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by PlainUnamerican from East Texas

Last Post 107 days, 10 hours Ago


Service dogs are trained, not a menace to a classroom
May 16, 2007 | 7:40 AM
Category: News
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Why is this even an issue?  An autistic child can me more of a disruption to a classroom then a trained service dog.  If the school distric would handle this correctly, they first meet with all the parents and ask them to speak with their child about how to handle the dog in their classroom and explain why it will be there.  Open dialog is the key to success of this program.  If there are allergy issues, then the parents have enough time to get their child to a doctor or ask that the child be moved to another classroom if possible.  Lastly, the teacher needs to prepare the children also with open dialogue.  On the first day, the dog needs to become accustomed to all children and vice versa.

Yes, for about a week it will be a novelty and will undoubtedly take some students minds off classroom.  However, this is a classroom of four year olds that already have short attention spans and their classes are arranged around this.  After about a week, the children won't even realize the animal is there.

If this gives a child a better chance at learning, then we should be all for it.   Why would anyone want to deny this child a better education or even one for their own children by cutting down the disruptions an autistic child may cause?  The parent who asked the school district to deny this is speaking out of  ignorance and selfishness.  Why should they believe their daughter is entitled to the best education possible but an autistic child isn't allowed that same entitlement?

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chardoney read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 7:54 AM

Is this a 'special school' for these children, or public school? I seems better to me, if kids with special needs, went to a school specializing in meeting their needs... not public school. That way, everyone would be on same playing field.
PlainUnamerican read my blog
May 16, 2007 | 8:10 AM

I don't know. I don't recall the news story saying. I would expect it would be a special ed school which is more disheartening that they are acting in this matter.
jaywalkingtx read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 8:52 AM

It was not a special school. But, it should be. If a child's autism is so bad that he has to have a dog to keep him focused enough to be in a classroom then he needs to be somewhere where they have skills to deal with him. I feel bad for him and his family, but public school is not the place for him.

Maybe his parents should get him a horse. Then Fox4 could REALLY get involved and embarrass the school enough that they relent!
LesleyAnne read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 9:24 AM

Chardoney, on this one I have to disagree with you, I work in schools all across north Texas, my special needs schools are very near and dear to my heart. Our public schools that have special needs programs are to be commended. I have seen the positive effects of these programs and I believe it not only helps the special needs children, but it also allows all the students to have a better idea of what it means to have special needs. I watch these children interact and feel it is a valuable lesson in compassion and understanding for those who are not "just like us". Our children who grow up in these enviroments will go into the world with a far better understanding of our special needs population. In one of my schools there is even a special needs adult who works for the school in their program, she is a beautiful asset to their staff and greets me lovingly with a hug everytime I am in her school. In their simplicity lives a great gift of love and joy and they should always be treated as such. Keeping that joy and love alive in them should be our only concern. If the service dog allows this little man to experience joy and love instead of fear and anxiety is it not our duty, as a compassionate and thinking society, to make that possible for him?
Orphan
May 16, 2007 | 9:27 AM

Most public schools have a special ed classroom, not entire schools (especially with mainstreaming). That is why this becomes an issue, people say just move the OTHER kid, sometimes there is nowhere to move them. Even large districts don't have schools dedicated to special ed, they moved away from that years ago, because they didn't want them isolated. They want them to feel as normal as possible.

On the footage mom had to control the dog and tell the boy what to do, maybe if he was older and could do it himself it would be a different issue. As of right now you are looking at having to have someone command the dog alone...so entire salaried individual to handle an outside dog. Would also be different if the dog belonged to the district/teacher like someone else mentioned a program in their school.
jaywalkingtx read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 9:28 AM

One of our problems is that schools have stopped being places of learning and have started being places of compassion and "hugs". I should have known what the reaction to this story would be.

REAL compassion would be putting this child in a school where there are trained professionals who can deal with his needs.
PlainUnamerican read my blog
May 16, 2007 | 9:35 AM

"If a child's autism is so bad that he has to have a dog to keep him focused enough to be in a classroom then he needs to be somewhere where they have skills to deal with him. "

Obviously, the school doesn't believe this childs autism is currently a disturbance to the classroom or else they would be forcing the child out. Thankfully, this child has parents who care enough about him & his education to want to do this. It is a great learning experience for the other children in tolerance and behavior to others who have disabilities. These children will not suffer by having a trained dog by the side of this young boy, it will only expand their little minds.
LesleyAnne read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 9:42 AM

Orphan, actually I have many schools that are strictly special needs schools, most are in Fort Worth, but there are others in surrounding cities as well.

jaywalking, The staff at our public schools who work with the special needs students are trained professionals and they are teaching these children valuable life skills and deal with their needs very nicely as do all the students in the schools I have observed with these programs. These children deserve the right to a public education just like any other child. It sounds to me like going back to the days of keeping such children in the basement so "decent folks" won't have to deal with them would appeal to you.
Orphan
May 16, 2007 | 9:57 AM

Lesly-How many are public schools who only house special ed, not behavior/alternative schools? And by many what are we talking about? Just curious, because I can name many districts that don't on the east side of the metroplex have specialized schools for special ed ONLY.
Orphan
May 16, 2007 | 10:02 AM

Lesly- this is why I asked about the number of special ed schools, "It sounds to me like going back to the days of keeping such children in the basement so "decent folks" won't have to deal with them would appeal to you." Many districts mainstreamed them so they wouldn't be hidden in some other school.
LesleyAnne read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 10:10 AM

I have 3 special needs schools (and these are public schools in FWISD) in Fort Worth alone, 2 others north of Fort Worth. I only have 2 behavior/alternative schools, both in Fort Worth. Of course, I am only familiar with the schools in my territory.
LesleyAnne read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 10:18 AM

Orphan, if you go to FWISD's website you will find these schools listed under "other schools". I could not find any on DISD's site.
LesleyAnne read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 10:27 AM

Keep in mind that in at least 2 of my special needs schools, the children are severely handicapped and probably would not do well in regular public schools.
jaywalkingtx read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 11:01 AM

Well Lesley, clearly you don't know me and clearly you can't read. I said nothing about locking children with special needs in the basement so taht "decent folks" won't have to deal with them. On the contrary, I think that these children with these special needs should be in a place where THEY can be taught by trained professionals and have their needs met on a more consistent basis.

To ask a teacher in a typical public school (who IS NOT specially trained in dealing with autistic children) to try and meet his needs and the needs of her/his other students is not fair to anyone. It's not fair to the teacher, to the child with autism or to the other students.

As I have said before, I taught school for 4 years before leaving. I had interaction with students who were in "Special Ed" classes and I can tell you that they absolutely WERE NOT getting the attention they needed because most of the time (notice I said MOST OF THE TIME, not all the time) special ed classrooms are staffed with untrained "teacher's aides" and maybe one teacher and their job is to basically corrale these kids long enough to help them with their homework.

So, malign me if you will and paint me as an uncaring person, but I am not. What I am is someone who realizes that our public school system is BROKEN....SERIOUSLY BROKEN, and that arguing over whether or not this 4 year old autistic boy can bring a dog into a classroom is ridiculous!

Call me whatever name you want, but those teachers have enough to deal with besides worrying about whether or not this little boy is getting the attention he
jaywalkingtx read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 11:02 AM

Call me whatever name you want, but those teachers have enough to deal with besides worrying about whether or not this little boy is getting the attention he needs. It's not about the dog and it's not about locking a kid in a basement. It's about doing what is right and what WORKS! You can have all the compassion in the world, but if it leaves a kid out in the cold, what is it worth?

In the book of James he admonishes us, "If a brother or sister comes to you without clothes or daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed," and does nothing about this, what good is it?

What good are we doing this or any other child by allowing him to be in a classroom with someone unequipped to handle his needs? So what if WE feel better about it? What good is that? Blind compassion is worthless!!
jaywalkingtx read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 11:04 AM

Call me whatever name you want, but those teachers have enough to deal with besides worrying about whether or not this little boy is getting the attention he needs. It's not about the dog and it's not about locking a kid in a basement. It's about doing what is right and what WORKS! You can have all the compassion in the world, but if it leaves a kid out in the cold, what is it worth?

In the book of James he admonishes us, "If a brother or sister comes to you without clothes or daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed," and does nothing about this, what good is it?

What good are we doing this or any other child by allowing him to be in a classroom with someone unequipped to handle his needs? So what if WE feel better about it? What good is that? Blind compassion is worthless!!
LesleyAnne read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 11:11 AM

jaywalking I called you no names, I simply stated my opinion of how your response sounded to me. My experience with these students and teachers has been very different from what you discribe, maybe it is that we simply think and approach things of this nature in different ways.
jaywalkingtx read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 11:13 AM

"It sounds to me like going back to the days of keeping such children in the basement so "decent folks" won't have to deal with them would appeal to you."

My bad...no name calling in there.

Blind compassion is worthless!!
LesleyAnne read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 11:18 AM

As a matter of fact, my special needs schools have a standing request with my company that I always am the one that comes to their schools and works with their children, they respond well to me and I am very fond of them. Imagine that, a person with no special training in this area working well with these children. Could attitude have anything to do with that.
LesleyAnne read my blog view my photos
May 16, 2007 | 11:32 AM

And if you took the time to read and get to know me you would know that my compassion is not blind, however, it is sincere and unselfish. I work with folks who have a very difficult time working with these children, that is why I work with them now and they don't. We may simply have to agree to disagree.
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PlainUnamerican

My great grandparents came from Italy & not only learned the language & spoke it but also made their 3 daughters do the same. I have several friends whose parents came from Germany & it was the same rule in their household. I'm just sick and tired of the plain unamerican direction this country has gone. I'm sick of feeling like I HAVE to learn Spanish to live in my own country, sick of people with their hands out whining give me, give me, give me. I'm sick of paying taxes to support them. I have travelled all over the world & it would be quite arrogant of me to live in a non-English speaking country and expect it's citizens to accommodate me. I'm all for legal immigration and anyone here illegally needs to get out.

Member Since: 1/8/2007


 

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