image from dmote on flickr, inserted via scribefire
The May 1st post on SpeEd Change begins in this way:
Start here: If your school, university, business, government requires “proof of disability” – that is, diagnosis – before providing accommodations, it is discriminating, and it is not committed to social justice, not committed to equality of opportunity, not committed to the success of every student.
It is as simple as that.
I do not know of many, if any, schools that do not attach accommodations to diagnosis. Of course, I am thinking high schools. In Quebec.
Do you?
And what do you think of Ira’s statement?
Jonathan Becker boldly reflects on LeaderTalk:
However, what troubles me more is the mounting evidence that even where we have managed to create diverse/integrated schools, there is extensive within-school segregation by race. For example, students of colour are disproportionately:
- overrepresented in special education;
- underrepresented in gifted and talented programs;
- underrepresented in the highest level academic tracks (including AP courses);
- overrepresented in the population of students subject to serious discipline (suspension, expulsion, etc.);
- under-served by highly qualified and/or highly experienced teachers.
Collectively, at the very least, I believe that these empirical facts amount to a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
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