INCLUSION or EXCLUSION

The word inclusion from the dictionary means: to belong or part of. At school I think most of us would want to 'belong and be part of'.....but today, yup still today there is thinking out there that some people shouldn't belong or be part of, it's called exclusion, discrimination and segregation.

I have been part of many IEP teams in several Florida counties, my home is Broward County and I have to say I am witnessing what seems like a real push to segragate our children with Down syndrome from the general education classrooms and making parents feel like their Child has to go only  into special education classrooms or what is commonly known as the cluster classrooms instead of allowing them to be educated side-by-side their neighborhood friends and be taught in the general education classrooms with the support and services they would need to be successful. What I am seeing on a more regular basis is an increase in discrimination towards certain individuals, in particular our little 3 years olds with Down syndrome that are transitioning into what is called the Part B services (Dept of Education) with providing all the different educational options for our children with Down syndrome specifically. Busing children with disabilities to miles away from their neighborhood schools is still common practice today!

Today those with Down syndrome are being EXCLUDED from attending their neighborhood schools and in not being allowed to be educated in regular classrooms more and more! They are being pushed into or pulled out to leave and go to special education classrooms that are filled only with students that have a disability! Full Inclusion is not the first option on the minds of the educational professionals that are evaluating our Children and the certainly not the principals running our schools! There are some principals and schools that are doing a fantastic job of including students with disabilities, but the majority of our society still does not allow 'those kids' to go to all classes with everyone else!

I am sadden to know that there is still such discrimination happening in our county and in our world. There are many schools that don't even let those with disabilities use the front door of our Public schools....they use the back or a side entrance on another side of the school building!! Many time where the garbage dumpsters are located and the big garbage trucks come to pick up the school garbage! Yes the same door that was created for taking out the garbage!

WHY IS THIS DISCRIMINATION & SEGREGATION STILL HAPPENING TODAY?? I SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES RIGHT HERE IN BROWARD COUNTY FLORIDA TODAY IN 2010!

WHY ARE OUR SCHOOLS HIDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND MAKING THEM HAVE TO USE THE BACK OR SIDE DOORS?

WHY ARE PARENTS ALLOWING THEIR CHILDREN TO BE TREATED WITH SUCH DISRESPECT BY MAKING THEM HAVE TO USE A DIFFERENT DOOR THAN THE REST OF THE STUDENTS! STAND UP PARENTS AND DON'T ALLOW SUCH DISCRIMINATION AGAINST YOUR PRECIOUS CHILD! THIS IS ONE REASON WHY IT CONTINUES!

ROSA PARKS MADE A STAND ON WHAT SHE BELIEVED TO BE RIGHT! SHE PAVED THE WAY FOR MANY! DO THIS FOR YOUR OWN CHILD!