Schools accused of mainstreaming to cut costs

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Schools accused of mainstreaming to cut costs

GREECE, N.Y — For years, Jonathan Schuster's mother begged the public schools here to put her son in a special program where he could get extra help for his emotional problems. By 11th grade, Jonathan had broken his hand punching a wall and been hospitalized twice for depression — once because he threatened to kill himself with a pocket knife.

But teachers insisted that Jonathan, who suffers from attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities and bipolar disorder, could get by in regular classrooms.

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Regular classrooms where NT children are allowed to bully others. That's what mainstreaming means to me. Of course though, nothing is wrong with the bullies. They certainly don't need "special education" to teach them not to be sadistic to others. It's no different than putting a sheep in a room with a pack of lions. Maybe they need to see the carcass before they do something.

Even the seeing the carcass doesn't necessarily work.

I've read of people in my area who have committed suicide because of bullying. So the bullies just target the brothers and sisters of the person who committed suicide and make fun of the fact that their sibling killed themselves.

I just don't understand how people can be so callous.

I really think much wider use should be made of specialised educational programmes. I also think a lot more should be done to combat bullying.

I certainly beleive that special education should be made avalible upon request and review of the school board and the parents. If the kid needs it, they should have it, costs can be cut in many other areas, but special ed can be important, even nessissary for some kids.

I was mainstreamed in 5th grade because my parents had to fight tooth and nail for it to happen and I lived in NY at the time. I dont understand why it is that they had to fight WW3 almost to get me OUT when other kids parents must fight to get them IN, stupid. I could funtion fine in normal class yet they wanted me to stay, these kids need it MUCH more then I did yet they cant get in . Their is a problem here, and I only got mainstreamed in 5th grade like 1993-1994.

Just another reason to homeschool if I ever have kids. The American public education system is broken beyond redemption as a result of Right-Wings disdain for good public education and the Self-serving nature of the teacher's unions.