October 25, 2021- Elizabeth deGruy Conference Welcome

Thank you to Dr. Elizabeth deGruy, IAASE President-Elect, for putting together a high-quality, remote conference for our members to continue their learning in the safest mode possible. Elizabeth shared a few words in her opening remarks that we felt were important to share with all of you. Thank you to Elizabeth, Norma, Lydia, and the Program Committee for your efforts in ensuring we had a successful conference. Please be sure to view the recordings of the sessions you missed. Recordings are available until December 10, 2021.

The 2021-2022 school year marks the 100th anniversary of the Council for Exceptional Children. Now recognized as the leading professional organization of educators who are dedicated to working with students with exceptionalities, CEC had humble beginnings.

Elizabeth Farrell began teaching at the Henry Street School in New York City in 1899. She taught the “ungraded” class - 19 students, ranging in age from eight to 16 years old. Farrell described her first class (and I know this is not language that we would use now) as, “Made up of the odds and ends of a large school. There were over-age children, so-called naughty children, and the dull and stupid children. They were taken from any and every school grade. They were the children who could not get along in school” (Farrell, 1908, p. 91-92). During her long career in special education, Farrell built programming across New York City Schools eventually becoming the director of the special education program for the city. She began a diagnostic clinic, founded a journal dedicated to special education research and practice, taught courses at universities, served as the first president of the Council for Exceptional Children, and was a founding member and early president of the National Education Association.

Farrell was an international leader in the special education community. Guiding the advocacy that she undertook on behalf of children were the following ideas:

• The belief that children have diverse talents, and that they have much to offer and learn from one another.
• The belief that we should have a preference of special classes over special schools. This was contrary to the prevailing model of service, which was in separate schools or institutions.
• The belief in being cautious with the overuse of intelligence test scores. This was a departure from the popular eugenics movements of the time.
• The belief that special class placement should be based on individual educational needs rather than IQ scores.
• The belief that the goal of special education should be to return the children to regular classes (not just to separate them from typical children).
• The belief that schools should exclude no child, as the competition for children’s minds was the street. Like other reformers, Farrell was concerned that students would be entrapped in the criminal justice system.
• And last, the belief that schools should be responsible for identifying special needs and providing appropriate services to students, not just classifying them.

Farrell led the way for our field with ideals that we still hold today. She taught students with disabilities 55 years before Brown told us that separate was not equal, 70 years before the PARC and Mills cases reminded us that, yes, that idea applied to students with disabilities as well, and 75 years before the passage of PL 94-142, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. We take up the valuable and rich history of this work.

Now especially, we need to remind ourselves that we come from a long line of dedicated educators who advocated for students with disabilities. These students are still here, and they still need strong, passionate educators to help them better their lives and be their champions. We still need to plant seeds that we may not harvest. Sometimes the stress and overwhelm of everyday life threaten to derail us from the purpose and inspiration that drew us to special education in the first place - particularly now. This has been a very difficult year and a half for everyone. I so hoped that we would be together, being able to stop talking about our struggles and reflect on the valuable lessons that we have learned at this point, but the struggles haven’t ended, and we’re continuing to have what my mother calls “character-building experiences.”

In my district, we have talked a lot about extending grace - to ourselves and others. My guess is that many of you have had these same conversations. To me, this means acknowledging that the system (and we as individuals) are overwhelmed and that we should be slow to judge and quick to support one another. We must continue to have expectations, and we must work together to meet them. We need to avoid comparing ourselves to some preconceived (and probably unrealistic) ideal; our students and staff need us as we are, and they are better every day for our efforts. Please remember that you are not alone and that you are valued - by your students, their families, your districts, and your colleagues in IAASE. I would encourage each of you to reach out to a colleague and remind that person or people that they are valuable to you. On behalf of all of those groups who benefit from your efforts, I thank you for bringing your passion and dedication to your work on behalf of students with disabilities every day!  -Dr. Elizabeth deGruy, IAASE President-Elect

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ASK an ATTORNEY

We are bringing this feature back: Ask an Attorney. This is your opportunity to ask our IAASE Attorneys any questions. They will provide monthly updates via the IAASE Blog. Click here to contribute to the IAASE ASK an ATTORNEY form. The first update will be in September.

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SEAPAC UPDATE

Over the last few years, the Special Education Association Political Action Committee (SEAPAC) has been struggling with membership and funding. In order for the work of SEAPAC to continue, it is imperative that we attain high membership each and every school year.

You may ask, "What does SEAPAC do for me?" Well, if you recall, we have had some pretty unreasonable bills that have been discussed in our legislative chambers. Our dollars support the work of our lobbyist, Shannon Bellini, to help legislators understand our perspectives and the impact of legislation on schools. SEAPAC plays an important role in educating, providing access, and representing the organization with members of the General Assembly. Our main purpose is to raise awareness for IAASE and the impact proposed legislation has on special education. By raising and distributing funds, you are helping to advocate for the political goals of the members of IAASE.

IAASE is an organization of over 1200 members. Think of the impact we could make if every one of our members becomes a SEAPAC member!

To make becoming a member easier, we have subscribed to Givebutter. Givebutter does charge a 3.6% processing fee, so if you would like to pay by check, please route them to Melissa Taylor at 100 Paddock Road Belleville IL 62223. If you are comfortable using Givebutter, just use the camera on your phone to open the QR below!



The cost is $20 annually but you are welcome to give more! Additionally, SEAPAC would be honored to accept any voluntary private contributions including funds that regions would normally donate for the conference raffle baskets.

IAASE is well-respected by our legislators and they have come to view the organization as the voice of special education. By supporting SEAPAC, the efforts of IAASE can be continued.

If you have any questions about SEAPAC, please reach out to Lea Anne Frost at lfrost@d64.org

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Have a great week and remember any day is a good day to get involved!