Vouchers, rural areas, and the issue...

[Guest guest]

I've been reading the issue on vouchers very carefully, and every time I

hear the issue, I think of the 20/20 on " Stupid in America " which

Stossel (sp?) discussed the issue of " competition " between school districts

as a way to possibly improve the education system all over this country.

However, I think the issue of what happens in rural areas is a valid

discussion. In my school district, there are 205 students enrolled, Pre-K

through 12. Normally, I would say this is a great advantage to children to

be in a small school- but it has it's problems just like city schools. I

know there are positive things going on in special ed in schools. Even the

small ones. I'm going to throw an example out there. When we moved here and

my NT daughter began Pre-K, there was a boy in the K class who was severely

autistic. Meltdowns, no speech, horrible behavior problems. I'm not sure if

he was potty trained or not. The school has been using ABA and the TEACCH

program, and he has a shadow. He's now in third grade with my daughter

(having repeated K) and today, on a field trip to see Charlotte's Web and

then lunch at Piper Pizza, this child ASKED me to take his picture. He

still has a long way to go with his socialization, but this is a totally

different child than the one I met when my daughter was in Pre-K. What his

mother has done to get him what he needed, I don't know, and I happen to be

failing miserably at, as my son was diagnosed with PDD-NOS and I can't even

get anyone associated with the school to even accept it, much less get any

services for him. It's a blow and an insult to me that one child progresses

so much, and one child gets no services at all. I know we can't be the only

ones. Would vouchers make a difference? I don't really think it would, as

far as special services, but I think it would benefit the NT crowd. Until we

can get the TEA and State Board of Education and the legislators in Austin

all on the same page about what autism is, how it affects people, and what

works for these children, I believe nothing they have to offer is going to

make a difference, because they have to understand it first. The entire

system from educating the educators and legislature, to educating the

children, is going to need a massive overhaul before we see the positive

changes across the board for ALL children. Texas ranks low on everything

when it comes to education, drop out rates, social services, etc... When

legislators make children a priority in this state, is when things will

start to change. Until they do that, we're just spinning wheels here. It's

incredibly frustrating. But every day we (parents, especially those with

special needs children), every day that we stand up and say, " Enough is

enough " to our legislators, is a step in the right direction. They have to

see how serious we are as a group. Every time we take that stand, we are

helping our children and a future generation of children, and there is no

greater cause than that.

I guess my point is, educating the " higher ups " that make the decisions on

which the future of our children lies, should be the priority, because until

that is done, vouchers aren't going to help a lot of the people who would

take advantage of them.

I feel like a rambled a lot- I hope this email makes sense.

JMO,

Anne