Ahem.

[-Arc' Avery;;]

This is an article I posted on my 'Media Studies' Class blog, which deals with a disabled student who is deaf.

Read on, critique is very encouraged.

Opinion

Well, we all have media studies third period,
and it's nice having this site to talk about
it. It's also nice having this sense of
anonymity, you know? I mean, for what I'm going
to say, I could probably guarantee I would be
scolded for if I were to say out loud.
So, I walk in class, and what greets me right
away?

We have our teacher, devoting almost all of his
time to a single student. Who is in high school
for whatever reason, I mean it's not like hes
getting credits or grades, really? I mean, can
he really go anywhere?
So our questions and comments get set
completely out of the way(Or are just kind of
ignored until said student is finished),
because when he talks, he must scream, it's
disturbing really, what if I was screaming when
communicating in class? Would that be
tolerated? Thompson is an amazingly nice
teacher, but I somehow doubt he would let
anyone scream as they communicated a point
across.(It's not like he even has an addition
to out discussion half the time other than 'I
saw/heard that too.')

You probably know who I'm talking about, and to
him, as he's probably reading it as you are.
Just to let you know, I have no problem with
him, however you can be a little stuck-up some
times in your opinions yourself, as you
probably assume me to be. I do however, have a
problem with the way he keeps doing it, and no
one can voice their opinion because it's..

What, mean? So what, everyone gets put down or
told 'no' many times in their life.
But, I'm entitled to my own opinion, aren't I?

All I ask, is that said student could possibly
raise his hand, or not interrupt, you know,
something along those lines.

Because, really, I'm sick of it.
And I would like to learn.
And I would like to get my credits.
Because, I want to move on.
I want to get that dream-job, house and car.
And you're just making it a little harder for
everyone else.

Just because you have a disability, that
doesn't mean I want you to be ours.

And in the end.
My swordcopter.
It goes soi soi soi.

I'm worried that, as my article notes, this will be deemed harsh or hurtful towards the unmentioned student, and I will possibly be suspended for voicing my opinion.

What do you think?

[viruszero]

If it personally identifies the student, and they find out it can mean harassment or accusations of intolerance, and that general nightmare of political correct bullsh*t where you can't say things as they are because someone's feelings might get hurt.

However... if you maybe readjusted the article and took a broader perspective than just oh say... that particular class. So as you say about disabilities in general? Then that student can't necessarily say they're being singled out in anything.

But I do believe you have a point. The teacher is catering to the lowest common denominator all the time. And that isn't right for the rest of you. Possibly you could voice your opinions on this to the teacher... and maybe ask them to discourage the shouting as you find it difficult to do your own work. (Even if the kid is retarded, they should still make reasonable accomodations for the other 20+ students in the class, so that they don't have to deal with the problems.)

But then again, this may be my bias against everyone getting special priviledges just because they have a problem of some kind.
If this kid is deaf, then they have these marvelous wonders called hearing aids... he should get a pair of them, and crank them up so shouting is painful for him.
If he's just retarded* then depending on the severity of the mental retardation, he should be taken out of your class. Because if the retardation is serious then in all honesty the most that kid will ever achieve is flipping burgers possibly or most likely drawing government welfare/social assistance checks because he is too pathetically retarded to go out and work for money. (Which is why I take a rather harda** line on dealing with mental retardation.)

However, if the kid is not that retarded, then possibly a warning and some disciplinary action may be warranted or requested... (In the meantime, you may want to use headphones/ear protection if you can at all get away with it.)

*(if you're offended that I said "retarded", grow up. There are worse things that can be said than that, be thankful I didn't say them instead. And I'm not exactly going to sugar coat my words here. It'd be like giving a paint job to a car that went through a compactor... pointless and a waste of time as in the end it'd still be/mean the same thing.)

[Chaos Tank]

I'd advise against posting in the class blog. I understand and sympathize with what you're saying, but I think you're going about it wrong. First, you should talk to the teacher privately and let him know how you feel. If you dont want to do that you can always leave an unmarked letter. But again, be mindful of your word choices, make it clear that he's making it harder for the rest of you to learn and could they please do something about it. I'm usually for blunt honesty but your letter could use some tactful rewording, whist not skipping out on the issue.

If your teacher refuses to budge you can talk to the principal, councilors or at last resort get other students involved, let them know more than one person wants this.

[Deathtanz Mantisk]

Oct 4, 2008 7:58:52 GMT 2 viruszero said:

If he's just retarded* then depending on the severity of the mental retardation, he should be taken out of your class.

Exactly. I don't what kind of a backwards hick school you go to, sir Arc, but I fail to see any reason whatsoever as to why they stuff some mental cases in the same room with the common students. I'm pretty sure we had a few retarded kids back in the school I used to go to, and they were held in some broom closet, released to wander outside once per month at most (saw them only a few times through the years).

If you're seriously afraid of the consequences, make it an anonymous message. Print the thing home and stuff it into a billboard somewhere! They'll rip it out and burn it, but whatever. ><

[-Arc' Avery;;]

The person in question replied with

All I can really say about this is that you make a wonderful point.

Sometimes we don't get why we have rights until they are taken away.

I'm not completely sure how to reply to that myself.

EDIT:
While not completely sure why human rights were suddenly brought in, I did reply with this.

Thank you for agreeing, although I am a little confused with the rights thing, which was not an issue.

What was, is that said student is exempt from the 'raising your hand to speak' rule we all know and abide by, and instead interrupts, rather loudly.

All I ask is that said student could participate in class like the rest of us, so we can all reach a common goal.

[viruszero]

Hmm, if the kid agrees with you, might be time to speak to the teacher about this, either privately or by sending them a letter/email/note or whathave you.

As for rights factoring in... Could it be this kid is mistaken and thinks it's his right to act that way? Or does he mean that he doesn't understand what rights are until they are limited in some way so you appreciate the rest of them?
Either way that's a side point to the real issue.


And Mantisk, I know what you mean, for my high school each retard had their own handler. (You know, so they wouldn't wander the school and cause trouble... Or kill/injure themselves, cause you know, we can't have that now.)

[VileMKII]

I've transfered schools three years in a row, each time the retards were taken diffrently.

Millitary school dosn;t allow them all all. Kinda good to as I would hate to be there when someone mimics a full metal jacket. However I did enjoy that about the hellhole school.

At my other Pub.School it was like Sakon's and VZ. They kept the kids hle up in the far back of the school. They had there own lunch hour and and were not out in the hallway durning the passing peirod. The only time I would see them is if I walked past the courtyard and they were huddled like penguins out there for some God forsaken reason.

At this new one in which I've only attended for a month They are all around, hell their class rooms are right next to the cafateria and they just wonder around during lunch. Thats okay I guess, I mean get them somewhat ready for the big world. But also here they have deaf kids in class, and Arc I know exactly what you mean about the shouting. The teacher mentined milk being good for you. (Like no one knows that, but hey it's USA fatass texas gym class so of course you have to tell them)* And the deaf kid just yelled out something, hell if I knew. His translater who has to be in everyclass with him, reported that all he said was "I like strawbarry milk." Now, when you mention milk in the middle of a lesson and a moron like that blurts out that and stops the ever so needed food pyrimid study, I would get pissed had I not have knowen it, well I was enraged. The kid is in another one of my classes and he just annoys me to know end as he sits right in frount of me. And that damn translator is just annoying as well, I need to look at the board but the constent movemnt of hands draws my eyes. It's bait I say.

Theres also in that class a ton of mexicans. I have no issues with them, but when they can;t speak english and once more a translator is there repeating the teacher in spanish, I am once more annoyed. If they can't speak english how the hell did they get in? Better yet why are half my assiments in spanish and all the teacher says is "You need to see what it;s like for them." To me that is bullshit because I live in the states and I can speak the dominet language. These morons can't even try to learn it.

I know the mexicans are not apart of the retards but for me it;s of equal distraction and annoyance. Also I have no gruge against them just, I hate having to do crap not in my language because they don't speak it.

*My gym class is full of fattys that don't relize a diet coke will not make a Big Mac lose all it;s fatness. I'm a senior and I learned this crap in the 3rd grade. thus I call them fatasses.

[Sorrum]

There's a "special" kid in my school that has been made fun of to his face since 6th grade. (I'm in 10th now.)

He now walks around with a teacher bodyguard everywhere he goes, and no one is allowed to talk to him. Also, at the mention of the word "powers", he could go insane and start flailing his arms at the nearest person.

Now, this guy isn't really a problem, but everyone else can be a problem to him.

Some people shouldn't be allowed in classes, no matter how retarded or normal they may be.

[Albireo]

Sorrum has a point

Though it really depends on the mental illness and what happens when this and that, which is when you define if they can attend classes or not.

Though school life isn't as glamorous as one may think, it's everyday that you get messed around with, and there are many people who obviously don't like it.

I say the fact is well, a deaf child shouldn't be allowed in a normal class, mostly since in normal classes, the teacher often stresses to students who mess around to "listen", which is a skill that deaf children lack.

Blind children too, since some teachers also require that you "see" the board, which a blind child cannot do. Obviously.

Now off of disability, I'll go onto a point about the mental kids. Well it really depends how they're affected by this and that, I have this friend, yes he's a friend and is tolerable most of the time. Well he's affected by like "Mario" and "Mario is dead" and such. I forgot what it was called, but it seems he sort of worships Mario or something apparently, but that's just pretty much it, devotion, a crazy insane sort of devotion. He resorts to violent language and violence itself pretty quickly, therefore he gets into a lot of arguments and classroom incidents. He's over-sensitive. But even so, he's allowed into classes, as long as the people don't pick on him he'll be fine.

He's learning to cope with it too.

Now as to hearing the word "power" and then go flail at the nearest person. Same thing, if it's the other kids who are causing it, then it's their problem, not the victim. But if it were that the mental kid who somewhat hallucinates, or something similar that doesn't require outside provocation, then that's a problem. Thus they need to be moved out to the back of the school. Really, it's not funny if they're sitting in the middle of class, and during a test they scream out, "MISS THERE'S A GIANT SNAKE COMING TO GET ME", he says, pointing at thin air with the most fearful face one could ever have. It's honestly not funny.

Arc's issue is solved if he can get his teacher to pay more attention to the other students. Maybe he could give the deaf child a hearing aid or you can get the teacher to tell the kid's parents to get the kid a hearing aid. Or something like that, but otherwise, a deaf child shouldn't be allowed into a normal classroom. If they can't hear the teacher, they shouldn't be there. Otherwise, is there like some sort of mini-chalkboard for you to talk to the kid? If not then no wonder your teacher screams.

[randomdrifter865]

Sounds like this teacher doesn't understand how that student works per say now does he/she understand that kind of predicament is also interfering with the learning of others? In the School I go to we have teachers who specailize for specific kids with disobilities like deafness, blindness and whatever else a student needs. Most of them have there own classes but, they also have classes where those who have learned to cope with their disabilities can go to but, the teacher is there to tell them what is going on in sign language for the deaf and for the blind they only need a teacher to give them a braile version of the lesson so they can understand the lesson in the class. The ones with mental deficinacy usually do a class designed similar to an elementary or preschool level classes, are guarded throughout lunch and usually with some sort of aid throught out the day and usually know one bothers with them. It sounds sad of what is going on. even so people need to understand those with specail needs are also gifted in their own way but, your school needs some sort of program where aids can assist but, budget might be a problem. So Arc when writting this letter or whatever your doing I hope it is let in a way that isn't harmful but, gets to the point as well as how you feel as a student about this situation. Teachers need to adjust the needs of others because even us need help and also need to get our lives going as well in the classroom. I hope this helps shed a little light on your situation.

[Silver Stryker]

You guys really seem to be serous about this. At my school, they hav the same lunches as us and whatnot. As for the spanish peeps, Fencer, I almost know what you mean. Only I have it worse. In one of my classes, there are alot of guys that make fun of how most spanish peeps don't know english, so when they are called on for questions they come up with sh!t like "....uh, me no engles?" even though the do. And since the teacher knows, she drags things on by keep asking them ntil they finally do answer.

Anywho, one of my old friends had a class with a guy who seemed like something was wrong with him. At first, I questioned my friend's status, but then I found out that the guy was placed in a normal class. Why do they do things like this?

[-Arc' Avery;;]

Alright, this discussion has turned a new leaf.

Here's some newsfeed, in point style.


-The Boy mentioned, has agreed that he is disruptive, and is unclear as to why he continues to be so, when he knows and understand that he is.

-He has spoken with the teacher, who has agreed that the discussion should be continued in a classroom setting, which removes any sense of anonymity from any student who was participating in that discussion.

-I have created a small speech for my class to further my point and continue to ask why the teacher would go against another students wishes over a point that was finished in it's discussion online, with obviously the teachers observation.

-Tomorrow I will seek my teacher before class and discuss with him how I feel about his decision, and that I have a prepared speech, and I will not end any discussion or let another student be the victor because of his disability, as I find the current classroom figure a very unbalanced place.

[viruszero]

If it comes to it and the teacher refuses to listen, be prepared to go over his head and to the principal. The teacher may not like it, but it won't be his call.

Good luck in the discussion/debate... (Even though it seems to me that the issue is solved and needs no further debating. )