An Open Letter To Heid Harris

Dear Heidi Harris,
A couple of days ago, you were wondering about the value of teaching severely disabled students in the Clark County School District and other school districts.  You said that the district is just babysitting the students and the students would be better off staying at home.
Well, here is my response.  I am a teacher of those severely disabled students you mentioned that we babysit at school.  Well, Heidi, we don't do much babysit of our students but I would also like to mention that regular education teachers also do a lot of babysitting of students- students who have to be in school even though they don't want to be and who will never have any hope of graduating.  They do much more babysitting than we ever would do because our students want to be in school.
And our program, Heidi, also saves taxpayers money in the long run.  For instance, I have been able to get about 5 students out of diapers and into regular underwear.  This alone saves taxpayers thousands of dollars each year because guess who pays for the diapers and pull ups?  Taxpayers do through programs like SSI and government insurance programs.
I also train our students to work after they graduate from school when they turn age 22.  Now, I realize my students will not go to college, tech school or even flip burgers.  However, I have one student who may be able to work at a hospital laundry, another who can sort playing cards from casinos so they can be re-sold in the casino's gift shop.  I have other students who can put together flashlights or toothbrush holders in a factory.  It's not much, as jobs go, but they are needed jobs and these are not make work jobs.  Sure beats being on welfare or collecting unemployment for almost 2 years.  These kids are not Democrats- they don't want to depend on government, if they don't have to.
It also costs less to educate our students.  We don't use expensive text books or computers.  We don't use fancy classroom gadgets.  Our students learn the old fashion way- hard work and when they graduate when they turn 22, they have something, most regular education students don't learn and that is a hard work ethic and most of our students will not learn that at home.
Our students also learn social skills that will help them in the community.  Mrs. Harris, are you proud of the behavior of the regular education kids you see in the mall, in a fast food restaurant or walking down the street with their pants hanging down showing off their underwear?  Are you proud of the language many regular education students use?  Swearing, using the n-word etc.  And let's talk about sexual promiscuity.  99% of our students who are severely disabled don't have those problems and you just don't see any severely disabled females running around pregnant.  Finally, how many gang members do you know of who are severely disabled?
And, Ms. Harris, how often do regular education teachers meet and communicate with the parents of regular education students?  I talk to the parents of my students at least once a month, if not more often.  And if a parent has a question, I don't hesitate to talk with them.  Because of this, we are able to individualize an education plan for their child.  A regular education student gets a 1 size fits all education and if it doesn't fit them, they may drop out of school and become a burden on society.
So, Heidi Harris, these are just some of the reasons why it is beneficial to have our severely disabled attend school and I haven't mentioned the ethical nor the legal reasons why these students should attend school.
I don't know if I will ever change your mind, but when you talk about this subject, you almost sound as crazy as the crazy judge in Nye County, Judge Wanker, who believes kids with severe disabilities are better off dead.
Sincerely,
Dan