diploma

[Guest guest]

I presume that Barb means high school diplomas. In this day of

accentuated testing in schools it isn't clear that any but a very few

kids with down syndrome will actually " earn " a high school diploma. The

few cases I know about involved an intense amount of parent intervention

to get the child past the state required tests and at least one claim by

a parent that their child got a diploma may simply be a lie because

everyone so depended upon it as a sign of success.

Beyond that it gets very spotty. Jan got an IEP diploma with her class

with no notice to anyone there that it was different than the rest of

the diplomas. That is in NY where there is sometimes a GED diploma and

the more prized Regent's diploma. So what is a diploma and what does it

really mean?

I guess it can mean a lot to the pride of the parents. It can mean a

lot to the child if that is where their expectations have been aimed,

but one of our jobs as parents is to try to tailor our child's

expectations so that the failures are fewer.

A diploma will not get a person with down syndrome a job as cashier or

secretary or even typist. To get those jobs they will have to overcome

both bias and also demonstrate the competence to do the job. Remember

that in many parts of the world people with college diplomas are lucky

to get jobs driving a taxicab.

Going to graduation was big for Jan. We were lucky because in some

years before and afterwards, they didn't allow the kids in special

education (or those who hadn't passed the tests) to attend graduation

with their class. It is a set of rather arbitrary rules but a diploma

is not a right .. it is supposed to be earned by achievement. Most of

our children may no more be able to achieve a diploma than to achieve a

score of 90 or more on an IQ test. That doesn't mean that they might

not get one without the achievement in some cases.

I feel that we need to be rather careful in setting the expectations for

our children to encourage them to stretch to be all they can be, but at

the same time not to raise their expectations so that they have

disapointment after disapointment. Many of the standard attainments may

be available to our children. Driving may or may not make sense.

College will make sense only for a very few. Full independence,

marriage, children, intensive careers, etc may not come. We have to

love and respect them for who they are and what they do achieve.

Rick .. dad to 32 year old Jan

[Guest guest]

my ZD is in 6th grade and right know is in middle of evaluations however the

school says if they modify his education say like no homework for just a couple

of months or a modified math program that he will not be able to get his diploma

or for that matter graduate at all, right now the only motivator I have for him

is him getting his diploma and having a career. has anyone else had this issue

with the school?

[Guest guest]

You need to get this information in writing. Ask to see the "rule" or law that says that providing modifications or accommodations will mean he can't get a diploma. I doubt anyone will put this in writing since it is discriminatory. Having said that, you need to find out what the requirements are for special education students to graduate with a regular diploma. You can contact an advocate or your state Department of education. Whatever you do, do not take the school staff word for this stuff. Always ask for the information in writing for your records. If they refuse, write a follow up letter up the "food chain" stating what was said and who said it and that you want this clarified in writing.

Roxanna

“Our lives begin to end the day we

become silent about things that matter.†- Luther King, Jr.

( ) diploma

my ZD is in 6th grade and right know is in middle of evaluations however the school says if they modify his education say like no homework for just a couple of months or a modified math program that he will not be able to get his diploma or for that matter graduate at all, right now the only motivator I have for him is him getting his diploma and having a career. has anyone else had this issue with the school?