"A Foot in the Door"

As a result from discussions on another blog, I posted this missive on his website -Eskay Expresso:

A few premises first. My oldest son has forever told me there is no such thing as coincidence. Because of circumstances in my life, I was exposed to many experiences which led me to seek nation wide training learning about the laws of IDEA. Having recently discovered this modern day activity of blogging, it led me to my recent self appointment as the Motel Special Ed Concierge. I honestly can not remember how I came upon Eskay Expresso, but it happened. We became involved in a discussion about education and business - well - just read the transcripts.

This is a coincident. Yesterday, I was exposed to the Business Round Table and it’s relationship to education.. Last night, I heard a radio talk show host discuss the history of the attempts towards socialized medicine in the United States.

I couldn't write down the names of the people (Reagan was one who spoke against it) and the congressional statements he was citing, but I assume the facts can be traced. He (host) said that the first attempt to establish socialized medicine for all failed. So, in order to “get their foot in the door”, the proponents chose to target the elderly and the disabled, because there would be public sympathy, hence Medicare and Medicade. Once they have their foot in the door, they were closer to their goal.

When he said “disabled”, my mind shifted gears. My colleagues and I have many a time discussed why is there a set of Federal Regulations (IDEA) that is so poorly supported, does not have one state that is even close to compliance and was basically ignored for many years by parents, schools and courts until modern technology changed the playing field. We have posed the question - “why not get rid of it, it is so destructive to enforce.” We have far too often seen the destruction and waist of resources on both “sides” follow the same course, while the student (the marble about which the fight is over) remains static.

Then it hit me. Perhaps the whole concept of IDEA was to “get their foot in the door.” I will continue to pursue this concept. While there are many participants in the world of Special Ed, for the one’s, on both “sides”, that have to go through hell because of a “foot in the door”, it is a cruel hoax.

"We need to deny that there's anything "special" about being disabled, so we can stop getting "special treatment" instead of justice -John R. Woodward, M.S.W. http://www.jik.com/ilclang.html#TIME_TO_GET_RID_OF_SPECIAL