News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:The Teachers’ Unions’ Last Stand by inscitekjeff on Sunday May 23, 2010 @12:55PM (#1372564)
What is your point? They don't belong in public schools either.
Re:The Teachers’ Unions’ Last Stand by tptacek on Sunday May 23, 2010 @01:13PM (#1372592)
Some of them don't, but what he's really referring to are students with IEPs --- and those run the gamut from children who genuinely need constant individualized attention to kids with no medically diagnosable problems whatsoever.

My son (who is and will remain in public school, though we live in a wealthy suburb and so enjoy de facto private schooling) had trouble socializing in 1st grade and was "diagnosed" by a school functionary as having an "autism spectrum disorder". After consulting with my mom, a full-time LD/BD teacher in the Chicago Public Schools, we argued for over a month against assigning an IEP to him. "You need the IEP to get occupational therapy services" (read: handwriting lessons). Yeah, and, we can count on never getting rid of the IEP, or getting him into any selective program anywhere.

(He's concluding 5th grade now, and besides issues getting his homework in, he's doing great. Late bloomer.)

The fact that private schools can be selective about students and can expel them virtually without cause is not a spurious concern. It's a very real issue.

Re:The Teachers’ Unions’ Last Stand by iskander on Sunday May 23, 2010 @01:30PM (#1372622)
Publicly funded education...except for those with disabilities or recent immigrants?