Inclusion-- Great Strides

I just came back from an early intervention parent advocacy training program. One of the discussions was about the history of early education and inclusion, especially in PA. It is difficult, sobering, and infuriating to listen to for anyone, but especially a mother of two children with disabilities.

It's hard for me to fathom that the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was only enacted in the mid 70s. It established LRE- Least Restrictive Environment. "In 1967, for example, state institutions were homes for almost 200,000 persons with significant disabilities. Many of these restrictive settings provided only minimal food, clothing, and shelter. Too often, persons with disabilities, such as Allan, were merely accommodated rather than assessed, educated, and rehabilitated." The 1986 amendments required states to provide services from birth-- hello early intervention! http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history.html. So emotional to think that a generation ago, 2 decades ago, children did not have a right to public education. Families had no recourses publically funded prior to this other than institutions.

We live 10 minutes away from the site of where a mental health institution used to sit-- Byberry. Truly the most heinous hospital in our country. Founded in 1907, stories abound on the neglect, abuse, and down right torture and worse-- apathy to its patients. Stories of patients freezing on the grounds, gone missing. http://www.citypaper.net/article.php?What-did-we-learn-from-Byberry-15862  It was closed in 1990 and then spent many years an empty shell, a silent reminder of a shameful time where those with mental illnesses, epilepsy, down syndrome, autism, or anyone who didn't fit the norm was abandoned in these institutions. It is now the site for an over 50 years old retirement housing development. First it hurts my heart and then my blood pressure rises. Infuriating. Isn't it amazing how legislation and the public allow our children, somebody's child, those with disabilities turned into a mere number on the fiscal budget to be put away and ignored?

You know what this discussion has taught me? It's taught me that we should never go back, we should close the remaining institutions and move forward. Please God let's never more backward towards segregation & institutionalization. We have to keep all this progress, we have to keep all this momentum. Because if its this hard to advocate and receive services for our children NOW, when we have federal and state legislation protecting their rights, I can't imagine fighting without these regulations in place.

Incredibly thankful to the advocates, family, lobbyists, all those who are GOOD people, who understand that different does not mean less. 

My class is finished and I hope I can successfully advocate for my kids. I want to live in a world where my kids can all attend regular education and receive the regular curriculum just like anyone else. One day soon all of our schools will be truly inclusive where disabled and abled, where disabilities and abilities, are all educated in the SAME classroom.

What is INCLUSION--  http://community.fpg.unc.edu/connect-modules/resources/videos/foundations-of-inclusion-birth-to-five


RESOURCES
The Arc PA-- http://www.thearcpa.org/resources/historicaldocs.html
AAIDD- http://aaidd.org/
Handout on Inclusion-- http://community.fpg.unc.edu/connect-modules/resources/handouts/CONNECT-Handout-1-4.pdf/view