Thinking of starting a Change.org petition to change the name "special education" to something... better

[Kanin]

I'm thinking of starting a change.org petition to get the name "Special Education" changed to something less emotionally loaded. Every time I talk to parents about their child perhaps needing extra help, they nod and agree and want help - but then when I explain that the help will happen in "special education," they look alarmed. There's just so much baggage associated with the name.

My two ideas for name changes are simple - either Specialized Education or Individualized Education. Individualized Education probably make the most sense, since IEPs are Individualized Education Programs.

I'm a newbie at this and I see lots of SpEd petitions on change.org, but I do want to do this. 

[vonfirmath]

Why don't you just go to your district and see if they will change the name in the district for it? I know Gifted education in our district has a different name than GT  -- Flex I think. So the district could easily change it if they thought it would help.

I'm dubious about change.org being able to change the name of "special education"  It's more a change that would have to happen at the local level, district by district.

Edited April 6, 2021 by vonfirmath

[Danae]

Who would this petition be directed at? In other words, who has the power to make this change?

You'd be better off talking to your school district administrators or board members about changing their program name.

[bookbard]

It is called Inclusive Education in higher education nowadays. However, you will find no matter what something is called, there will eventually be a negativity associated with it, and people struggling to accept their child is part of it. It is all part of the journey, and every parent goes through it differently.

 

[WildflowerMom]

I’d sign it.  Anything to get peoples’ attention.  It does need to be changed, IMO. 

[Melissa in Australia]

38 minutes ago, bookbard said:

It is called Inclusive Education in higher education nowadays. However, you will find no matter what something is called, there will eventually be a negativity associated with it, and people struggling to accept their child is part of it. It is all part of the journey, and every parent goes through it differently.

 

This

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, bookbard said:

It is called Inclusive Education in higher education nowadays. However, you will find no matter what something is called, there will eventually be a negativity associated with it, and people struggling to accept their child is part of it. It is all part of the journey, and every parent goes through it differently.

 

Yep.

[Kanin]

17 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

Why don't you just go to your district and see if they will change the name in the district for it? I know Gifted education in our district has a different name than GT  -- Flex I think. So the district could easily change it if they thought it would help.

I'm dubious about change.org being able to change the name of "special education"  It's more a change that would have to happen at the local level, district by district.

I could do that, but I want bigger change than that. If we just did the district, the words 'special education' would still be all over the paperwork.

[Kanin]

16 hours ago, WildflowerMom said:

I’d sign it.  Anything to get peoples’ attention.  It does need to be changed, IMO. 

Great! I'll let everyone know when I figure it out. There are a LOT of change.org petitions so I don't want to do a bad job. 

[Kanin]

16 hours ago, bookbard said:

It is called Inclusive Education in higher education nowadays. However, you will find no matter what something is called, there will eventually be a negativity associated with it, and people struggling to accept their child is part of it. It is all part of the journey, and every parent goes through it differently.

 

I agree. Even with a better name, it's still difficult. I do think that names matter, though, and a little improvement is better than nothing.

[Kanin]

17 hours ago, Danae said:

Who would this petition be directed at? In other words, who has the power to make this change?

You'd be better off talking to your school district administrators or board members about changing their program name.

I'm not sure. It could be directed to the State Dept of Ed, or US Dept of Ed. I had a job interview recently with my state Dept of Ed (didn't get it, but that's ok!) and I mentioned the idea. The people at the interview agreed with me that a different name would be much better. 

[vonfirmath]

22 minutes ago, Kanin said:

I could do that, but I want bigger change than that. If we just did the district, the words 'special education' would still be all over the paperwork.

Whatever word you changed to will gain the same stigma over time.

Special education is a change in terminology from what it used to be after all.

[Bootsie]

Where I went to school gifted programs fell under the "sepcial education" title.  The term was used for programs designed for students for whom the standard, traditional classrrom and curriculum did not meet their learning needs.  

[vonfirmath]

1 minute ago, Bootsie said:

Where I went to school gifted programs fell under the "sepcial education" title.  The term was used for programs designed for students for whom the standard, traditional classrrom and curriculum did not meet their learning needs.  

Locally, gifted education does fall under the Special Education department.

 

[BusyMom5]

I dont think it matters what you call it, parents will still be upset that their kids are different.  Every so many years they change the name, but the purpose is still the same.

[RootAnn]

I agree that in several years, the new name will be stigmatized just like Special Education is. The important thing is to remove the stigma of individualized (special) educational programs. How to do that? No idea.

[SKL]

They call it "exceptional students" here.

[Kanin]

3 hours ago, RootAnn said:

I agree that in several years, the new name will be stigmatized just like Special Education is. The important thing is to remove the stigma of individualized (special) educational programs. How to do that? No idea.

Well, I definitely agree with removing the stigma of special ed programs. I'm not sure how to do that, either. Showing some great SpEd programs and what actually happens there would be a good start. It would be wise to survey people to see what their thoughts are about SpEd - I have an idea, but I might not be correct.

I think names matter. If it helps even 1%, that would be worth it. 

[WildflowerMom]

2 minutes ago, Kanin said:

Well, I definitely agree with removing the stigma of special ed programs. I'm not sure how to do that, either. Showing some great SpEd programs and what actually happens there would be a good start. It would be wise to survey people to see what their thoughts are about SpEd - I have an idea, but I might not be correct.

I think names matter. If it helps even 1%, that would be worth it. 

I agree.  I'll be happy to sign it.  

[bookbard]

4 hours ago, SKL said:

They call it "exceptional students" here.

Oh yes, that is the other term, exceptional education, which includes gifted as well. And in Australia, 'special schools' are called ' schools for specific purposes' . If you are really interested in this area, do some research. There is a lot of history, advocacy, cultural issues involved in the language related to disability. Reducing shame isn't about hiding a difference but often about accepting and embracing it. 

[Kanin]

2 hours ago, bookbard said:

Reducing shame isn't about hiding a difference but often about accepting and embracing it. 

I've been really proud of my young students for embracing differences and being open about their struggles. They speak openly to their classmates about reading and writing being hard for them, for example. 

[KungFuPanda]

There is no name you can switch to that will eliminate that look that parents get.  They are reacting to their child being officially categorized as a special needs student.  I think you have to except that their reaction is normal and it can take time for them to get comfortable with being the parents of a special needs child.  It's a whole process.

[Lady Florida.]

In my state it's called Exceptional Student Education (ESE) and is a large umbrella term. It includes students with intellectual disabilities, a number of different physical disabilities or impairments, full or partial vision or hearing impairment, students on the autism spectrum, students with ADHD, students with mental illness, with speech impairment, with a traumatic brain injury, and students who test as gifted. (I was an ESE teacher before becoming a sahm. My intent was to go back to work when ds started school - at the time we had no idea we'd end up homeschooling.)

[Kanin]

19 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

There is no name you can switch to that will eliminate that look that parents get.  They are reacting to their child being officially categorized as a special needs student.  I think you have to except that their reaction is normal and it can take time for them to get comfortable with being the parents of a special needs child.  It's a whole process.

Oh, I definitely think it's normal! Taking many years to feel comfortable with a diagnosis or a difference is normal, and feeling sad about it is totally normal. I'd just like a better, more neutral name. Even just a more serviceable name - the plans kids get are Individualized Education Programs, so the term Individualized Education just makes more sense.

[Kanin]

2 hours ago, happysmileylady said:

One of the biggest problems with special education is that it encompasses so many differences.  The needs of my 10yr old, who has an ASD diagnosis are just so very different than the needs of a child who has perhaps a TBI as a result of an abusive situation where the parents ultimately lost custody.  Or the needs of a child with speech delays.  Or birth injuries, etc etc etc 
 

I once had a kid in the classroom who had a host of diagnosis.  He had violent tendencies, even beyond the typical middle school fights.  Think throwing desks, punching kids for perceived insults, etc.  Kids on that level are not common but it only takes one in a school for that sort of situation to be associated in parents minds with special ed.  In fact, I don’t want a kid like that to be associated with my own DD in the minds of people.  Yet, not only would they both fall under the umbrella of special education, but in many schools they would end up in the same “resource room.”

 

 

it’s not really so much the idea that “this kid is different” that’s the issue.  It’s that difference A and difference B are grouped together under the same umbrella, when in fact they are as different from each other as they are from “typical.” 

I know what you mean! 

There are many, many issues with SpEd.