I can't help it...

I can't help it. Really I can't. I read stuff and I can't HELP but say something about it. On CNN.com you can find an article entitled "Palin lays out policy agenda for special needs children" (here is the link: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/24/palin-lays-out-policy-agenda-for-special-needs-children/ ). Read it. Then consider this:

Did you know that if you send your child with disabilities to a private or charter school, they do not HAVE to provide special services? They are not bound by law to provide services at all because unless they receive public funds for their education (other than those covered under Title I and some federal programs like school lunch, etc), they do not have to comply with federal mandates for education. Same goes for AYP testing. Private and parochial schools are not even required to do the state testing...and results typically aren't reported on the dept of ed website like all the public schools are. IF they do offer services, it is likely because they are billing the PUBLIC SCHOOL system for this and chances are, they are using PUBLIC SCHOOL personnel to case manage your child's disability programming. In fact, if there is a "known" child with special needs (one identified), public school districts MUST show they OFFER services -it is always up to the parents whether to receive services or not -public school or not. If parents want it, they've got it -at public expense (public means YOU the taxpayer). Vouchers hit the public school system twice for children with disabilities. Once by providing [stealing] public funds for privatized education (vouchers & tax breaks) and again by forcing compliance with IDEIA's (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act) funding directives where the public school must "reimburse" (or simply pay for directly) private school for special ed programming while not receiving state dollars for that student's enrollment. And some wonder why this type of funding system is causing districts to ask for levies this November. Funneling more money in vouchers will not help -you cannot get water from a rock (i.e. public school funding) -it will only exacerbate the problem while maintaining or creating a wider scism we face now with the haves and have nots. People will argue that vouchers allow for middle to lower economic status families be able to afford "school choice". Is that the answer though?? There are other things already in place and good that can be improved. Fully funding IDEIA would be a good step. Fully funding NCLB would be an even better step. Actually, if Minnesota ever figures out how to get school funding RIGHT, it would be the best step for us at home here...regardless of what comes down from the feds. And I'm sorry folks, but if we're using public funds to educate those with special needs in a private or parochial setting, the current system is pretty much taxing you twice.

I don't buy the notion that Palin is sensitive to the issues surrounding special needs children -nor that she even "knows" about the issues. I resent the fact that she is using the birth of her last child, who has downs syndrome to further her political career. It makes me crazy mad -and she should be ashamed of herself. He's not even a year old and she has YET to struggle with his education and the programming issues related to funding issues she will find out about later -especially as he transitions into adulthood. She has no clue. Not to mention the adult occupational support programs and high school vocational programs her party has cut over the years that people with special needs rely on to become productive members of society. Cutting medicare and restricting access will also affect the population of people with special needs.

How is this "helping children with special needs"?? It's rhetoric, folks. Not improvement.