Going to School Documentary

So, this documentary made my head spin because it was a time capsule that was only a sliver less horrible in nature than the one we watched about the Groton school. Anyway, I have found over the course of these blog posts that I best formulate my thought's while bouncing off of quotes, so here are just a few that smacked me in the face stood out to me while watching:

"I am not willing to negotiate my child's education."-Mrs. Martinez (2:37)

Not much to be said about this other than the fact that I commend Mrs. Martinez so much for her dedication to her child. Through out this entire documentary, we see her busting her behind for not only her son, but other people's children with special needs. She is the definition of an advocate for not only her son, but for all of the children in that district with special needs.

"The child learns that he or she is valuable, not expendable." -Gloria (4:50)

Wow... isn't this what we all want for the students in our classroom? To teach them that hey have value, they are worthy, and that they can do anything. I bet that the students with special needs at this school felt the farthest from that. Having to stay segregated into one part of the building or not have the proper equipment needed to get into the building must make them feel so unimportant to the school district, when it should be the other way around. 

"That she would study more, that is my greatest desire. That she would become something." -Ana's Mom (19:50)

Just like in the Groton film, this reminded me so much of Jo's mother. No matter how hard Jo's time was at Groton, her mom was just so thankful for the opportunity and wanted her to continue to strive for more and more. Ana had fragments of a bomb damage her spinal cord, and her mom's greatest desire is that she will study more and become something. From my perspective, I look at her as a survivor, and that she already has become something. But, Ana's mom took her here from her home country, leaving two other children behind, to allow Ana to make something of herself, not matter what. 

"Don't bother with the operation, this kid is so damaged, it won't matter if you correct his vision." -Aaron's Dad (31:04)

I had to include this sheerly because of how outrageous it was. To think that a doctor would say this about a child is mind blowing. I loved the part right after where the dad said something along the lines of "Well, he made it! Ha!", it was so fulfilling for me, I can't even imagine how it was for him, as Aaron's dad. 

"A society is measured by what we do for those who are most in need." -Cathy Henig (55:20)

What does this say about our society now? I look at it from a special education perspective and I see the growth and change that has occurred for the better, and it says that we have a great society. However, if I look at it through the lens of the other topics we have discussed in this class, I feel that our society has had a shift. Special education is no longer the huge fight that it was in this video, for most children and families. There is so much accessibility in school's now for families, it's incredible. However, if we look at immigrant families who need our help, or people with mental health problems and/or addiction that need our help, what is our society doing for them? How is our society measured now? We have had a shift of need, a need for more changes to be made to how our society runs. 

(picture from here)