As many of you know, it can be a constant struggle getting some school people to understand that children with disabilities are not always “acting a certain way” by choice. For example my son has been having difficulty staying awake throughout the school day. Recently, I had a teacher ask me if he should be consequenced for this “behavior”. Shocked by her ignorance, I felt like saying, “not only should he be reprimanded for falling asleep, but also for daring to cough, sneeze or breath too loudly. And most certainly, when we uncover the medical reason for his passing out, you can be certain, we will see to it that he is severly punished.”
I’ll never understand why some school people blame things they can not control on a child’s behavior. So I started thinking about creatures in the animal kingdom and why they do what they do. What if scientists blamed everything that animals did instinctually, on behavior. Here are just a few of the conclusions they might come up with.
Why do ostriches bury their heads in the sand?
So they won’t hear the phone ring when the school nurse calls to send their child home.
Why do plow horses only plow north and south?
Because, like many school people, that’s the way they’ve always done it.
Why do gerbils eat their young?
Because there are no appropriate school programs available.
Why do cats stare out the window all day long?
Because after high school they have no adequate transition plan.
Why are owls considered smart?
Because a school psychologist gave a WISC-IV and misread the results.
Why do tigers live in the wild?
Because their cubs do better in the least restrictive setting.
Why do hamsters run around and around on the same wheel day after day without getting anywhere?
Because their IEP goals never change.
Why do camels spit?
Because they’re just so disgusted with the district’s recommendations.
Why do circus bears ride bicycles?
Because it’s in their transition plans.
Why do cats always land on their feet?
Because, like parents of children with special needs, they have to.