School expects a lot out of our children so we expect a lot from our schools. When you find out that a school isn’t meeting your child’s demands or is treating them unfairly, it’s reasonable to feel frustrated. A woman in California is sharing some recent information she gleaned from her mother, who is a special education teacher. Because of this info, many people are rightfully concerned about the future for their school-aged children.
A woman who goes by the name Plant (@fkaplant) shared her video on what she deems a California “education emergency”. She said that her mother, who is a special education teacher, started her school year a week ago. The state of California allegedly asked her mom to “determine what kids she believes will not graduate high school.” The children she names will be removed from their classroom and put into alternative classes. So, what happens in that class? Well, Plant says that they will only be taught life skills and won’t receive a diploma. They won’t learn the classroom curriculum like their peers. If this doesn’t boil your blood as a parent, something is genuinely wrong.
Plant says that these are “babies in elementary school” and deserve better treatment and to be taught like their peers. Since her mother teaches special education, she’s concerned that these children will be singled out and given fewer opportunities. Federal cuts have already been proven to affect disabled students in California over the past year and Plant is worried it will only get worse.
Plant also says that she’s concerned that a lot of children who will be singled out due to this legislation will be “black and brown babies.” She also believes that children who have ADHD and other mental health-related disorders will be put on these lists. Plant also said that children whose parents are working all the time will fall behind. These are children who deserve better opportunities and might not be able to access them if it’s up to our current administration.
Plant’s mother said herself that there are children who were able to turn things around in one semester. Now, they might not have this chance. She goes on to say that some teachers have biases and the children could suffer because of this. This is especially true, she adds, if a teacher is “racist” and “hateful.” It’s not fair that children could be chosen and taken from their classroom, never to receive a diploma or college education that they could have otherwise benefited from.
Commenters pointed out that they were in similar situations to some of these children and that the outcome was better than anybody expected. One commenter said, “If you ask any of my early teachers, they would have said I was going nowhere fast. Today I have a PhD in molecular virology. That’s too young to judge potential.” Another suggested that it’s a “school to prison pipeline.” She went on to say, “This is insane and yet we’ve known it’s real for years.” Advocating for your young children is the best thing that you can do as a parent. It’s sad that we have to think like this as parents. However, you never know what the government or a school will do concerning your child’s future and it’s fair to always demand the very best for them.
