Deaf teenagers who are sitting in my classroom, day in and out, have written in their daily journals about their experiences from public schools. I cry every time I read them. I suppose one day I will get used to it, but I'm not at that point.
I am not saying that every single child who is in a mainstreamed setting is being "abused." What I am saying is that some of the experiences that children who are often placed in the mainstreamed education setting is often abuse, but it's not often seen as it. I've pointed out some examples. Many things which are common and accepted for deaf children in those settings should not be. For example, has it occurred to you that having a closed-captioned television program may not always be appropriate? Hearing kids in first grade do not read that well yet - so they learn by hearing the language. Yet, it's a common accommodation for first grade deaf kids, who probably don't have nearly as much exposure to English words, to have captioned on the media program so the interpreter will not interpret the program. This is wrong. I've sat at plenty of meetings whereas I voiced and advocated for the child to be placed in a public school setting as it was more appropriate than the deaf school (for various reasons, and for every child, those reasons will and should vary). What I am merely pointing out is that even in the best possible mainstreamed setting with the appropriate modifications, accommodations, and instructional goals (which does not happen often, by the way), the child still will have some negative experiences that can adversely affect their emotional and mental well-being. This is something that is often overlooked, ignored, or simply said with a shrug "Well, we can't have everything." Parents often feel judged or defensive when they hear these stories, which is understandable. But it's also something they need to sit back and listen to. By listening to these "blanket statements", they may realize the potential of making sure the same thing doesn't happen to their children. For example, it's not okay for the child to sit and eat lunch without an interpreter...this is a very common practice. The child needs conversational skills, too. He needs informal language exposure as opposed to only interpreting what the teacher says. By listening to the stories, the parents can look at their own children and perhaps make better adjustments. I wish someone talked to my parents.
it's like wa wa wa wa.
