I am writing in support of Northampton’s new proposal to adopt an inclusionary learning style with children who have special needs (“Dramatic special ed overhaul in works,” Feb. 24).
I have three children in the public schools, one each at Jackson Street, JFK and NHS. I moved to Northampton in 2015 from Boston. In Boston, my children all attended the Henderson Inclusion Elementary School in Dorchester. Children with a range of mild to severe physical and intellectual special needs were mainstreamed in every class and each class had both a regular education teacher and a special education teacher.
My children did not have individualized education programs, but were enriched by the experience of learning alongside children who did. Children benefit from learning alongside children with different needs, educational levels and learning styles. It was a nurturing and a beneficial educational experience for my children.
I was active in the school and became friends with many parents of children with special needs and we all felt lucky to have our children learn in this manner and attend this school. Boston has an advanced work program that children can test into, starting in fourth grade. My older two children qualified for it but we chose (as did many other parents we knew) not to move them into the program because it would have meant leaving this school and this learning environment.
Personally, I am not in favor of advanced work programs that segregate students by ability. But it was telling to me that many other parents who didn’t share this sentiment determined it was in their children’s best interests to stay with the inclusion learning environment.
Regardless of budgetary considerations, I fully support the Northampton Public Schools adopting this approach.
Lisa Clauson
Northampton