Newark trying to force teachers to talk parents out of special education programs
Turnamian: So wrong about so many things
Newark school administrators now working for newly appointed state superintendent Christopher Cerf are trying to force the city’s special education teachers and specialists to persuade the parents of the neediest of the city’s children to buy into a special “pathway” that could rob the students of much needed services.
At meetings a few weeks ago, teachers were given literal scripts to read to parents over the phone or in person in an effort to talk the mothers and fathers into abandoning self-contained, special needs classrooms for their children in favor of so-called “all-inclusive” classes that mix special needs students with the regular population.
The script, obtained by this site, reads as if the teachers were employed in selling new appliances to the parents rather than engaging in what could be a life-altering decision to change their children’s educational program. One script opens:
“We are calling to share exciting news about special education programs for the 2015-2016 school year,” it reads. “Newark Public School (cq) has created special education pathways for students with disabilities to increase opportunities to be educated in the general education program.”
It concludes with the blatant half-truth: “Research has shown that students educated in the general education classroom show more growth than their self-contained peers.”
The truth is that, indeed, some special education students how more growth in general education programs, while some do not. A comprehensive study conducted by Princeton University reached this conclusion :
“The research does not support full-time inclusion for all students with Newark trying to force teachers to talk parents out of special education programs | Bob Braun's Ledger: