We can't let inclusion efforts fail disabled kids

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Support our nonprofit journalism]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     October 25, 2024 It's hard to argue with the virtues of inclusion, particularly when it comes to children. But when policies designed to promote inclusion in public education are applied broadly and without much oversight, can they cause more harm than good? It's the question at the center of a [new piece]( from Katherine Osnos Sanford, a public middle-school teacher and parent of a daughter with complex disabilities, in which she urges us to consider what is lost when well-intentioned [inclusion policies are prioritized over quality](: Broadly speaking, authentic inclusion of disabled children is necessary and important because, just as with any child, these children are as deserving of a high-quality education that meets them where they are. But for my daughter, and for children with similar profiles, the practical effect is that, rather than spend her days on skills she needs—brushing her hair and teeth, going to the bathroom—she spends them in a large public high school, sitting in a classroom located beside a loud, distracting cafeteria, working on some pseudo-academic curriculum that is based on videos of current events. The thought of her sitting and watching videos on the marvels of weather and then being asked to fill out a worksheet on what she just watched is absurd. The results can be quite damaging, with students spending entire academic years without credentialed teachers or occupational therapists. As Sanford notes, some parents hire lawyers to ensure that their children with complex needs get the necessary support. It probably won't surprise you to learn that families with limited resources are failed at far higher rates. I'm a proud public school kid, and I tend to agree with arguments that [private schools border on the immoral](. And while I have no intention of becoming a helicopter PTA parent fighting in the corner of every school issue, I do look forward to having a personal stake in the fight for better educational policies, for both my son and everyone in the system. It's from this privileged perspective that I especially appreciate [personal testimonies]( like this one from Sanford. As I navigate the system, it's a story I won't forget. —Inae Oh Advertisement [Hope Credit Union]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [When “Inclusion” Fails Kids]( I’m a teacher and parent of a child with complex disabilities. Well-intentioned efforts don’t help. BY KATHERINE OSNOS SANFORD SPONSORED CONTENT FROM HOPE CREDIT UNION   Empowering transformative economic opportunities through impact investment in the Deep South Be a catalyst for good by making a Transformational Deposit at Hope Credit Union. At HOPE, funds empower families and communities by fueling homeownership and entrepreneurship, combating predatory lending, supporting facilities that improve education and health outcomes, improving climate resiliency, and building opportunity ladders in the Deep South. [Learn more here.]( [Trending] [Trump and Russia: it’s still damn important]( BY DAVID CORN   [Nevada canvassers grapple with extreme heat as they work to mobilize voters]( BY MAANVI SINGH   [Candidates' support for fracking infuriates these rural Pennsylvanians]( BY OLIVER MILMAN   [Why Project 2025 caught on]( BY PEMA LEVY Advertisement [Hope Credit Union]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [Clay Higgins Built His Brand on Law and Order. He Pals Around With a Man Guilty of Incest.]( A Mother Jones investigation has revealed troubling connections between the Louisiana Republican congressman and fellow former cops accused of severe misconduct. BY NOAH LANARD MOTHER JONES MEMBERSHIP UPDATE   DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY You’re a Mother Jones Daily reader, so you know the stakes and you know reporting like ours matters so freaking much in the month ahead (and beyond). About that: We need [the support of our newsletter readers like never before]( to vigorously fight back against the existential threats American democracy and journalism face. We urgently need all hands on deck. We can’t afford to come up short—we have no cushion; we leave it all on the field. Please help with a donation if you can—even just a few bucks helps. A [monthly gift]( would be incredible. [Donate Now]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Share it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755