Jim Gerl is Smiling

Watching the debate now and sort of following along with the liveblogs ... here is MSNBC on McCain's statements on Palin's Vice Presidential qualification that she is a special education expert:

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ON SPECIAL NEEDS
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
McCain mentioned that Palin knows more about the issue of autism than nearly anyone. What evidence is there of that? 
 
Because Palin has a child with Down Syndrome, it can be safely assumed she feels a connection with parents of children with special needs.
 
But what does McCain-Palin specifically want to do about special education? Do they agree with IDEA? Do they want to expand rights for special-education students to private schools? Do they want to increase funding? Do they want more access, by way of funding, to special-ed advocates?
 
McCain also said they want to help find a cure. But how? 
 
The NIH budget has been slashed in the past eight years. Does McCain-Palin propose additional funding, particularly for autism or Down's research? 
 
We don't know. Nothing was or has been laid out.

Well, we new that already, didn't we. I am glad that the mainstream media are also aware of the candidate's lack of statements on special education. Maybe it won't be ignored in the next election.

Update: By the way, really hated that last question on education by Bob Schieffer. A question to the effect of "by all measures" our education system sucks. That's ridiculous and untruthful and I find it annoying that any question on education has to start with the premise that everything in education is bad. And, bonus annoyance, McCain again went with the line, "Education is the civil rights issue of our time" ... but you already knew that annoys me (2).

Update 2: Jeez, its so embarrassing. Using a child's genetic disorder, whatever genetic disorder he or she has obviously doesn't matter, as a political tool. Classy stuff.

Comments

[Jim Gerl]

I'm not sure that "smiling" is the correct word choice!

Jim Gerl

[Justin B.]

Yeah, I know Jim. I smiled first when I saw the mainstream media acknowledgment of the issue that we have been working so hard on, but after it set in I was sort of sad about the whole thing. It is just another example of the place that our special education children hold in this society: important enough to be used for cheap, emotional political points, not important enough to garner any real attention beyond that.

But, I guess we will keep trying, eh? It's an uphill battle, but a good fight nonetheless.

[FeFe]

Who's to say sped wont get any real attention from either new administration?

Sarah Palin's sister has a 13 yr old with autism, and two of her cousins in her extended family have children with autism/Asperger’s. Not to mention there is a 5-10% incidence rate among children with Down syndrome being diagnosed as also having an autistic spectrum disorder, a much higher incidence rate than for children without Down syndrome.

John McCain has a physical disability as a vet.

Cindy McCain was a public high school special education teacher and is published in the field, she rehabilitated from a stroke and keen replacement surgery, and has long done philanthropy work around the globe for disadvantaged children.

Barack Obama has a senior staff member in the Senate who now works for the campaign with an autistic child.

We learned that Obama does not support vaccine choice and McCain sees the possibility of an autism-vaccine link.

It has been a slow trickle but none the less encouraging and informative.