because we're STILL living the history? Do we have to wait until we're dead and problems "solved"?
I could see people in 50 years talking about my community going... "I could have been one of those people...but thanks to the miracle genetic engineering [or] stem cell treatment, I'm no longer deaf and might have been communicating in ASL. But I have done research and was amazed at how much oppressed, prejudiced, and discriminated those people were....and I am going to 'speak' in American Sign Language and *points at a fake interpreter*... she will be voicing me as I sign."
Same thing with your community.
Is that what it's gonna take?
Yes, I know I'm being dramatic... but as usual, we're being excluded from this significant history!
Perhaps I should write to Howard Zinn, eh?
Or am I jumping to conclusion here?
JA: Why do I get the Ticketmaster question?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
Yeah they NEVER mention the disabled community, I’m not surprised one bit.
When Obama made a couple of his first big speeches he mentioned us.
I could not fucking believe it!
….speaking of we’re often forgotten.
The buttons my advocacy group wears to the general assembly say something like We vote! In bold letters across the bottom.
(I say that in light of some people might think we a silent group)
The buttons hopefully remind people.
You bring up a good point!
Sure, I’m comfortable in my skin but I’d love to see a cure.
I make this point in my paper: I’m glad these ‘newly’ disabled celebs are pushing for a cure, but I feel they should spend an equal amount of energy on improving the barriers people with disabilities face in the here and now.
But than again, that’s because there’s something wrong with you and needs to be fixed mentality if you're disabled. Fuck you!
(i'd go for a cure to fix my body sure. but at the same time there's nothing wrong with ME inside. hope you see what i'm saying)
And I really do believe we would’ve reached a cure for a lot of this crap a long time ago, if there wasn’t so much opposition from the right.
Don’t teach my kids tolerance. Don’t cure crap...Because it’s against my religion!
So I think if the right had their way, there’d be no end to the disabled community. To answer your question.
Some rightys are against abortion, and also against stem cells that may fix your disability.
So a mother knowingly has a disabled baby that nothing can be done for because stem cell researched is frown upon.
It’s insane!
"The People Speak" better be in CC!
*~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*
I, too, was very very thrilled when Obama said that... we even talked about it for days! That gave us so much hope for equality and respect as human beings - whether we wanted to be fixed or considered ourselves disabled or not, our disagreements on certain things....
We all agree that we want to be treated as equals and there's NOTHING wrong with us, dammit! Stop stigmatizing us so goddamn much.... stereotyping....i could go on, but you said it better!!! So, I'll STFU here.
Right on, girl! *fists*
JA: Why do I get the Ticketmaster question?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
'....Ms. Haddad, whose right leg was amputated below the knee in 2003
after a car accident, said she has no problem wearing shorts when
she goes shopping. Neither does she shy from removing the
prosthesis in order to swim at the neighborhood pool.
She said people gawk and some have even tapped her on the
shoulder to ask her to put her leg back on. She said she¹s been told,
³It is upsetting my child.² But she refuses to hide.
³You either accept me as I am,² she said, ³or you don¹t have to look at
it.²......'
turn that around. as an amputtee would it bother her to see people with both of their legs? would she ask for all the abled-bodied people to leave because they reminded her of the days before she lost her leg?
unthinkable!
fear of the unknown, that's all it is.
*~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*
Hey everyone - here's the message from a lady who is trying to do something about this that Blondie has been talking about here:
Hello All!
I am THRILLED to tell you my comment at the Virginia Beach Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) meeting today was well received. I simply explained how, in my time, growing up we learned about the African American and women's rights movements. How learning about those movements through the civil rights curriculum taught me about the struggles of other races and how through that I learned to have more respect, better communication, compassion and inclusion. That it is my belief, by teaching the history of the disability rights movement it will have the same impact for children with disabilities. How empowering it would be for children with disabilities to learn about the pioneers of that movement and about all of the inspiring things they had done. That this may show children with disabilities to advocate for themselves and raise their voices knowing it can and will make a difference. I asked for them to please consider having further discussion on this topic and to consider adding it to curriculum.
I felt the SEAC thought this was important and would have further discussion and communication with the school board. We also, had a school board member present who mentioned bringing this desire to the attention of the school board. Now this will not happen over night because things like this take time. However, I feel very strongly this is possible.
Additionally, it was mentioned that there was a $900,000 history grant where money is currently available that may be used for this purpose. Now is the time to let our voices be heard. Please consider going to your local SEAC meeting and making a public comment on this same topic. The more positive voices behind this movement the better chance it has of coming to fruition.
Thank you in advance for you comments at your local SEAC and for your continued support! Please let me know how your meetings go.
Cherese
JA: Why do I get the Ticketmaster question?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
that was really smart to post that here because not everybody joined the cause.
thanks!
things always go slow, but hey it's going.
That's why I posted the message - I knew not everyone joined the cause and even if they did, they might have not read it due to notification preferences, etc....
*snickers* I'm SO bad. *cackling*
JA: Why do I get the Ticketmaster question?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
For those who don't want to click on the article, I'll copy/paste:
From About.com: Special Education
Teaching Down's Syndrome Students
From Sue Watson, former About.com Guide
Down Syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality and probably the most common genetic condition, occurs in approximately one in every eight hundred to one thousand live births or accounts for approximately 5-6 per cent of intellectual retardation. Although, most students with Down's Syndrome are between the mild to moderate range of mental retardation.
Initially, Down's Syndrome was given the label of Mongolism due to the physical characteristics of the disorder. A student with Down's Syndrome is usually quite recognizable due to characteristics like a smaller overall stature, flat facial profile, thick epicanthal folds in the corners of their eyes, protruding tongues which is due to their smaller oral cavity and muscle hypotonia - low muscle tone.
Best Practices
* Inclusion: Students with special needs should be full members of age appropriate inclusion classes to the extent they can be. Effective inclusion means that the teacher must be fully supportive of the model. The strategies you use to reach and teach the Down's student will often be beneficial to many learners in the classroom. See the inclusional checklist Inclusion is a good practice for students with Down's Syndrome. The inclusional environment is less likely to stigmatize and provide a much more natural environment for the students. There are more opportunities for peer relationships to occur and much of the research states that full integration works better.
* Self-Esteem: The physical characteristics of a Down's student will often result in a lowered self-esteem which means you will need to take every opportunity to boost self confidence and instill pride through a variety of strategies.
* Intellectual: Down's students usually face many intellectual challenges. Strategies that work for mildly retarded students and or students with significant learning disabilities will also work with Down's students. Much literature have stated that most individuals with Down syndrome do not progress beyond the intellectual capabilities of a normal developing six to eight year old (Kliewer 1993). However, always strive to move the child progressively along the learning continuum, never assume the child isn't capable. Solid intervention and high quality instruction have been proven to lead to improved academic achievement for Down's students. Use a multi-modal approach which works best for all students. Use as many concrete materials and real world authentic situations as is possible. Use language appropriate for student understanding and speak slowly when necessary. Always break tasks into smaller steps and provide instruction for each step. Remember, a student with Down's Syndrome will usually have a good short term memory.
* Short attention spans are also prevalent among students with Down's. Direct instruction in short periods of time along with smaller chunks of activities will help to support learning. Introducing new material slowly, sequentially and in a step by step fashion will help to ensure maximum learning occurs.
* Distractibility: Down's students are of[t]en easily distracted. You'll need to employ strategies that work to minimize distractions such as keeping the student away from the window, using a slightly more structured environment, keeping the noise level down and having an orderly classroom where students are free from surprises and know what your expectations, routines and rules are.
* Speech and Language: Down's students all suffer from serious problems such as hearing difficulties and articulation problems. Sometimes they will require speech/language intervention and a great deal of direct instruction. In some cases, augmentative or facilitated communication will be a good alternative for communication. Use patience and model appropriate interactions at all times.
* Behavior Management Techniques used for other students should not differ for the student with Down's Syndrome. Again, positive reinforcement is a much better method than anything punitive. Reinforcers need to be meaningful.
Todays classroom has many special needs students, and the inclusional model is often the best model and one supported by research. The inclusive classrooms lets all students learn what it means to be a full member of a school community. Treat all students as valued learners. Although many teachers don't have experience with Down's Syndrome, they have been teaching these students very well for a long time.
JA: Why do I get the Ticketmaster question?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
I thought this was good and pushing for inclusion (which I strongly agree with). But the word can still be touchy for some in the DS community. Some parents do not want it, and they have the right to keep their child in a separate classroom. (Usually those who are affected more severely and may also have autism). I also live in a state that has great services for these kids, so I do feel lucky. I've heard stories where parents can't get the kind of services that I'm used to (physical therapy, OT, speech etc.) or have to pay for it.
My daughter is considered high functioning, loves school, and so far, she's doing well. She is not mentally disabled, just has several delays in her development, and is pretty healthy (knock on wood). Her classmates just see her as a joyful and affectionate classmate. There's nothing obviously different about her other than her development is slower, her maturity is younger, can't speak well (speech being her biggest delay) and she's much smaller than her peers. Her classmates like to take care of her.
The one part of the article I completely disagree with is this:
Much literature have stated that most individuals with Down syndrome do not progress beyond the intellectual capabilities of a normal developing six to eight year old (Kliewer 1993).
This is completely not true. I've been to DS conferences, where they always have a young adult with DS as the speaker, and these kids go to college, are athletes, good public speakers, get married and more. And I know that my daughter can achieve anything she really wants to work for. These kids and young adults are completely capable of achievement (as the next sentence in the article notes: "However, always strive to move the child progressively along the learning continuum, never assume the child isn't capable.")
They just need to be believed in. They can do anything we "normal" people can, given that those around them have positive influence and truly believe in them. Expectations are everything.
I didn’t take everything I read in that article seriously...that’s why I asked you. Often I’d read about how to teach or raise a deaf/hard-of-hearing child, I cringe at the continuing misinformation here and there.
I grew up in public schools where there were special education programs for the "Hearing-Impaired" (now either self-contained classrooms or for the ‘Deaf/Hard of Hearing’) with kids who had disabilities such as learning disability, behavioral/emotional problems, various degrees of mentally challenged, physically challenged, etc. Very small percent, which I was one of, didn’t any of those and only needed to be there for extra help from the ‘mainstreamed’ classes (missing information, elaboration on concepts, as well as tutoring) – but even this was not always met because of other students’ needs being attended.
It always bothered me that the ability to speak equates one’s intelligent. That really pissed me off to the end, especially when I was in ‘general’ classes with deaf/hoh kids who had learning disabilities, but they could speak fairly well or better. They would ask questions that are perceived as ‘retarded’ to other kids and even to the teacher. They often acted out in classes, disrupting the learning environment. Teachers and kids thought we ALL are like that, not as individuals. They did not identify the fact that they had disabilities that had NOTHING to do with their hearing loss.
It didn’t matter how I asked the questions like the "normal" (ugh) kids, because I always asked through the interpreters, so often the kids/teachers thought they, the interpreters, were the ones asking the questions FOR me. If an interpreter fucked up, it was ME who looked stupid. sigh. :roll:
The "low/high functioning" term – we were just discussing this term in recent meeting (I know, Blondie, I contradict myself sometimes about the political terms but when stigmatization or stereotyping plays a role, I cannot help it). One leader said she was very tired of seeing that "low-function" term used in the Deaf Community because it’s an insult – it’s not their fault due to lousy education. Many weren’t allowed to use sign language (whether it was used in school or not) to learn, but heavily emphasized on speech training in order to learn. As a result, many could not write well in English. I do agree because I saw this growing up – watching the teachers yelling or correcting the students’ speech when they had questions or trouble understanding a lesson, ignoring the lesson itself unless their speech were corrected. It frustrated the students so some of them did not even bother to ask because they knew they had to speak correctly first.
We agreed that we liked this term instead: delayed education.
Professional "experts" scare the parents with the ASL option by pointing out the average reading level upon graduation – 4th grade. Never mind the fact that most were first taught to speak and by the time it was "too late" they learned sign language in an effort to catch up with the language development. Interestingly, they also never bothered to point out that the average reading level for the HEARING is 5th grade. :roll:
They’re still pulling this shit with cochlear implants, the 'miracle' or 'cure', on kids and say they do not need ASL and strongly recommend that they do NOT teach or encourage ASL because it would "harm" their speech skills. Lies, lies, lies... or more politely - misinformation, misinformation, misinformation.
Same old shit they pulled on my mother. It’s like what EV described the Pearl Jam album back in 2006 – it’s like a new engine in an old car. :P Exactly.
One of the disadvantages to self-contained classrooms is that it’s often the same teachers with the same students for many years. This is not a good thing when they do not have good relationship or/and the teachers have low expectations of the students. I saw this growing up. :( And it’s still going on today.
What the hell is "normal" anyway...even the majority is fucked up and not really normal! Everything seems to be centered and derived from the "White hearing man who is smart and physically able to do anything".
:-/
Anyway, thanks for sharing... I do understand some of what you are dealing with and how your daughter faces the society everyday with stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice.
Education is the key to all of this. Over and over. Again and again.
JA: Why do I get the Ticketmaster question?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
I know disabilities are more severe than others, but when I hear parents say I basically want my children secluded, here’s what runs thru my mind:
You aren’t going to live forever. How is your child going to cope once your gone?
Won’t be best to see how they cope with the real world when you’re still here to help?
Just my opinion and everybody has one.
Doctors need to stop playing God and stop making those general statements. It perpetuates the stereotype.
My dr. said I’d never talk.
Now everybody wishes I’d shut up!
People with disabilities CAN’T do everything a normal person can.
We do things in our own way and there’s nothing wrong with that.
(I say that because when I was young people told me I could do everything and it did me a disservice in the long run.)
why can’t people who are deaf use both and not be looked down upon? Use ASL and cochlear? Two ways to commutate, sounds good to me.
i don't think schools need to spend in inordinate amount of time on it. i recall when i was in school, we had a kid that had that a problem that would cause him to blurt out stuff at random times. (i forget what it was called), anyways, before he joined the class, the teacher or somebody from the school came in and gave us a five minute speech about it/him.
It's called Tourette Syndrome.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
0
curmudgeoness
Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 3,991
I read through most, but not all of this thread. Allow me to introduce myself, as it were:
I have a son with Tourette Syndrome and multiple co-morbid neurological disorders. I have homeschooled him since he was five years old, because 1) He was abused by his pre-school teachers, 2) public schools refuse (yes, refuse, and yes, I know it's illegal) to educate him, 3) private schools also are not interested in the challenge.
I pay -- let's just say a lot -- of property taxes, not because I live in a mansion, but because I live in New Jersey; in return for my contribution to our schools, I get to forgo my career and assume full responsibility for my son's education and therapy. So it goes.
This thread is a bit all over the place, but I will try to stay focused.
Tourette's is poorly understood by most people. I think that if you asked a random person what TS is, they would tell you it involves screaming obscenities, and that people with TS are insane. Organizations like the Tourette Syndrome Association are doing what they can to spread awareness. As I remind my son, he is fortunate that science and understanding of TS have advanced so much in recent decades, otherwise his life would be much bleaker than it now is.
Even though I am paying big bucks to stay home with my son, I am very much in favor of the teaching of disability awareness in schools. This need not be a big production, we do not need to make everyone feel bad for the disabled kid, etc. Let's just stick to the facts. Since my son's tics became severe, we give impromptu awareness sessions (lasting 2-5 minutes) when he joins a new activity; this makes life easier for him, and it also takes away a lot of the shock factor if and when he does begin ticcing. His big tics scare the crap out of people who do not know what is coming.
Eliminating the mystery and strangeness surrounding a disability, dispelling myths and half-truths, can provide an immeasurable benefit -- and really the effort involved is so small. In our experience, the public-school kids who encounter and interact with my son are patient and tolerant of his disabilities. They know what to expect, and they treat him like any other kid. So, as the parent of a child with disabilities, I have to say that the awareness education that is happening is making a big difference.
On the other hand, many (NOT all) of the homeschooled children we have met -- they are getting their information from their parents -- have been terribly cruel. They call my son "freak" and "retard." They -- and their parents -- treat my son as if he is contagious. We have witnessed some appalling behavior.
I also do not see why we cannot or should not include some information on the history of the disability rights movement as part of our history education. We study abolitionists, suffragettes, civil rights leaders, the birth of unions, Cesar Chavez; if the theme is people pushing for social change, then leaders in disability rights belong here, too.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
I know disabilities are more severe than others, but when I hear parents say I basically want my children secluded, here’s what runs thru my mind:
You aren’t going to live forever. How is your child going to cope once your gone?
Won’t be best to see how they cope with the real world when you’re still here to help?
Yup, my mother most certainly wasn't one of those... and I learned at a very young age how brutal the world was. :( How I had to do it myself at such a young age. (think of the Charles Ray movie where he fell and cried, but the mother refuses to come to his aide). And I hated her for it... especially when I saw other kids were being shielded and pampered by their parents. It didn't pay off in the long run....and ends up hurting us, the community, as a whole. So I did end up appreciating what she did for teaching me that. Not easy being the parent and having to watch your child going through difficult times and standing back.
Doctors need to stop playing God and stop making those general statements. It perpetuates the stereotype.
My dr. said I’d never talk.
Now everybody wishes I’d shut up!
Heh! In my case, one might regret taking advanced ASL courses!
People with disabilities CAN’T do everything a normal person can.
We do things in our own way and there’s nothing wrong with that.
That was an excellent way of putting it that way - if they'd say that to ALL kids, including the disabled, then it would maybe likely remove the "standard" acceptance of what is 'normal'? I dunno. But that was good.
why can’t people who are deaf use both and not be looked down upon? Use ASL and cochlear? Two ways to commutate, sounds good to me.
Oh shit... it gets really complicated, especially with the politics.
But in 'general', I agree. There is an unofficial organization who is doing that but it's not very popular and is not getting a lot of support. Both organizations on extreme ends do not really support it for obvious reasons.
More and more I have been seeing cochlear implants people, including kids, show side effects from CIs that has me concerned and they are often swept under the rug.
One lady showed me her CI (now removed) and it stuck out... it really affected her health, making her sick all the time. She wanted it out and would rather go back to using her old hearing aid. Doctor kept pushing her for replacement, but she kept saying no, please get it out. Dr said no.... ins won't do it, you pay out of pocket. She fought for over a year... won. There was a sluggishly feeling to her hole on the side of the head that made my hair stand out.
One woman lost her balance after the surgery... but she tolerates it and says it's worth it. I was like hmm, I don't know about that. Because I had lost balance for 2-3 months, only because I had one program set up way too loud and one day, out of curiousity, I turned it all the way up. Whoa... I had a bad case of headache that day and when I walked... it felt like getting off the elevator. And my CI doctor told me it wasn't the CI! :shock: Excuse me? In my 30+ years, I've never felt like this before...asshole.
A 3 year old deaf kid here in MI has both CIs and his mother is extremely upset because he is not walking normally. He got implanted before age 1 with the pressure from the hospital in Arizona and they told her that he'd be speaking and hearing like a normal kid with heavy AVT training. NO ASL, period. Nothing.
She moved up here and placed this kid at Michigan School for the Deaf... and he's picking up sign language and is developing a language. She's absolutely thrilled but pissed off at the doctors for not telling her all of other "options". She says she could have chosen to opt out of implanting her kid or at least included ASL.
So, it's all about options. I'd strongly recommend that ALL kids learn ASL and then CI as an option...it's just a tool.
But I agree, why not both if a kid is implanted. :P
ok, I"ll shut up about my group... and let others share theirs, I've hijacked enough!!!
Great blogging, Ivy! :thumbup:
Post edited by IamMine on
JA: Why do I get the Ticketmaster question?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
I respect what you shared with us curmudgeoness. I’m glad you posted.
But
Are you advocating kids being taught about each and every disability, or you for teaching the facts about the disability rights movement?
If there’s one helpful thing I’ve learned from this thread, there is a difference between the two.
PS. I as a disability right advocate go to my states general assembly to advocate that my state close intuitions. There is in home care services now.
One thing I have heard is parents want to keep their children in intuitions because they fear for their life. Bullying/hate crimes are out of control. (for all people really)
How sad it is to think that’s why parents intuitionalize their kids, because of other people’s behavior. There may be reasons to do that, but that should not be one of them.
Post edited by blondieblue227 on
*~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*
Gesh CI making me dizzy, don’t think I could handle that. Even if it allowed me to hear.
I’m angry that doctor didn’t tell the mom all the options! Poor kid.
These days you can research on the net until your eyeballs fall out!
See what I mean? Doctors think they’re God. He/she should’ve done his/her research.
*~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*
Gesh CI making me dizzy, don’t think I could handle that. Even if it allowed me to hear.
I’m angry that doctor didn’t tell the mom all the options! Poor kid.
These days you can research on the net until your eyeballs fall out!
See what I mean? Doctors think they’re God. He/she should’ve done his/her research.
LOL, I know... it makes me dizzy myself just thinking about that, even when I want another one on the other ear! :P I don't have any of those side effects, but still....they make it sound like it's a "small" stats/percentage, but I see them here and there which makes it very suspicious.
We are upset with that doctor...but it is pretty common, unfortunately. And to make the matters worse, many are members of the AGBell organization, a strong proponent of cochlear implants and its motto is “Talk for a Lifetime” :P
Some parents do research...but unfo, they themselves can be biased or the research is biased...blah blah blah.
It's captialism, baby.
JA: Why do I get the Ticketmaster question?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
I just HAVE to share some exciting news! I have discovered the Virginia Department for Deaf and Hard of Hearing went through great efforts to work with the Virginia Department of Education to develop a curriculum for children in grades 3-5. This curriculum has a focus on hearing impairment. This brings hope to our desire on having education on the history of the disability rights movement taught in our schools. This movement represents all people with disabilities. I cannot wait to review the curriculum they developed!
On our discussion boards I have posted information on the Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground for EveryBODY. This is going to be a fully accessible play area at beach located in Virginia Beach, VA. It will be the first of it's kind in the US. Several organizations got behind this project. I thought it would inspire these companies to continue to support projects like this if we, the citizens who benefit from full accessibility, would write thank you letters. I have posted the names and contact information of several sponsors. Please take a moment out of one day next week and write a letter to each of these companies thanking them for supporting projects with accessibility for everyBODY. It's always so easy to write a letter or inform a manager when something goes wrong. Wouldn't it be a wonderful place to live if we took the same time and care in acknowledging when things go right. This is a wonderful step in the right direction that needs to be applauded.
Finally, as of my login today, we are 172 members strong! Lets welcome all new members. Please be sure to stop by and introduce yourself on our wall and let us know why this cause is important to you. Be sure to share this link with everyBODY you know and ask them to make our voice one person stronger. http://apps.facebook.com/causes/395159/ ... m=0fa0e110
Thank you all for your continued support and don't forget to make a positive public comment at your local SEAC meeting to support this effort!
I spoke to some of the publishers today and received a wealth of information. They develop text books based on what the state of Virginia identifies through The Standard of Learning and Curriculum Framework. Both of these documents are broken down by subject and can be found at
The publishers suggest the best way to bring change is through public comment on these issues at the board meetings. Everytime they decide to make adjustments to curriculum they will develop the above documents and present them to the public for public comment. Once they receive public comments revisions will be made and then, they take it to the publishing companies to have the curriculum developed. Make sure you use the above link to get yourself familiar with these documents and to keep aware of when they are open for public comment. The framework document very easily identifies what is important to the state of Virginia. If you believe they missed something is important to the residents of Virginia please be sure to make public comment.
All states should have a similar process. Please contact your state to see what your process is and get the ball rolling. Rightfully, there is a lot of instruction on the Native American, African American and Women's movements. There is not a balanced focus on the disability rights movement. I know we all believe this needs to change.
Great news on teaching kids in grades 3-5 on deaf/hard of hearing in VA! I do need to write a thank you note next week after the holidays and also contact my locals to see what's being done, if any progress at all, in developing a curriculum on the history of the disability rights movement!
As of December 19th, It's up to 176 members for this cause! For those of you who are just catching up here, here's the link to the cause on FB and please spread that around!
Disabled kids do have rights at school. but the school don't always know that. I had to use a state advocate once for my son when he was in high school. The advocate asked for their written policy, which is mandatory, they didn't have one, nor ever did!
They had kicked my son out of school permanently at age 14. They can't do that. They said to the advocate, "oh, we didn't know he was only 14". WTF!! They had his records, knew what grade he was in, etc.
Its a shambles out there for disabled kids.
Comments
I KISS-FIST ya! (Except I would really like it if they knew inside and outside about my community, not me personally! hehe (edited). :P)
By the way, it was Bjorn's birthday today. :P
Yeah, give us our rights, dammit!
Notice how we know more about our rights than an average American in general?
It's interesting when something happens to one, they learn about their rights. Not being born and taught of what our rights are.... tsk tsk.
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
if WE you mean we the two disabled chicks:
yeah it's because of all of the shit we face every day.
we better know our rights.
Yeah, that! :P
I am having trouble sleeping tonight... hubby's been out of state with the girls, awww. Looking forward to their coming home tomorrow night!
Anyway...I realized about "The People Speak" on History channel tomorrow night... so Noah (yup, that kid's up late! He's really fun to hang out with!) found it for me to set it for DVR.... was happy to see that it is CC.
That's GREAT!!
EXCEPT..... they left out "facts" that you've been making your point here.
Once again.... we've been.....
EXCLUDED!!!!
:evil:
Is it also because we're STILL living the history? Do we have to wait until we're dead and problems "solved"?
I could see people in 50 years talking about my community going... "I could have been one of those people...but thanks to the miracle genetic engineering [or] stem cell treatment, I'm no longer deaf and might have been communicating in ASL. But I have done research and was amazed at how much oppressed, prejudiced, and discriminated those people were....and I am going to 'speak' in American Sign Language and *points at a fake interpreter*... she will be voicing me as I sign."
Same thing with your community.
Is that what it's gonna take?
Yes, I know I'm being dramatic... but as usual, we're being excluded from this significant history!
Perhaps I should write to Howard Zinn, eh?
Or am I jumping to conclusion here?
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
When Obama made a couple of his first big speeches he mentioned us.
I could not fucking believe it!
….speaking of we’re often forgotten.
The buttons my advocacy group wears to the general assembly say something like We vote! In bold letters across the bottom.
(I say that in light of some people might think we a silent group)
The buttons hopefully remind people.
You bring up a good point!
Sure, I’m comfortable in my skin but I’d love to see a cure.
I make this point in my paper: I’m glad these ‘newly’ disabled celebs are pushing for a cure, but I feel they should spend an equal amount of energy on improving the barriers people with disabilities face in the here and now.
But than again, that’s because there’s something wrong with you and needs to be fixed mentality if you're disabled. Fuck you!
(i'd go for a cure to fix my body sure. but at the same time there's nothing wrong with ME inside. hope you see what i'm saying)
And I really do believe we would’ve reached a cure for a lot of this crap a long time ago, if there wasn’t so much opposition from the right.
Don’t teach my kids tolerance. Don’t cure crap...Because it’s against my religion!
So I think if the right had their way, there’d be no end to the disabled community. To answer your question.
Some rightys are against abortion, and also against stem cells that may fix your disability.
So a mother knowingly has a disabled baby that nothing can be done for because stem cell researched is frown upon.
It’s insane!
"The People Speak" better be in CC!
Hear, hear!
See, see!
There, there!
I, too, was very very thrilled when Obama said that... we even talked about it for days! That gave us so much hope for equality and respect as human beings - whether we wanted to be fixed or considered ourselves disabled or not, our disagreements on certain things....
We all agree that we want to be treated as equals and there's NOTHING wrong with us, dammit! Stop stigmatizing us so goddamn much.... stereotyping....i could go on, but you said it better!!! So, I'll STFU here.
Right on, girl! *fists*
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
hahahaha!
And I’m sorry I got so political in my last post.
My hope to see the disability rights history taught in school has nothing to do with politics.
I was wondering if anyone would get that... or I was just plain stupid!
"Get it?!"
Right...um...want some dessert? Coming right up!
Don't. Apologize.
If you do...I've got plenty to start apologizing for... :P
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
Clearly, Frankly, Unabashedly Disabled
By MIREYA NAVARRO
http://mail.cnunext.org/pipermail/visit ... 00017.html
'....Ms. Haddad, whose right leg was amputated below the knee in 2003
after a car accident, said she has no problem wearing shorts when
she goes shopping. Neither does she shy from removing the
prosthesis in order to swim at the neighborhood pool.
She said people gawk and some have even tapped her on the
shoulder to ask her to put her leg back on. She said she¹s been told,
³It is upsetting my child.² But she refuses to hide.
³You either accept me as I am,² she said, ³or you don¹t have to look at
it.²......'
turn that around. as an amputtee would it bother her to see people with both of their legs? would she ask for all the abled-bodied people to leave because they reminded her of the days before she lost her leg?
unthinkable!
fear of the unknown, that's all it is.
Yup!
Hey everyone - here's the message from a lady who is trying to do something about this that Blondie has been talking about here:
Hello All!
I am THRILLED to tell you my comment at the Virginia Beach Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) meeting today was well received. I simply explained how, in my time, growing up we learned about the African American and women's rights movements. How learning about those movements through the civil rights curriculum taught me about the struggles of other races and how through that I learned to have more respect, better communication, compassion and inclusion. That it is my belief, by teaching the history of the disability rights movement it will have the same impact for children with disabilities. How empowering it would be for children with disabilities to learn about the pioneers of that movement and about all of the inspiring things they had done. That this may show children with disabilities to advocate for themselves and raise their voices knowing it can and will make a difference. I asked for them to please consider having further discussion on this topic and to consider adding it to curriculum.
I felt the SEAC thought this was important and would have further discussion and communication with the school board. We also, had a school board member present who mentioned bringing this desire to the attention of the school board. Now this will not happen over night because things like this take time. However, I feel very strongly this is possible.
Additionally, it was mentioned that there was a $900,000 history grant where money is currently available that may be used for this purpose. Now is the time to let our voices be heard. Please consider going to your local SEAC meeting and making a public comment on this same topic. The more positive voices behind this movement the better chance it has of coming to fruition.
Thank you in advance for you comments at your local SEAC and for your continued support! Please let me know how your meetings go.
Cherese
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
that was really smart to post that here because not everybody joined the cause.
thanks!
things always go slow, but hey it's going.
*snickers* I'm SO bad. *cackling*
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
somebody decided to feature my longass editorial on their site!
Connecting Communities has featured an editorial of mine!! (scroll down on page) http://connectingcommunities.wordpress.com/
blondieblue227 aka Ivy
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
My daughter has Down syndrome and the more tolerance and inclusion she can get as a part of society, the better.
Welcome and I agree with you... do you think this article is good in how to teach a child with Down Syndrome?
********************************************************************************************************************
http://specialed.about.com/od/disabilities/a/downs.htm
For those who don't want to click on the article, I'll copy/paste:
From About.com: Special Education
Teaching Down's Syndrome Students
From Sue Watson, former About.com Guide
Down Syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality and probably the most common genetic condition, occurs in approximately one in every eight hundred to one thousand live births or accounts for approximately 5-6 per cent of intellectual retardation. Although, most students with Down's Syndrome are between the mild to moderate range of mental retardation.
Initially, Down's Syndrome was given the label of Mongolism due to the physical characteristics of the disorder. A student with Down's Syndrome is usually quite recognizable due to characteristics like a smaller overall stature, flat facial profile, thick epicanthal folds in the corners of their eyes, protruding tongues which is due to their smaller oral cavity and muscle hypotonia - low muscle tone.
Best Practices
* Inclusion: Students with special needs should be full members of age appropriate inclusion classes to the extent they can be. Effective inclusion means that the teacher must be fully supportive of the model. The strategies you use to reach and teach the Down's student will often be beneficial to many learners in the classroom. See the inclusional checklist Inclusion is a good practice for students with Down's Syndrome. The inclusional environment is less likely to stigmatize and provide a much more natural environment for the students. There are more opportunities for peer relationships to occur and much of the research states that full integration works better.
* Self-Esteem: The physical characteristics of a Down's student will often result in a lowered self-esteem which means you will need to take every opportunity to boost self confidence and instill pride through a variety of strategies.
* Intellectual: Down's students usually face many intellectual challenges. Strategies that work for mildly retarded students and or students with significant learning disabilities will also work with Down's students. Much literature have stated that most individuals with Down syndrome do not progress beyond the intellectual capabilities of a normal developing six to eight year old (Kliewer 1993). However, always strive to move the child progressively along the learning continuum, never assume the child isn't capable. Solid intervention and high quality instruction have been proven to lead to improved academic achievement for Down's students. Use a multi-modal approach which works best for all students. Use as many concrete materials and real world authentic situations as is possible. Use language appropriate for student understanding and speak slowly when necessary. Always break tasks into smaller steps and provide instruction for each step. Remember, a student with Down's Syndrome will usually have a good short term memory.
* Short attention spans are also prevalent among students with Down's. Direct instruction in short periods of time along with smaller chunks of activities will help to support learning. Introducing new material slowly, sequentially and in a step by step fashion will help to ensure maximum learning occurs.
* Distractibility: Down's students are of[t]en easily distracted. You'll need to employ strategies that work to minimize distractions such as keeping the student away from the window, using a slightly more structured environment, keeping the noise level down and having an orderly classroom where students are free from surprises and know what your expectations, routines and rules are.
* Speech and Language: Down's students all suffer from serious problems such as hearing difficulties and articulation problems. Sometimes they will require speech/language intervention and a great deal of direct instruction. In some cases, augmentative or facilitated communication will be a good alternative for communication. Use patience and model appropriate interactions at all times.
* Behavior Management Techniques used for other students should not differ for the student with Down's Syndrome. Again, positive reinforcement is a much better method than anything punitive. Reinforcers need to be meaningful.
Todays classroom has many special needs students, and the inclusional model is often the best model and one supported by research. The inclusive classrooms lets all students learn what it means to be a full member of a school community. Treat all students as valued learners. Although many teachers don't have experience with Down's Syndrome, they have been teaching these students very well for a long time.
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
that was a good article you found about DS and school.
I thought this was good and pushing for inclusion (which I strongly agree with). But the word can still be touchy for some in the DS community. Some parents do not want it, and they have the right to keep their child in a separate classroom. (Usually those who are affected more severely and may also have autism). I also live in a state that has great services for these kids, so I do feel lucky. I've heard stories where parents can't get the kind of services that I'm used to (physical therapy, OT, speech etc.) or have to pay for it.
My daughter is considered high functioning, loves school, and so far, she's doing well. She is not mentally disabled, just has several delays in her development, and is pretty healthy (knock on wood). Her classmates just see her as a joyful and affectionate classmate. There's nothing obviously different about her other than her development is slower, her maturity is younger, can't speak well (speech being her biggest delay) and she's much smaller than her peers. Her classmates like to take care of her.
The one part of the article I completely disagree with is this:
This is completely not true. I've been to DS conferences, where they always have a young adult with DS as the speaker, and these kids go to college, are athletes, good public speakers, get married and more. And I know that my daughter can achieve anything she really wants to work for. These kids and young adults are completely capable of achievement (as the next sentence in the article notes: "However, always strive to move the child progressively along the learning continuum, never assume the child isn't capable.")
They just need to be believed in. They can do anything we "normal" people can, given that those around them have positive influence and truly believe in them. Expectations are everything.
I didn’t take everything I read in that article seriously...that’s why I asked you. Often I’d read about how to teach or raise a deaf/hard-of-hearing child, I cringe at the continuing misinformation here and there.
I grew up in public schools where there were special education programs for the "Hearing-Impaired" (now either self-contained classrooms or for the ‘Deaf/Hard of Hearing’) with kids who had disabilities such as learning disability, behavioral/emotional problems, various degrees of mentally challenged, physically challenged, etc. Very small percent, which I was one of, didn’t any of those and only needed to be there for extra help from the ‘mainstreamed’ classes (missing information, elaboration on concepts, as well as tutoring) – but even this was not always met because of other students’ needs being attended.
It always bothered me that the ability to speak equates one’s intelligent. That really pissed me off to the end, especially when I was in ‘general’ classes with deaf/hoh kids who had learning disabilities, but they could speak fairly well or better. They would ask questions that are perceived as ‘retarded’ to other kids and even to the teacher. They often acted out in classes, disrupting the learning environment. Teachers and kids thought we ALL are like that, not as individuals. They did not identify the fact that they had disabilities that had NOTHING to do with their hearing loss.
It didn’t matter how I asked the questions like the "normal" (ugh) kids, because I always asked through the interpreters, so often the kids/teachers thought they, the interpreters, were the ones asking the questions FOR me. If an interpreter fucked up, it was ME who looked stupid. sigh. :roll:
The "low/high functioning" term – we were just discussing this term in recent meeting (I know, Blondie, I contradict myself sometimes about the political terms but when stigmatization or stereotyping plays a role, I cannot help it). One leader said she was very tired of seeing that "low-function" term used in the Deaf Community because it’s an insult – it’s not their fault due to lousy education. Many weren’t allowed to use sign language (whether it was used in school or not) to learn, but heavily emphasized on speech training in order to learn. As a result, many could not write well in English. I do agree because I saw this growing up – watching the teachers yelling or correcting the students’ speech when they had questions or trouble understanding a lesson, ignoring the lesson itself unless their speech were corrected. It frustrated the students so some of them did not even bother to ask because they knew they had to speak correctly first.
We agreed that we liked this term instead: delayed education.
Professional "experts" scare the parents with the ASL option by pointing out the average reading level upon graduation – 4th grade. Never mind the fact that most were first taught to speak and by the time it was "too late" they learned sign language in an effort to catch up with the language development. Interestingly, they also never bothered to point out that the average reading level for the HEARING is 5th grade. :roll:
They’re still pulling this shit with cochlear implants, the 'miracle' or 'cure', on kids and say they do not need ASL and strongly recommend that they do NOT teach or encourage ASL because it would "harm" their speech skills. Lies, lies, lies... or more politely - misinformation, misinformation, misinformation.
Same old shit they pulled on my mother. It’s like what EV described the Pearl Jam album back in 2006 – it’s like a new engine in an old car. :P Exactly.
One of the disadvantages to self-contained classrooms is that it’s often the same teachers with the same students for many years. This is not a good thing when they do not have good relationship or/and the teachers have low expectations of the students. I saw this growing up. :( And it’s still going on today.
What the hell is "normal" anyway...even the majority is fucked up and not really normal! Everything seems to be centered and derived from the "White hearing man who is smart and physically able to do anything".
:-/
Anyway, thanks for sharing... I do understand some of what you are dealing with and how your daughter faces the society everyday with stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice.
Education is the key to all of this. Over and over. Again and again.
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
You aren’t going to live forever. How is your child going to cope once your gone?
Won’t be best to see how they cope with the real world when you’re still here to help?
Just my opinion and everybody has one.
Doctors need to stop playing God and stop making those general statements. It perpetuates the stereotype.
My dr. said I’d never talk.
Now everybody wishes I’d shut up!
People with disabilities CAN’T do everything a normal person can.
We do things in our own way and there’s nothing wrong with that.
(I say that because when I was young people told me I could do everything and it did me a disservice in the long run.)
why can’t people who are deaf use both and not be looked down upon? Use ASL and cochlear? Two ways to commutate, sounds good to me.
I was inspired today. Read it.
Honesty and the Disabled Community
http://ivys2cents.blogspot.com/2009/12/ ... unity.html
It's called Tourette Syndrome.
I have a son with Tourette Syndrome and multiple co-morbid neurological disorders. I have homeschooled him since he was five years old, because 1) He was abused by his pre-school teachers, 2) public schools refuse (yes, refuse, and yes, I know it's illegal) to educate him, 3) private schools also are not interested in the challenge.
I pay -- let's just say a lot -- of property taxes, not because I live in a mansion, but because I live in New Jersey; in return for my contribution to our schools, I get to forgo my career and assume full responsibility for my son's education and therapy. So it goes.
This thread is a bit all over the place, but I will try to stay focused.
Tourette's is poorly understood by most people. I think that if you asked a random person what TS is, they would tell you it involves screaming obscenities, and that people with TS are insane. Organizations like the Tourette Syndrome Association are doing what they can to spread awareness. As I remind my son, he is fortunate that science and understanding of TS have advanced so much in recent decades, otherwise his life would be much bleaker than it now is.
Even though I am paying big bucks to stay home with my son, I am very much in favor of the teaching of disability awareness in schools. This need not be a big production, we do not need to make everyone feel bad for the disabled kid, etc. Let's just stick to the facts. Since my son's tics became severe, we give impromptu awareness sessions (lasting 2-5 minutes) when he joins a new activity; this makes life easier for him, and it also takes away a lot of the shock factor if and when he does begin ticcing. His big tics scare the crap out of people who do not know what is coming.
Eliminating the mystery and strangeness surrounding a disability, dispelling myths and half-truths, can provide an immeasurable benefit -- and really the effort involved is so small. In our experience, the public-school kids who encounter and interact with my son are patient and tolerant of his disabilities. They know what to expect, and they treat him like any other kid. So, as the parent of a child with disabilities, I have to say that the awareness education that is happening is making a big difference.
On the other hand, many (NOT all) of the homeschooled children we have met -- they are getting their information from their parents -- have been terribly cruel. They call my son "freak" and "retard." They -- and their parents -- treat my son as if he is contagious. We have witnessed some appalling behavior.
I also do not see why we cannot or should not include some information on the history of the disability rights movement as part of our history education. We study abolitionists, suffragettes, civil rights leaders, the birth of unions, Cesar Chavez; if the theme is people pushing for social change, then leaders in disability rights belong here, too.
Yup, my mother most certainly wasn't one of those... and I learned at a very young age how brutal the world was. :( How I had to do it myself at such a young age. (think of the Charles Ray movie where he fell and cried, but the mother refuses to come to his aide). And I hated her for it... especially when I saw other kids were being shielded and pampered by their parents. It didn't pay off in the long run....and ends up hurting us, the community, as a whole. So I did end up appreciating what she did for teaching me that. Not easy being the parent and having to watch your child going through difficult times and standing back.
Heh! In my case, one might regret taking advanced ASL courses!
That was an excellent way of putting it that way - if they'd say that to ALL kids, including the disabled, then it would maybe likely remove the "standard" acceptance of what is 'normal'? I dunno. But that was good.
Oh shit... it gets really complicated, especially with the politics.
But in 'general', I agree. There is an unofficial organization who is doing that but it's not very popular and is not getting a lot of support. Both organizations on extreme ends do not really support it for obvious reasons.
More and more I have been seeing cochlear implants people, including kids, show side effects from CIs that has me concerned and they are often swept under the rug.
One lady showed me her CI (now removed) and it stuck out... it really affected her health, making her sick all the time. She wanted it out and would rather go back to using her old hearing aid. Doctor kept pushing her for replacement, but she kept saying no, please get it out. Dr said no.... ins won't do it, you pay out of pocket. She fought for over a year... won. There was a sluggishly feeling to her hole on the side of the head that made my hair stand out.
One woman lost her balance after the surgery... but she tolerates it and says it's worth it. I was like hmm, I don't know about that. Because I had lost balance for 2-3 months, only because I had one program set up way too loud and one day, out of curiousity, I turned it all the way up. Whoa... I had a bad case of headache that day and when I walked... it felt like getting off the elevator. And my CI doctor told me it wasn't the CI! :shock: Excuse me? In my 30+ years, I've never felt like this before...asshole.
A 3 year old deaf kid here in MI has both CIs and his mother is extremely upset because he is not walking normally. He got implanted before age 1 with the pressure from the hospital in Arizona and they told her that he'd be speaking and hearing like a normal kid with heavy AVT training. NO ASL, period. Nothing.
She moved up here and placed this kid at Michigan School for the Deaf... and he's picking up sign language and is developing a language. She's absolutely thrilled but pissed off at the doctors for not telling her all of other "options". She says she could have chosen to opt out of implanting her kid or at least included ASL.
So, it's all about options. I'd strongly recommend that ALL kids learn ASL and then CI as an option...it's just a tool.
But I agree, why not both if a kid is implanted. :P
ok, I"ll shut up about my group... and let others share theirs, I've hijacked enough!!!
Great blogging, Ivy! :thumbup:
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
But
Are you advocating kids being taught about each and every disability, or you for teaching the facts about the disability rights movement?
If there’s one helpful thing I’ve learned from this thread, there is a difference between the two.
PS. I as a disability right advocate go to my states general assembly to advocate that my state close intuitions. There is in home care services now.
One thing I have heard is parents want to keep their children in intuitions because they fear for their life. Bullying/hate crimes are out of control. (for all people really)
How sad it is to think that’s why parents intuitionalize their kids, because of other people’s behavior. There may be reasons to do that, but that should not be one of them.
I’m angry that doctor didn’t tell the mom all the options! Poor kid.
These days you can research on the net until your eyeballs fall out!
See what I mean? Doctors think they’re God. He/she should’ve done his/her research.
LOL, I know... it makes me dizzy myself just thinking about that, even when I want another one on the other ear! :P I don't have any of those side effects, but still....they make it sound like it's a "small" stats/percentage, but I see them here and there which makes it very suspicious.
We are upset with that doctor...but it is pretty common, unfortunately. And to make the matters worse, many are members of the AGBell organization, a strong proponent of cochlear implants and its motto is “Talk for a Lifetime” :P
Some parents do research...but unfo, they themselves can be biased or the research is biased...blah blah blah.
It's captialism, baby.
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
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A Place to Start and Thank You's!
Hello Alll!
I just HAVE to share some exciting news! I have discovered the Virginia Department for Deaf and Hard of Hearing went through great efforts to work with the Virginia Department of Education to develop a curriculum for children in grades 3-5. This curriculum has a focus on hearing impairment. This brings hope to our desire on having education on the history of the disability rights movement taught in our schools. This movement represents all people with disabilities. I cannot wait to review the curriculum they developed!
On our discussion boards I have posted information on the Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground for EveryBODY. This is going to be a fully accessible play area at beach located in Virginia Beach, VA. It will be the first of it's kind in the US. Several organizations got behind this project. I thought it would inspire these companies to continue to support projects like this if we, the citizens who benefit from full accessibility, would write thank you letters. I have posted the names and contact information of several sponsors. Please take a moment out of one day next week and write a letter to each of these companies thanking them for supporting projects with accessibility for everyBODY. It's always so easy to write a letter or inform a manager when something goes wrong. Wouldn't it be a wonderful place to live if we took the same time and care in acknowledging when things go right. This is a wonderful step in the right direction that needs to be applauded.
Finally, as of my login today, we are 172 members strong! Lets welcome all new members. Please be sure to stop by and introduce yourself on our wall and let us know why this cause is important to you. Be sure to share this link with everyBODY you know and ask them to make our voice one person stronger.
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/395159/ ... m=0fa0e110
Thank you all for your continued support and don't forget to make a positive public comment at your local SEAC meeting to support this effort!
Take Care!
Cherese
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The Process for Curriculum
Hello All!
I spoke to some of the publishers today and received a wealth of information. They develop text books based on what the state of Virginia identifies through The Standard of Learning and Curriculum Framework. Both of these documents are broken down by subject and can be found at
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/sol.html
The publishers suggest the best way to bring change is through public comment on these issues at the board meetings. Everytime they decide to make adjustments to curriculum they will develop the above documents and present them to the public for public comment. Once they receive public comments revisions will be made and then, they take it to the publishing companies to have the curriculum developed. Make sure you use the above link to get yourself familiar with these documents and to keep aware of when they are open for public comment. The framework document very easily identifies what is important to the state of Virginia. If you believe they missed something is important to the residents of Virginia please be sure to make public comment.
All states should have a similar process. Please contact your state to see what your process is and get the ball rolling. Rightfully, there is a lot of instruction on the Native American, African American and Women's movements. There is not a balanced focus on the disability rights movement. I know we all believe this needs to change.
Take Care!
Cherese Jenks
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Great news on teaching kids in grades 3-5 on deaf/hard of hearing in VA! I do need to write a thank you note next week after the holidays and also contact my locals to see what's being done, if any progress at all, in developing a curriculum on the history of the disability rights movement!
As of December 19th, It's up to 176 members for this cause! For those of you who are just catching up here, here's the link to the cause on FB and please spread that around!
Add the History of the Disability Rights Movement to Curriculum: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/395159?m=0fa0e110
Thanks so much, Blondie and Cherese!
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
i know that made you smile Mel.
You read my mind, Ivy! heh!
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
They had kicked my son out of school permanently at age 14. They can't do that. They said to the advocate, "oh, we didn't know he was only 14". WTF!! They had his records, knew what grade he was in, etc.
Its a shambles out there for disabled kids.