Problem Statement Overrepresentation of Minorities in Special Education Essay

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Overrepresentation of Minorities Special Education

Overrepresentation of Minorities in Special Education

The national debate over special education has no easy answers. On one hand, many parents of affected children want more resources catering to their children's special needs. However, the 'mainstreaming' movement, which was and is supported by many parents, stresses the need to place children in the least restrictive environment possible. There is clearly a need to balance placement in special education to promote educational success with a need for normalcy. Into this debate is the concern that minority children are disproportionately represented in special education classes, and that racist and classist assumptions may cause what would be seen as mere difficulties in non-minority children to be 'disabilities' in minority children (Shippen 2009; Rogers 2002). Ironically, greater support for special education arose as a result of the civil rights movement, out of a desire to acknowledge and support 'difference' in a positive fashion (Sullivan & King 2010).

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"Black students are twice as likely as white students to be educated in a more restrictive environment… U.S. Department of Education data indicates that at least thirteen states labeled more than 2.75% of black students intellectually disabled. Nationally, the prevalence of white students labeled mentally retarded was approximately 0.75% in 2001, and in no state did the incidence of labeling white students rise above 2.38%" (Torin 2012). Despite the fact that special education may be viewed as 'helping' students, it can also hold them back, as in the case of one black student labeled "educable mentally retarded" who was gifted at football -- the principal decided to enroll the boy in regular classes based upon his obvious intelligence as a player with extra support from teachers to help him 'catch up.' Eventually,….....

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"Problem Statement Overrepresentation Of Minorities In Special Education", 21 December 2012, Accessed.29 April. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/problem-statement-overrepresentation-minorities-105588