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Monday, June 15, 2009
It Takes Community To Raise Disabled Kids
By Joline Gutierrez Krueger
Journal Staff Writer
A couple of e-mails concerning a column last week on New Mexico's lack of a cohesive, meaningful policy on the use of restraint and seclusion on disabled students has me restraining myself.
I get a few — and only a few, thank goodness — responses like these anytime I write about a disabled child. They go something like this:
"Sad about that kid, my heart goes out to the family, blah, blah, blah. BUT that kid's disability is (insert disparaging comment here), and I as a taxpayer don't think I should have to foot the bill for that."
I love you, my dear readers. I love your every golden word to me, be it by e-mail, phone, Twitter, Facebook or the —remember these? — letter.
But please. That kind of response just chafes me.
Let me recap. On June 8, I introduced you to Matt, a 17-year-old autistic boy manhandled by his 73-year-old educational assistant who was in over his head and no match for this big, strong kid.
Reader "L." argued that Matt was an uncontrollable, dangerous bully undeserving of all the resources diverted to him and away from regular kids.
"Please understand, I'm not complaining that they shouldn't be spending the money on the students with disabilities, but why is it that when a student of Matthew's caliber that requires an inordinate amount of time and resources, all of which are paid by the taxpayer for the benefit of a few," (sic) L. wrote.
Which sounds just like L. was complaining about spending money on disabled students.
Another reader wrote: "Although Matthew has had to endure some unfortunate circumstances, you must realize he put people in jeopardy."
To which I reply, you're blaming these kids for their disability? What, then, would you have us do with kids like Matt? Lock them away in some awful asylum? Do you have a better idea? Write me about that. I'd love to hear that.
Let us remember that kids with autism or those with other severe disabilities are not simply spoiled brats with behavior issues. There are ways to work with them, ways to reach them, ways to realize these are not monsters but children dealt a very challenging hand.
And you want to talk about a high price to pay? Try being a disabled kid's parent. You don't hear those parents whining.
It takes special people to deal well with these kids, and I applaud the parents, the EAs, the teachers, the therapists who do that.
OK, start writing those letters.
Now onto some news.
THE PED RESPONDS: The larger point of that column was that the educational assistant, though clearly in the wrong, was also likely the victim of not being trained appropriately to deal with a child like Matt, and perhaps that is, in part, because schools don't have substantive rules concerning when and how and if to use restraint and isolation with special-needs kids.
That was the conclusion of a chilling U.S. General Accountability Office report released last month.
Locally, it was also the conclusion reached by Tara Ford of Pegasus Legal Services for Children in Albuquerque and Nancy Koenigsberg of Protection and Advocacy System.
Ford queried the 89 school districts across the state about their policies and submitted her findings on May 8 to state Education Secretary Veronica Garcia. Ford requested that the department conduct its own survey.
She also requested that Garcia convene a task force to develop statutes — not just toothless guidelines — on the proper use of restraint and seclusion in time for the next legislative session.
At press time, Ford hadn't heard a peep from Garcia or the 22 lawmakers, agencies and advocates she had also contacted.
Ford explains now that she had been out of the office and out of touch with me when Garcia's response arrived May 29.
In her letter, Garcia agreed that the issue is important and will be discussed — soon.
"I strike a somewhat contemplative note in that I am not aware that the PED has ever collected data on this topic and may recommend at the very least that a survey be conducted before rushing into the compliance mode," Garcia wrote.
Which is what Ford had suggested.
Ford also says she has heard from others, including child-advocates Peter Cubra and Maureen Sanders.
Rep. Rick Miera, chairman of the Legislative Education Study Committee, also checked in with me to say that he has put the issue on the agenda for the committee's September meeting.
Lastly on the matter, I failed to include Koenigsberg's group on my list of resources. The Protection and Advocacy System, which will soon change its name to Disability Rights New Mexico, is the federally mandated legal rights center for people with disabilities in New Mexico. Call 256-3100.
HELP FOR DISABLED DRIVERS: The Public Education Department also replied to my June 5 column on the state's lack of an adaptive driving program for disabled folks.
The department's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, we learn, coordinates adaptive driving programs for those disabled people who are seeking employment.
It's not the more comprehensive program mentioned in my column, but for those specific folks, it's worth a look. Call (800) 224-7005 or visit www.DVRgetsjobs.com.
UpFront is a daily front-page opinion column. You can reach Joline at 823-3603, jkrueger@abqjournal.com or follow her on Twitter @jolinegkg.
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