Quality Education for All!

From our Summer Intern, Heidi:

In the recently published New York Times article "A School District That Takes the Isolation Out of Autism," Garner Moss (a teenage boy with autism) in the Madison school district shows how including disabled children in classes with regular students can yield positive results. Despite experiencing some troubles in his daily life, (such as tying his track shoes) Moss possesses many other talents. Unfortunately, the funding for the Madison school district is being cut, which puts Moss's education in jeopardy. This is because in order to attend regular classes and succeed as an athlete, Moss often needs an aide to assist him. Nonetheless, it would undermine the purpose of public education in America for him to receive less of an education than he deserves. He is attending school in order to become a contributing member of society; however, he can not do so without being socialized around regular students. It is crucial that adolescents with disabilities such as Moss continue to receive the help they need if the United States wants to be not only a socially just nation, but also a globally competitive one.