Thread: So I work with retarded children sometimes..

People may think it's cold, but I agree with you to some degree. There is no real point in helping people who just use an extremely high amount of resources and can't put back anything into society. Thats why I'm all for passive eugenics (not birthing babies with genetic disabilities). If we can identify most genetic diseases before the baby is carried to term, I don't see why we should keep having the babies. I find nothing wrong with a population free from something like Down's Syndrome. I'm sure I'll get flamed for that view though.

I also worked a year with mentally as well as physically handicapped children.

It was nothing like you have described, but also the situation is a lot different.
But this seems to have a lot do to with it:

Originally Posted by Good as Gold

The school they go to is rather strict, where there are still paddlings and a dress code is severely enforced. They are allowed to dress however they want. Punishment is entirely exempt from them, even the non-physical variety. They get an entire section of the school complete with a kitchen, a separate office, three computers, a wide screen television, hundreds of DVDs, most of which have nothing to do with learnings, toys by the bucket load, board games, and your regular classroom set. All this would be more than enough for three, full, regular student classes.

Our apporach was to teach them not as any more special or different than
any other person, with the goal that some of them might take care for
themselves later on. We had some very good-hearted children and I had a
wonderful time. lots of fun.

I mean, this says it all, right?

Originally Posted by Good as Gold

She told me this, and I shit you not, : You have to listen to whatever I say bitch, I'M SPECIAL!

Do the teachers have any form of education on this, at all..?

It's not their fault, any kid that is treated like you describe will act like that, it's not because they are handicapped, but because the lack of discipline. Anyone who know a mental handicapped know that you should be strict with them, or things get bad.

So focus your criticism on the teachers and not the childen.

She told me this, and I shit you not, : You have to listen to whatever I say bitch, I'M SPECIAL! This continued for about three weeks, when I finally had enough, and quit.

I hate it when people who are not special, unique, gifted, whatever are told they are, that they are superior and given a status they don't deserve. When they are given a free pass that others had to work hard at to earn.

I don't see how giving in to the whims of these kids would help either, and from your account it doesn't even sound like there's any compromise whatsoever (other than the most basic and trivial ones that are meaningless). What do these teachers think the kids are going to learn, other than the fact they will always be rewarded no matter how they act?

I mean, most animals will respond to conditioning (clearly these kids have as well; they've realised they can get away with doing what they want and getting rewarded). If these kids were so stupid that they didn't respond to punishment, then they're dumber than most animals; I'd have to question the point of such an existence.

Why the hell is the taxpayer accommodating this much to children who have little to no value to society, who will not help us in any way?

Seems to be a very slippery slope if you want to play the "no use to society" card. Where do you draw the line?

While we are past the point where if you weren't smart enough to survive, you would outright die, but when ten children have better digs than forty put together, it is not fair.

Some conditions do require more resources/money, it's an unfortunate fact. But in the case you describe, then no, it's not fair at all. It's a complete waste of time and money.

I agreed with you completely until I read this:

Originally Posted by Specialis Sapientia

It's not their fault, any kid that is treated like you describe will act like that, it's not because they are handicapped, but because the lack of discipline. Anyone who know a mental handicapped know that you should be strict with them, or things get bad.

So focus your criticism on the teachers and not the childen.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Although it's fucking hard sometimes to have to rise above these kinds of situations when you can see the big picture but no one else can. It's kind of a lonely place to be!

Edit: One of my 14 yr old students is mentally handicapped, and he's the cutest, sweetest little thing. Sometimes he'll accidentally disrupt class, but it'd be to say something cute that makes everyone laugh (in a good way).

You can't blame the mentally handicapped for problems they can't control.

Originally Posted by DeathCell

You can't blame the mentally handicapped for problems they can't control.

It sounds like the problem in this case is not the disabilities but the strategy for dealing with them. Most of these kids who might otherwise have been able to hold down a simple job and have positive relationships are going to be more handicapped because of the attitudes and expectations they take out of this environment.

Originally Posted by Taosaur

It sounds like the problem in this case is not the disabilities but the strategy for dealing with them. Most of these kids who might otherwise have been able to hold down a simple job and have positive relationships are going to be more handicapped because of the attitudes and expectations they take out of this environment.

Well thats because society groups all levels of mentally handicapped into one lump sum.. Some are well past capable while others are not.

I don't see how giving in to the whims of these kids would help either, and from your account it doesn't even sound like there's any compromise whatsoever (other than the most basic and trivial ones that are meaningless). What do these teachers think the kids are going to learn, other than the fact they will always be rewarded no matter how they act?

I mean, most animals will respond to conditioning (clearly these kids have as well; they've realised they can get away with doing what they want and getting rewarded). If these kids were so stupid that they didn't respond to punishment, then they're dumber than most animals; I'd have to question the point of such an existence.

I honestly think the problem isn't that they're dumb, it's that they're not. They can take advantage of the teachers easily by reminding them they have some defect. The teachers aren't that much to blame, they have a big heart: But someone needs to grab the bull by the horns and get stricter with them, and the teachers simply aren't doing so.

At this rate, once they are out of school, they will be hit too hard for them to cope. It happens to alot of kids: No one gives a shit that they are mommy's special baby; if you can't work you'll get your ass fired if you even get hired at all.

You can't blame the mentally handicapped for problems they can't control.

The thing is, as I said, their condition has next to nothing to do with their horrible attitude. The ones who are most severly handicapped are actually the best behaved, while the milder cases act up the most. They can control themselves, they just choose not to.

Do the teachers have any form of education on this, at all..?

Yes, I informed them about the horrible attitudes, cussing, and the bullying, but they sorta brushed it off. They said they knew it was going on but couldn't do much to stop it. Okay. Sometimes a smack in the mouth is the best medicine.

Their environment, I believe, is the worst thing for a group of any children let alone autistic children (who, from my limited knowledge NEED structure and routine more than the average kid).

My own children try to pull that crap with me: "If you spank me, I'll call the State [Department of Health and Human Resources]" and after awhile it became so overwhelming to me as a practically single mom to put up with it.
Now that my kids are in the care of the State, they've started cursing profusely. I can let a couple words slide here and there, but I do NOT tolerate the "F" word AT ALL.
My 14 year old son used it with me today and I reminded him how I feel about that word and I didn't care if he was in a State facility, that the next time he used it I would wash his mouth out with soap. He got the picture.

I was raised with a younger brother with ADHD and a learning disability. He used it as a crutch every chance he got. If we were watching TV with our parents, he "couldn't" read the commercials. But when we were alone, he read them perfectly. Our dad was somewhat physically abusive with him and our mom babied the crap out of him and made things worse with dad by covering for him.
I had such a jaded view that I failed to recognize the extent of my 14 year olds troubles soon enough.

There deffinately needs to be found some sort of balance. My son started speech therapy (a problem my brother also had) as soon as he started school. But my boy absolutely refused to do the assignments so the therapist dropped him. She said when he was willing to cooperate, he's welcome back. She received a LOT of criticism for that but I completely supported her choice. There's no helping some people if they refuse it.

I couldn't have tolerated the situation you described for even 2 days. Kuddos to you for sticking it out as long as you did.