Is Special Education Turning into Training for Bullies?

Special education programs may be turning children with special needs into bullies even as those same children have unrealistic limits placed on them. Are we doing the right thing by focusing on integrating the classrooms or are we doing more damage to our children and lessening the value of their education?

For the umpteenth time this year, my son came home and told me of an instance in which a child who has been designated as "special needs" was abusive to another child in class. My son stuck up for the abused child, which is great. But, when I asked him why they didn't tell the teacher he said it's because she always tells the students there is nothing she can do about the abusive child because he has special needs. I'm going to throw up. Seriously.

We have a busload of laws to protect anyone who happens to be labeled as "special needs", but what about the children who aren't? What about the children who don't abuse that label? What about the teachers who would love to be able to actually teach in their classrooms rather than playing a referee with very limited capabilities?

I'll say it. I'm tired of hearing the term "special needs" or "special education" in reference to an excuse for an abusive behavior. If a child is a danger to other children, then no, that child has no place in a public classroom. I even know children who have had to drop out of their own special needs classes because they were just getting too dangerous. In fact, I know parents who have had to force the school to give their children consequences. These are the parents that are truly interested in their children getting an education, academically and otherwise.

Of course there should be no tolerance for the bullying of anyone who is different. But, should there be any less tolerance for those who are "different" to do the bullying? Integration of student in special education students with the mainstream classrooms is a fabulous idea if it works and if it isn't dangerous to any of the children involved. However, school rules and the laws of society should apply to every student across the board. Otherwise, aren't we just teaching our children that special needs really means a free pass for any kind of behavior?

Parents who don't have children with special needs are now sometimes afraid to speak up for their children because they don't want to be labeled as heartless. The fact is, they have nothing against the children with special needs. What they do have a problem with is the fact that based on the lack of disciplinary measures applied in some of the schools to children with special needs, the mainstream students are now set up as potential abuse victims with the knowledge that their abusers will not face any consequences. The current system is obviously not working. It's teaching students with special needs that they have their own set of rules, while students without special needs are left to fend for themselves within the limitations of the rules of the schools. What exactly are we sending our children to school for again?