Education Made Special

* What a great way to start my Sunday morning (May 19)! Two headlines, “Wilson to Propose Cutting Class Size in 1st, 2nd Grades” and “Able to Be Included at School.” How wonderful to see education in a positive way. Thank you!

CARRIE PARTRIDGE

Los Alamitos

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* Re “Able to Be Included at School” and Johnny Palacio, the Down’s syndrome child:

I believe that special education children should receive just that, “special education.” It is obvious to me that a child with an IQ of 50 could not possibly compete with children that have IQs that fall within normal ranges.

In reading the article it is obvious that an abnormally large quantity of time and attention has been taken away from the normal students in Santa Ana High School to provide Johnny with the attention he should receive from special education teachers. Our school systems are taxed to the point of inadequacy as it is, without adding the additional burden of turning our regular teachers into special education teachers.

I am certain that Johnny is a loving and caring child and that his parents want only the best for him, but what of the other children in that school? And what of their parents? Are they as thrilled as Johnny’s parents are with his presence in that school ?

I feel that Johnny’s father’s statement that parents like him and his wife are forced “to take ownership and responsibility to make sure that [our child] is given the opportunity that will help him reach his full potential,” is well intended, but clouded. Johnny will never reach the full potential of a “normal” high school student. Johnny will reach his full potential on a much lower educational level, and should be given the special attention to help him achieve this goal without disruption to other students and him.

JIM QUEZADA

Irvine