Teach Them Well

Last year, my daughter attended a field trip with her peers in a general education setting. When moving to North Carolina, I expected education to be different and with a school district the size of Wake County, I recognized that the peers my daughter would have wouldn't be like the ones we had in our small New Jersey town. You see, where we were, families were known. All families. Children were included. All children. While life was not perfect and barriers needed to be broken, those of us raising children with additional support needs had a wealth of support in our local disability groups and also many of us found support from families that unlike ours were raising children with typical abilities.

When we arrived in North Carolina, with an intense IEP, the teachers did what they could do honor it but the "inclusion" portion was a challenge. Our school segregated students in extended content from their typically developing peers. I shared my expectations of inclusion and our teachers paired with the support of staff at the County Level worked to provide Seraphina experiences in the General Education setting. 

While Seraphina was learning, we realized others were too. Still, there was disconnect and I had a text come in from a parent about my daughter's experience on her field trip. She was segregated without a "grade level" shirt that was provided by the PTA. Upon arrival to the Zoo Trip, she and her IA in attendance struggled to get themselves into the Zoo until a teacher spoke up and explained the situation to the gate attendants.

I also learned while other peers had groups, her "group" was her IA and just her. The IA sent me incredible photos of her with many of the animals and while I didn't see other children, my expectation was that it was because he didn't want to photograph other children, instead a mother commented it was because she was alone.

Another text from a peers' mom indicated that she sat alone at lunch. With her IA and was not included in the group.

The only response I had was sheer pain. For my daughter, for our family and also for the children missing out on learning to accept and include others with disabilities. While perhaps it was not necessary, I felt it was important to share with others in our community, so I took to Next Door. I explained the texts I had received and also the opportunity for growth not just in our school but for us as parents raising typically developing children to teach them about disabilities and differences and the gift of inclusion, not just for the child with a disability but also for their own growth and development. 

The graphic above was one that hurt but also gave hope. The mother spoke of seeing my daughter and instead of shunning her she took the time to work with her child and educate him. Let us teach our children well. Not just in school or with books but in compassion, empathy and understanding. As we near the middle of Autism Acceptance Month, I challenge you to teach your children to accept others for who they are and honor them with their differences and all.