Joe is "transitioning" into the "mainstream" world at school.
It's a tough transition but for the most part he's doing well. It came to my attention yesterday that his speech is an issue. His teacher is having a hard time understanding him. That bothers me to no end. 3 and half hours and his adult in charge can't understand him? See why that bothers me? sigh. So we're working on it, there are things we can do.
This morning Rob had this on his blog and I totally agree (as I often do with Rob)

According to CNN, human rights organizations are reporting that more than 200,000 children were spanked or paddled in U.S. schools during the past year. My own state of Texas leads the pack, with 48,197 students. Well, of course it does.Now, we can have the discussion about the morality and effectiveness of hitting kids if you like. I'm always ready for that topic, after all. I am very encouraged by the fact that the numbers are down, and that a number of states and school districts have outlawed corporal punishment altogether.

But one line in this report jumped out at me, hiding about halfway down.In addition, special education students with mental or physical disabilities were more likely to receive corporal punishment, according to the ACLU and Human Rights Watch.Even if you're one of the people who think that hitting a child is a good way to discipline and to educate, or perhaps especially if you believe that, I'd like you to stop for just a moment and think about that. I'd like for you to close your eyes and imagine how that scene might unfold.

Meanwhile, what's the topic of the most vocal outcry from disability advocates of late? The use of the word "retard" in a movie.I don't know. To my thinking, those priorities seem sort of, well, you know. There's probably a word for it. I'm sure you can think of one.

I could not agree more. So lets put a child with a disability in a room with 27 other kids. Let's say this child is frustrated from not being understood. Lets say the teacher is frustrated it's trouble. Let's put an inexperienced teacher in a room full of special needs kids.

I am not an expert in this area. I don't have any of the answers. I am not expecting the school to be my day care. I am not expecting the school to totally care for the never ending list of needs of my child. I am just expecting to be informed, to be involved and for my son and all children to be treated with the compassion that every child deserves.

I have read the other blogs that have commented as of late about the movie Tropic of Thunder and the use of th word retard. It bothers me as it always does when that word is used and just leave it at that.