Palin on Special Needs Education: What's Your Take?
In a speech in Pittsburgh, Penn., Palin pledged that a McCain-Palin administration would fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, exempt disability programs from the domestic discretionary spending freeze they plan to institute next year, and will provide school vouchers so families can send their special needs children to the school of their choice....While it's great to hear that someone intends to fully fund educational programs for all, Palin made no mention of any reforms to the IDEA (something I, at least, feel is of critical importance if the Act is to accomplish its goals) - nor did she mention concerns regarding the needs of individuals with disabilities after the age of 21. Of course, no speech can cover everything, so I look forward to hearing her perspectives on those issues.A Palin aide who asked not to be identified said that the campaign would ask to spend $45 billion to fund IDEA over five years, though the funding would be backloaded and start at $3 billion a year, rather than the $15 billion a year required to fully fund the program....
In her speech, Palin said the federal government could finance the new investment by taking some of $18 billion it spends each year on earmarks, specific projects that are designated by members of Congress....
As soon as Palin spoke, Democrats issued a long list of examples in which McCain had voted against fully funding IDEA and other special education programs. They also noted that scientific studies involving fruit flies are helping further researchers' understanding of autism, a disorder that both Palin and McCain speak of frequently while campaigning. Palin's nephew has autism, something she mentioned in today's speech.
"Tragically, McCain and conservatives have spent their careers voting against the exact policies and programs Palin discussed today," wrote Eddie Vale, a spokesman for the advocacy group Progressive Accountability, in an e-mail.
But while I do care about candidates' perspectives on special education and disability funding, it's hard for me to believe in any politician's promises for new spending on such issues. Yes, these issues matter. But it seems to me that our nation will have much, much bigger priorities in January than fully funding the IDEA.
When families across the United States are facing the loss of their jobs, their homes, their savings, and their health care, can any politician legitimately promise new spending that will directly address none of those issues?
Comments
Palin will do anything, say anything to be elected. The other day she mocked research into fruit fly genetics, apparently not realizing or not caring that drosophilia offers a clear model of human genetics. Astounding ignorance, even for her.
McCain has already stated a budget spending freeze as his plan, and he stated he’d work on all 3 main issues which did not include a secial needs package. The only reason why Palin is speaking about this at all is because McCain brougt it up, and Palin is trying to gain votes directed at well, us. Special needs children really has never been part of her career agenda to begin with it and I doubt she is fully aware of the issues at hand we face. Funding IDEA is great, but what about insurance? What about those already out of the school system? What about safety measures so schools don’t misuse those funds when they’re already in a budget mess, IDEA or not?
Dear Autism Speaks,
The parents are fighting for our children. Autism speaks is fighting a good fight of awareness. As we become the squeaky wheel and the focus of everyones attention we must find common ground and unite to complete our mission. I feel we must unite. A divided front accross so many different organizations is only hurting our children. It is time for us to find a middle ground. It is time for us to demand the research that was requested more than a decade a go. It is time to see results. There are researchers who have been working with grant money for more than 20 years on Autism research and have produced nothing. Yet they are now getting grants in the 10, 20 and 30 million dollar range. It is time to ask for performance. It is time to ask the question… What happens in 10 years when all these children become adults?
It is time to tighten the belt. If the AIG incidents have taught us anything it should be this. Tighten the belts. Never again should planes show up on annual reports. Never again should black ties be required. Every penny spent on luncheons, kick offs, give aways, gift baskets, and even rent. The Parents are going bankrupt. Do you see that? It is time to tighten the belt.
The Autism society is quickly coming a society of have and have nots. Some parents have the chance at ABA therapy. Some parents do not. Some parents have therapies paid for by inurance. Some do not. Some parents are advocates for a safer vaccine schedule and safer vaccines. Autism Speaks seems to advocate for the government (All vaccines on time no exception). Some groups have black tie affairs. Some groups sit at home and clean up feces.
Even Bob Wright said in October …
…The last vaccine Christian had before he regressed was MMR - that’s why my daughter concentrates on that. I don’t know whether his autism is linked: it was certainly coincidental, what we don’t know is if it was causal. Nor do we know whether the thimerosal (the mercury-based preservative used in vaccines) is a factor, although mercury is clearly poisonous. Governments want to run from that issue but they should become more aggressively involved. They have to follow children through to see if there are any effects.
It is time to choose sides. It is time to choose our children. The Government has more than enough resource to defend their never ending policy of mandating more and more vaccines. Do you speak for Autism or do you speak for the pharmaceutical companies?
Are you for our children or against them?
http://www.causecast.org/member/tanners-dad
Tanner’s Dad,
I’ve seen your exact same post in 4 places now. In none of those places is the comment actually contributing to the discussion.
I think it’s great that you want to promote your site–but this method borders (closely) on spam.
I’m all for the McCain/Palin ticket pushing for better government support for people with special needs.
I am happy to see Sara Palin start making more concrete statements. The vague comments about support have been frustrating so far.
I would like to see more acknowledgment of adults with disabilities.
I can understand that McCain would like to let this be a topic for Ms. Palin to champion–it gives her some identity separate from him–but I want to hear McCain make concrete statements as well.
For example, will John McCain come out in support of fully funding IDEA?
Gov. Palin’s misleading assertion of fully funding IDEA is a curveball to disguise the true agenda, school vouchers. Read the fine print.
He false accusation that Senator Obama wants to “tax” Special Needs Trusts (SNT), also known as “supplemental needs trusts”, was disgusting and inaccurate. She stated that SNT’s pay for education and medical care for the disabled. They do no such thing. They are a tool to retain eligibility for government programs like SSI that do pay for the basics (and McCain wants to cut) and have very onerous asset tests to determine eligibility. SNT’s provide a vehicle to provide “the niceties” of life to the disabled without disqualifying them from these programs.
The fruit fly thing was yet another example of the anti intellectual and aggressively uninformed views of Gov. Sarah Palin.
Finally, the issue of funding Social Security, the bedrock for lifetime payments to disabled individuals was totally sidestepped, as was McCain’s on the record opposition to the Community Choice Act, which is designed to liberate thousands of developmentally disabled adolescents and adults from inappropriate congregate care settings…especially placement in nursing homes with neurotypical elderly.
Governor Palin’s performance (and I chose that word intentionally because I think she’s gunning for a media rather than political career in 11 days) was a hollow pander, designed to trick people into thinking she really gives a hoot. Her record in Alaska and the sketchy “policies” put forward recently strongly suggest otherwise.
Palin is an embarrassment, a disaster… To the republicans that is. I’m celebrating.
USING GOVERNMENT SPENDING FOR PARENTS TO HAVE THE OPTION TO SEND THE CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOL? WHAT ABOUT STRENGTHENING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM? WHAT HAPPEN TO LESS GOVERNMENT SPENDING?
I don’t know…while we have dire pressures on our budget in the upcoming year, I think we parents of special needs kids should be careful not to throw ourselves under the bus. Why, if we are spending taxpayer dollars to prop up investment banks, can’t we bail out the states, just as vulnerable to the credit crunch? I’m watching my state cut DMR, DMH, Autism support centers, and state funding to SPED, and our town at least is already in what I am pretty sure is a budget freeze for SPED (they won’t admit it but I had to file a hearing to get an FBA for a kid who was being physically restrained almost daily). Full funding of IDEA would have immediate effects on local and state budgets. It is both a moral imperative AND a sensible thing to do in the scheme of the budget as a whole. It’s not that I believe Sarah Palin, but I do think we should never step back from advocating at ALL levels, including the federal level.
As far as funding IDEA, it would be impossible for any Presidential candidate to “fully fund” the program. In particular, McCain would be unable to do so because he will be faced with a Democratic congress.
Dadvocate is right in that there is a push in her comments for vouchers. He is incorrect in saying that it is hidden–it is quite open.
In case anyone wonders if they are beneficial, just go and look at the information for the McKay Scholarships in Florida where parents are enjoying the benefits of vouchers for their special needs children. As several other State’s programs reach maturity we will see repeated benefits of those programs.
What was encouraging in her remarks is that portability of those funds can be done by Executive Order rather than legislation. This means that a President can actually make it happen.
Can we get a link to hear that fruit fly comment?
Oh yea, hear it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCXqKEs68Xk
Who will fight for special needs kids if not someone with one herself? I have always known that until someone in power experiences the problem in their own families, the problem will not be front and center in public conciousness. If the other candidate is elected and succeeds in socializing medicine and/or raising taxes on small business owners, many therapy services will likely go out of business. As for school vouchers, this is a great idea! What better way to improve the public school services than to introduce competition and thus an incentive to finally offer cutting edge services in order to keep those precious federal and state funds in the local ISD. Think about it. What is better for our kids?
A woman with a special needs child is not the most qualified person to lead our country in fighting for special needs children. I am a mother of two special needs children and my entire life is occupied fighting for them. I am personally appalled that a woman with a very young child with a severe (as far as we know so far) disability is willing to be so involved in anything other than her baby! If her child was in its teens, and she was now running for office, I’d say let’s see, let’s listen, let’s look and see what she did for her kid, then we’ll have some notion. All I know is she traveled while pregnant, finished a speech after her water broke, then flew while in labor to deliver in Alaska. Why? Would her insurance not have covered her if she delivered in Texas? I can’t trust a woman who puts her infant in jeopardy so easily. What will she do to MY children through policies and government interference?
Question:
If the Congress * ( House of Representatives & Senate ) majority is Democratic, why is it that they can’t pass the Bill ( S 2185 Hagel & Harkin) to fully fund IDEA?
Latest Major Action: 1/25/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
It’s great that the dems talk - but when a bill is read, and then sits for two years I seriously question their ability to get anything done. Especially with ALL the promises they have made. I’ll be keeping an eye on this bill.
From the comments McCain and Palin have stated, it is obvious they do not even know the difference between autism and Down Syndrome. Palin is very anti-science. She does not care about education (taking her children out of schools for the campaign showed how little schooling is valued at her house, her kids have dropped out of school, as her husband did, and it took her 5 crappy schools to get a second-rate degree (in sports journalism). If you ever want to see progress in Autism DO NOT EVER VOTE REPUBLICAN FOR ANYTHING. They don’t want to help. They want to keep their own money and have no interest in curing disease.