It's okay to be different |
On Board Online • April 2, 2018
By William Miller
NYSSBA President
As school board members, we care about every child in our schools. But we have a special obligation to care about students with special needs.
April is Autism Awareness Month, so let's start there. Autism is present in virtually all of our schools and many of our families, including mine.
Stephen M. Shore, an education professor at Adelphi University, has said, "If you've met one individual with autism, you've met one individual with autism." He was referring to the fact that there is a great variety in the nature and severity of symptoms or behaviors associated with autism, which is why autism symptoms are often described as falling on a spectrum.
Shore should know; he has autism. His professional success is one of many examples of how people with autism grow up to be major contributors to society - especially if they get the right help at the right time.
In general, autism is a condition that can affect one's impulses, self-regulation and socialization skills. Many K-12 students with autism have a reduced ability to communicate and interact with others. About 1 in 68 children has autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Autism is far more common in boys than in girls.
Public education is about preparing young people for adulthood. Usually the attention is focused on preparing students for college and career. These are the right goals for our schools, but those who work with special education students may define success in other ways, such as helping a student become more independent or develop sufficient life skills.
We should be as proud of how our special educators prepare students for independent living as we are of the teachers who see their students get into the college or university of their choice.
My hope is that your school board will see Autism Awareness Month as an opportunity to have an internal or external expert brief your school board about special education. We can always learn more about students with special needs and get updated on the services our schools are providing.
One thing I've learned in my experience as both a school board member and as a grandfather is that it's important for every teacher who has contact with a student with special needs to be familiar with that student's Individualized Education Plan. Not only can this help educators provide better instruction to students, it can also help the teacher or administrator interact more effectively with the child.
As we work to integrate students with disabilities into the mainstream classroom as much as possible, we should make sure our educators and support personnel are paying attention to such factors as the classroom environment, the pace of instruction, and family and social influences on students. I know this can be difficult for busy educators and administrators who are responsible for the well-being of each and every student, but we should always keep a special eye out for vulnerable populations.
We adults also have to be alert for bullying of students with autism or any form of special needs. It is a sad fact of life that there can be a social stigma for being different. This is one of the lessons every school needs to help all children learn: it's okay to be different.
This is particularly important under New York State's plan for complying with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which will require school boards to pay greater attention to school climate issues. Board members and administrators should be mindful of whether all students are being treated respectfully and fairly in their district. Be sure your district or BOCES' efforts include listening to the concerns of special education students, teachers and parents.
One thing I know about school board members, administrators and teachers is that we all got involved in education and our schools because we care about kids and we care about our communities.
The more we can do to promote awareness, understanding and acceptance of students who have special needs in our schools, the better off we will all be. Like so many things, progress starts with the commitment and intention of the school board.
This is why, my fellow board members, that I believe very strongly in the theme of my NYSSBA presidency, "Every Child Does Matter."