Special Education

POSTED BY JHW22

Remember when Sarah Palin ran for VP and said she would be an advocate for families of children with special needs? Anyone know what she's done about that? I don't. Seriously. I haven't heard or seen anything from her on this -- not in any big way. You'd think with that bus tour and all the media coverage, and each visit she makes to *trump* another Republican's special announcements and all that media coverage, she'd make a point of saying SOMETHING, right? Has she and we just haven't heard it? I think she talks about special needs when she does radio interviews, but not more so than fishing or the lamestream media or Obama. In fact, she probably talks more about people being mean to her kids than about what we can do to help kids with special needs.

I'd really like her to talk more, I think. I guess I don't know that I would. I have no idea what she'd say. Maybe I am glad she is quiet.

But here's the deal: a lot of cities and states are having serious budget problems and are cutting education and specifically special education. And yet, I don't think she's said anything about this. What's more interesting is that federal stimulus funds were sent to states to help keep programs and teachers on the job for kids with special needs. And that stimulus money was designed to run out. Yet, Republican Governors and legislators have welcomed the money (while bemoaning it) and haven't done anything to find ways to replace it. Some states (the above link to the Brownback article for example) are even willing to lose federal funding to schools and special education because of their so-called principles.

Then, in October of 2010, President Obama signed Rosa's Law, changing references in federal law from mental retardation to intellectual disability, and references to a mentally retarded individual to an individual with an intellectual disability, I don't know that Palin made any Facebook posts.

I can't find a Facebook post or Tweet of her congratulating Obama for signing a law that prevents the government from using a term she found a fire-able offense when used by one of his employees. She made a show of that. Yet, I can't find anything on Rosa's Law.

So where is Sarah Palin on this issue that is so important to her brand? I don't know what she's saying about special education funding. I just don't see anything.

Maybe I am not looking hard enough. But for someone who loves to take the microphone by the horns, she sure hasn't used HER bully pulpit to forward anything on special needs. Was she only going to be a fierce advocate if elected?

She has the stage. What's she waiting for?