Talking Points #9

Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizng Down Syndrome
By: Chrisopher Kliewer

1. "How absurd to be judged by others at all, especially by those who have never experienced a disability who are unwillingly providing us with support or who don't listen to the voices we have." p. 2
I felt that this was such a powerful quote, and it moved me alot. I feel that people who don't understand what others are going through, shouldn't have a say in the decisions of how they should/can live their life. I feel that if people with disabilities, more specifically, people with down syndrome are able and willing to take the "average level courses" then they should do as they please. People who don't understand the disability shouldn't take it upon themselves to make decisions for them.

2. "...society itself is hurt when schools act as cultural sorting machines-locations that "justify a competitive ethnic that marginalizes certain students or groups of students...[that] legitimize discrimination and devaluation on the basis of the dominant society's preferences in matters of ability, gender, ethnicity, and race..and [that] endorse an elaborate process of sorting by perceived ability and behavior". (p. 2.)
I felt that this quote was important as well because I completely agree with it. I feel that schools often do act as "cultural sorting machines". If the schools are to be repeating this cycle over and over again, then society as a whole will never grow. We will be stuck in the same pattern, always "discriminating" never learning to trust each other or learn about the different ethnic/cultural groups outside our own.

3. "In turning his attention to school-based literacy and mathematics instruction, Gardner points out a peculiar disjointedness between classroom learning and the problemsolving, critical thinking needs of students when they enter the wider community." (p.6)
I feel that this quote is important as well because it shows that the level of knowledge measured shouldn't be just the standard mathematics and literacy. I feel that students who are "book smart" aren't always necessarily "street smart". Math and literacy that is taught in school does not guarantee a student to be successful in society. Schools need to broaden their views on what is considered "intellectual" and what is not.

I felt that this reading as a whole has broadened my horizons. I never stopped to think that students with disabilities could/would want to be learning in classrooms like my own. I don't necessarily think I thought they shouldn't, it just never came to my attention, and I never thought it was important for me to think about things such as these until I did this reading. I connected this reading to Delpits, "culture of power". I felt that the school administration didn't and shouldn't have a right to place student with disabilities in a "special ed" class. This relates to Delpits culture of power because of rule 5 which states that those with power don't know or acknowledge that their power exist, and that those who don't have power, often acknowledge or are aware of their powerlessness. The students with disabilities are quite aware of the decision making power the school's authority has and the school doesn't even realize or are aware of the affect their decisions have on their studnets.