I Should Have Been In Special Ed

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I was in special education myself--before there was such things as IEP's.

Therefore, I know of what I speak.

Obviously, being in special education does NOT imply that a person is not intelligent.

All I was stating, basically, is that a "regular" diploma provides an easier path to a career than the IEP diploma. It is a fact. Not obtaining the "regular" diploma does not prevent one from succeeding--but it most definitely makes it much more difficult. To the point where I would advocating plying the track toward the "regular diploma" if it is at all possible. This is not "ablist"---this is practical.

I'm not denigrating the intelligence of special education students at all. If I were to believe that, I wouldn't be worthy of walking this earth. I'm not denigrating the quality of eduction received in special education; to do so, I would be denigrating my acquisition of knowledge.

All I was advocating, as well, was that the OP ignore ignorant people who believe certain things about him/her and to just do the best he/she can, despite the obstacles placed before him/her by opinions of this sort.

To reiterate: I was not denigrating special ed people. I was a special ed person myself; I would be denigrating myself if I were to denigrate special ed people.

I'm sorry--but you misinterpreted my feelings and my intentions.

I had an IEP.
I have a regular high school diploma.

I am a special needs student. This thread reminds me of primary school and secondary school. I went to a mainstream secondary school without any support for my deafness and autism, and my memories of school are mostly painful because I was bullied and ostracized by my peers and my teachers had no understanding. Now, I board at a special school for the deaf and it's wonderful, a truly wonderful school to be at. I originally sat the exams for their secondary school and passed with high marks but couldn't attend because the local authorities refused to fund my place and because my headteacher at primary school was very ignorant of disabilities and thought that I was doing well enough and so refused to support me too. It is a life changing experience from having virtually no support at school to having full support and understanding.

It was very difficult and the experience that I went through at mainstream schools was soul destroying and it's sad to think that I'm not the only one who has gone through this and that I won't be the last. I think that all people with disabilities should receive support and understanding in school with their disability or disabilities.

Very short post. Have class now so must go.

On the record: I didn't IMPLY anything.

Speaking from experience with the Australian Schooling System - Looking back I dunno how I feel about the whole Special Ed (or Spastic Ed as it was affectionately called) thing. I was in special ed in years 6-8, at the start of year 9 I was kicked out for "Being a corruptive influence on other students on the spectrum". I also got the "your're to smart too be in Special Ed" talk from a number of teachers.

To be honest I kinda felt that many of the students in Special Ed didn't need to be there, rather it was more of a case of over-concerned parents nagging the school into giving their children assistance they didn't need. Perhaps bit of tough love on behalf of the establishment may have gone a long way to helping a number of the students get somewhere after they finished school?

I never struggled to achieve decent results in mainstream classes, I was top of English and History classes, did reasonably well in science. In senior high school most of the NT kids saw me as just another nerd who was more interested in Shakespeare than Twilight/Harry Potter. Although it all came to nothing, as we all ended up graduating into an economy that wipes its backside with high school certificates/diplomas.

I was told this after being diagnosed and that it was a marvel that I'd done so well in education until I could take it no longer and flamed out. I don't even know what being supported in an education environment would have done for my aspirations. I am slowly growing to be immensely proud of all I had to learn around the studying which went much further in scope and depth and will hopefully enable me to have success when I reach a plateau to build another chapter of life from.