Comments on: Special Education and the Private/Public debate

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 27 May 2010 09:40:52 +0000

“…the (largely unproven) claim that more funding for their schools would help keep down overall education costs.”

If you remove funding from Catholic schools most of those students will be forced to leave the system because tuition (~2000$/year) will increase to about (~$10000/year). Many of these students are supported by local parishes to help them afford to go. With the increase most of these students will be forced to attend public school and the Catholic schools will start to fail with such drastic reduction in student population.

Yet this is your goal since you are obviously against the Independent system. The only problem that arises is that the funding is now being allotted for students at a full 100% in the Public System rather than the 50% that was being allotted in the independent system. Therefore the government is forced to expend more money on the education system increasing costs.

Moreover, you claim that the government has been “.. quietly but gradually increasing funding levels for independent schools..” yet their funding has remained at 50% for the last 15 years. If you are mistaking indexing for increases then your logic says that there should be no indexing for the public system either.

And in terms of the pendulum swinging too far, what polls are you referring to. Your claims also support the idea of a system like Alberta… you choose which system you support with your tax dollars… Independent or Public. Yet no-one is willing to do this because of the loss that might occur for the public system.

Overall it does not make sense to cancel the independent funding system because the end result will be increased costs for an already strained public system that will probably not see any increases in the next year either.

Your article was interesting if not completely accurate.

By: Rachelle Czerwinski

Rachelle Czerwinski — Sat, 15 May 2010 04:34:08 +0000

I am involved in youth with developmental disabilities transitioning from high school into adulthood and i think the school system has failed them miserably. At my son’s graduation ceremony, i still remember how the principal went on and on about how proud she was about hr students and how they have been well prepared to to take on new challenges in their new life, either on campus or employed or whatever. Well, my kid was not prepared at all simply because nothing was done to help him do that. After high school, he stayed 6 months with absolutely nothing until somebody passed away at a day programme so he got that spot!!! So here are a few suggestions to help the next wave of transitioning kids:
-have them stay at school longer (maybe one or two years, it is done in Manitoba)
-use some of their PWD benefits to get employment/work experience with a support worker.
-Go back to school until the school does something! How come the school system prepares some kids and not those with disabilities? So let’s start a “Stay in school ” Campaign!!!
-

By: Nicole

Nicole — Wed, 05 May 2010 08:57:03 +0000

Extremely well written overview. Thanks.

By: Alanna Hendren

Alanna Hendren — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:04:25 +0000

As someone who has lived through the years of seperate schools (including Woodlands School) for the education of people with disabilities (including schools for the deaf, blind and children who had all sorts of different labels), then through the years of inclusion, it is alarming how quickly the reversion to ‘home schooling’ and seperate schools is happening. Some families are being told they have to remove their child from school because he/she is a danger to him/herself or others. Other families are concerned about the quality of education and inclusion their children are receiving in public schools due to lack of funding. Still other families want special education to be delivered in a segregated setting because they perceive it to be a safer alternative.

With this lack of clarity in terms of what families want and what governments are willing to fund, children are getting lost in the chaos. The real problem is that we have not yet had the kind of non-ideological, non-political public discussion on education for children with special needs that we need to have in order to develop choices for families that they can afford and trust.

When community associations for people with developmental disabilities were first formed in B.C. during the early 1950′s, most had education for their kids as the top priority. Mothers shared teaching duties in church basements and helped each other shuttle their kids around the community. Eventually, these Moms and Dads got some politicians to get some funding for them. These early pioneers were so successful in Vancouver with the Oakridge School that they were overjoyed to hand it over to the Vancouver school district as kids with special needs became included in typical classrooms. Today it seems we are entering an era where another Oakridge school is necessary, or Moms will again be teaching their kids in church basements.

This regression has been swift and it will continue as financial resources disappear from the public service sector unless strong family advocates ensure that all children in B.C. benefit from effective, supportive education environments. Good luck to MMOMs in leading this charge – or at least starting the conversation.

Alanna Hendren
Executive Director
Developmental Disabilities Association