Reagan initiated the rollback of funding and the reduction in public services - "lower taxes and less guvment." The mandates remained, but the funding dried up. Schools began to change how they identified "special needs" students. Particularly hard hit were the children who are "retarded" or "developmentally delayed." They were seen as "functioning to their fullest," therefore, no special services need be provided. Imo, this justified allowing these children to fail in the regular school system. How many completed their basic education and graduated from high school?
To complicate matters, each state interprets the mandates a bit differently and sets different standards. Each school district determines the tests for identifying "special needs" students. A kid who moves from one school district to another within a state may find they have changed from being "special" to not being "special," losing supplemental services. Crossing state lines can also result in loss of services.
A friend's son is developmentally delayed. He lives at home and works at a local grocery store, part of a chain. He stocks shelves and bags groceries. He gets to and from work on his bike - a reliable employee, participating as fully as possible. The regular customers know him, as do many in the small community. He is accepted.
Now if the grocery chain considers the "bottom line," they might reduce costs by putting in "self service" checkouts. Fewer cashiers and fewer baggers, or perhaps none at all. So my friend's son would be out of a job.
Does the government have a role in preventing this from happening? If so, in what way? I don't know.
Here in the U.S. the discrepancy between the talk and the walk in regards to the importance of people is a chasm.
In the U.S. in the widely defined "middle class," ones employment is considered a very significant part of the answer to, "Who are you? - Who am I?" The distortion caused by the value placed on earnings and earning power is toxic. I have read pleas to contribute money to political candidates written as, "Send them some love."
From what I have observed locally, one of the things that increases the membership and power of churches is the acceptance and inclusion of many who are "different." Not all by any means. I cannot imagine gays being accepted as there is a lot of "hate the sin, love the sinner" talk. However, often efforts are made to include those with disabilities with an expectation that they will contribute to the church community. So there is an active interest in discovering talents and abilities that they may be put toward the benefit of the community.
