Klarinet Archive - Posting 000850.txt from 2004/03

From: "Gary Drennan" <psa119@------.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] not just the music department
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 09:37:55 -0500

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ormondtoby Montoya" <ormondtoby@------.net>
To: <klarinet@------.org>
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 12:07 AM
Subject: [kl] not just the music department

(snip)

>
> Although this doesn't relate to music, test scores of special education
> students (learning disabled) are penalized for using calculators and
> dictionaries during an exam. So one of our school districts is
> considering taking calcuators and dictionaries away from special
> education students in order to improve the _district's_ overall test
> scores --- even though the special education students will do worse in
> their tests. Poorer performance, better scores. Talk about
> double-speak.
>
> "No Child Left Behind" (the law says)
>

This would concern me a great deal. I am almost totally blind and use a
screen reader, Braille display, and other technology to write and to access
a computer. They are, in effect, removing the technology that the disabled
need so that the school can look better in test scores. That is like kick
the crutch out from under it's user, or removing a person's guide dog.

My apologies for commenting so on an "off topic", but this one is way too
close to my heart to be ignored. Mr. Bush says that no child is left behind,
not the law. This is because the law has no funding to enforce it. And
besides, it the child is disabled or musically inclined, he'll be left so
far behind that you won't see him until the next election.

Gary

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