Watch this video on Georgias segregation of students with disabilities, and address the following questions….
What might be the state of Georgias rationale for this practice?
Other than the obvious, horrific examples given in the video, how could such segregation be damaging to students with disabilities?
How might the state of Georgia address this issue? Remember to take into account their possible rationale for the practice.
Full Answer Section
The video reports that segregation in state-run programs for children with disabilities is damaging to students with disabilities in the following ways:
- Students with disabilities are segregated from mainstream students. They are not able to participate in extracurricular activities and social networks that could be beneficial to their development. [1:00-1:20]
- Students with disabilities are placed in substandard facilities. The video mentions the lack of playgrounds for elementary school students and science labs. [1:20-1:30]
- Students with disabilities have unequal access to education compared to mainstream students. The example given in the video is the lack of art and music classes. [0:45-1:00]
The state of Georgia might address the issue of mistreating thousands of children with disabilities by following the demands from the coalition of parents and advocacy groups. The coalition sent a letter to the governor demanding equal treatment for the children with disabilities [1].
The state might argue that they are already working on this issue. A spokesperson for the governor's office said that they did receive the letter and they are reviewing it and also working with the State Department of Education as well as the DOJ [1]. However, the advocacy groups are frustrated because it's been four months since the US Department of Justice found that the state programs are violating federal law and the state has taken little action [1].