News, commentary, and resources about Learning Disabilities
A Tennessee college softball player earned academic accolades despite having Learning Disabilities. Here’s a quote from the story:
Grothause, a catcher for the Blue Raiders and native of Naples, Fla., has a 3.43 grade-point average in Engineering and also is ranked third in batting average for the team with a .288. Grothause’s accomplishments are even more impressive since she suffers from Dyslexia and overcame her learning disability to garner a 4.0 GPA in the fall of 2004.
Karen Campbell of the Kentucky New Era reported about one of a series of meetings that the state department of education is holding around KY, seeking input about changes in state rules and regulations regarding special education. The list of topics reads like a summary of issues for many people.
Topics discussed included how to reach all children, what can be done to prevent disproportionate representation by race and ethnicity, how to ensure prompt coordination between schools for transfer students, should all districts follow set criteria for special education eligibility, how to define “functional” performance, when to begin addressing post-secondary transitions, and components of the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Although there is a good bit about LD in her story, I had to wonder whether Campbell was using LD as a generic.
The Des Moines Register carried a story about a bad party that occurred at a house left to be tended by a high school student. The boy who has LD, was left at home for a weekend by his parents. Other youths apparently took advantage of the situation. There are reports of drug use and sexual assault.
Pam Glazebrook said her 18-year-old son is responsible; she said he usually follows his parents’ strict rules, hasn’t needed to be grounded this year, and works 20 to 30 hours a week.
“It never would’ve occurred to us not to trust him,” Glazebrook said in an interview.
She bristled at Cook’s comment that her son is a special-education student, saying he has a slight learning disability connected to short-term memory loss.
“But quite honestly, he’s a sheep, not a leader. He’s a very popular kid, but he tends to follow,” she said. “Things got way out of his control.”
What value these kids?
A while back, over on St. George Blog, someone identifying him- or herself as “Vache Folle” (help! Is that “mad cow?”) asked, “Does the Public Benefit from Special Education?” I’d answer, “yes.” Here is the beginning of a list of reasons why I would give that answer:
Perhaps you’d agree or disagree. First, please give Vache Folle’s post a read via this link.