One of the children lives in a suburb of Chicago, and upon learning of the student’s allergy, the school administration began taking steps a year in advance of his enrollment to make sure the school was completely free of latex products upon his arrival. By making accommodations above and beyond what is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the school ensured that this student would feel accepted and be able to participate fully in both academic activities and special school events such as dances and graduation.
The second school district, located in Florida, was not as accommodating to their student. Officials made no adjustments to meet the needs of the student, instead viewing the student as an inconvenience whose medical problems should be managed at home. The school “lost sight of the student as a person, as a member of the school community, as an individual with something to contribute” (Neumann, 2013). The actions of the two school districts in response to these children’s special needs will have a lasting, though likely very different, impact on each of them. While the Illinois student will probably feel positive and confident in his role in the community, the Florida student will have been made to feel so excluded that she will question her ability to function and contribute within society.
This story reveals the extremes in attitudes that can be demonstrated toward children or groups with special needs in the school environment. While some officials will go to great lengths to assist those students, others view these children merely as an added burden and expense. As with other special needs groups, this is frequently the case with children that are referred to as twice-exceptional – those students have both academic strengths and weaknesses. These are children that “have outstanding gifts or talents and are capable of high performance, but who also have a disability that affects some aspect of learning” (National Education Association, 2006, p. 7).
The second school district, located in Florida, was not as accommodating to their student. Officials made no adjustments to meet the needs of the student, instead viewing the student as an inconvenience whose medical problems should be managed at home. The school “lost sight of the student as a person, as a member of the school community, as an individual with something to contribute” (Neumann, 2013). The actions of the two school districts in response to these children’s special needs will have a lasting, though likely very different, impact on each of them. While the Illinois student will probably feel positive and confident in his role in the community, the Florida student will have been made to feel so excluded that she will question her ability to function and contribute within society.
This story reveals the extremes in attitudes that can be demonstrated toward children or groups with special needs in the school environment. While some officials will go to great lengths to assist those students, others view these children merely as an added burden and expense. As with other special needs groups, this is frequently the case with children that are referred to as twice-exceptional – those students have both academic strengths and weaknesses. These are children that “have outstanding gifts or talents and are capable of high performance, but who also have a disability that affects some aspect of learning” (National Education Association, 2006, p. 7).