“A teacher
effects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops” –Henry Adams
“I will let
the facts speak for themselves” Demosthenes
These two
quotes feel relevant to me just now.
There have been some things going on in my daughter’s school days that I
found it necessary to address. I tend to be
pretty easy going about things, trying to see all sides and hanging back,
letting Hillary meet the world on her own terms and the staff who work with her
handle challenges that come up with the rest of the school. I frequently think that she is here to teach
more than she is to be taught, but we must work within the public school system
and they (administrators & law makers) don’t get that poetic idea. So when Hillary is mainstreamed into a
general education class, I take a back seat and let things work themselves out,
and for the most part it’s been good all these years. This year, for the first time ever, I had to
step in and protest. I’ve protested
things before, but never a situation like this.
The chorus teacher kept asking her aide to take her out of the class because
she was making noise while they were singing.
She was participating to the best of her ability and enjoying the music and
being with her peers. I had no choice, I
had to step in with an e-mail to her teachers and administrators of the
school. Multiple recipients brings the
fastest action. There was a prompt
response and I think things are getting better.
I think I am most disappointed that this teacher, instead of using the
situation to model acceptance to the rest of the students, chose to model
intolerance for those who are different.
How unforgivable. I believe that
Hillary’s peers are the future teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, and policy
makers, as well as caregivers and members of society. If what they see as acceptable is intolerance
and disrespect for differences there is not much chance things will change for
the better. Any one of us could suffer
an accident or health emergency which leaves us with disabilities. We need to know that those who will be caring
for us and our loved ones have respect for and tolerance of our different
abilities and disabilities. Certainly I
cannot force this man to embrace the chance to work with someone like my
daughter, but he must obey the law which says she has a legal right to be
there, and he must show her respect and sensitivity for her feelings as a
fellow human being at the very least. I
may not be able to change the whole world, but I hope that I can help positive
change happen in the future.
