The System Has Failed: Education and The Special Child

The semester is quickly coming to a close. It feels like I just blinked and the semester went by. One of the education classes I am taking this semester is Intro to Exceptional Individuals. At the beginning I thought the material and class was quite dull. But now that the semester is coming to a close, I have realized how much I have learned about children with special needs and the effects disabilities have on them and their families. Not only have I learned so much but I also began to understand the kinds of problems families I know face when it comes to their child at school.

A few weeks ago I was talking with a church member after church service who has a son with autism. That day, he stayed at home with his dat because he had a rough week since his one-to-one aid quit and he did not have one at the moment at his school. They lived in Hawaii for about a year and then moved back to Guam and she shared with me that his schedule at his school has not been so accommodating to his condition and needs. As she shared these problems with me I told her that I was taking a special education course and that I can see how this can be very hard on not only her son but on her and her family as well. Listening to her talk about her son and the issues he has been having made me realize how our educational system especially on Guam has failed to meet the needs of all students. Sure, "normal" students have no problem adjusting to things in school but what about those who need the extra care and attention? What happens to them when there is no one to guide or listen to them? I have come to see that children with disabilities are much more than what meets the eye. They are brilliant, different, but all still very human. They deserve everything in the world just like a "regular" child.