Texas Lone Star - JANFEB 2019

Editor’s note: This article is the third of a three-part series about the issues of misidentification and misrepresentation in special education populations. The first article of the series appeared on page 20 of the August 2018 edition; the second article appeared on page 22 of the September/October 2018 edition.

Race has little impact on the education that a child receives, right? In educa- tion, our goal is to provide the very best education possible to those we serve re- gardless of the demographic groups they inhabit—a race-neutral education. We would like to think that racial issues exist outside of the classroom doors and certainly outside of special education. Isn’t special education all about serving children with learning differences? Surely the specialized instructional supports we offer to children identified with a disability provide exactly what each child needs. After all, children in special education receive an individualized program created to meet their needs, thus making it color blind. Or does it?

This series has taken a complex issue and worked to explore it at a 30,000-foot view from three different angles. In the first article of this series, entitled “The Numbers Aren’t Adding Up,” we explored the civil rights movement’s impact on special education and the shifting racial makeup of the program over the last decade. The second article, “A Proportion Problem,” was a glimpse into the racial makeup by disability in special education and how the identification process impacts those we serve. Along the way, school board members and educators were encouraged to take a step back and analyze their district through open and honest trend analysis and review of internal practices. This final article seeks to cap the discussion by exploring the idea that special education is race neutral and color blind.

In education, we have the lofty goal of providing an education that is color blind and race neutral. We take pains to display how enlightened and progressive we are and distinguish ourselves from our more segregated, biased past. However, this approach may not lead to the intended outcomes. Instead, a more race-conscious practice is called for. Race consciousness dates back to the 1960s and seeks to identify the role of race rather than the removal of race as having an impact.

Race-conscious educators understand that “I do not see color” is an overused and sometimes offensive way of denying the unique experiential realities of racial minority students. “Race conscious”

is the opposite of “color blindness.” Race consciousness in schools is defined along three dimensions: the impact of race on the school, its impact on each child individually, and the need to understand the value of culturally relevant thinking.

Race and LRE Decisions

The reader may be asking what race-conscious thinking has to do with special education. Special education is all about individualization. The need to dive into the topic of race as it impacts special education practices is one borne out of the need to be sure we serve all children where they are and meet their individual needs rather than unintentionally making biased decisions. Inadvertent bias can impact a child’s special education experience in numerous ways. Day to day, we see this clearly when we look at a child’s placement.

A fundamental element of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is that of a free and appropriate education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The understanding of these two keystone principles is essential to any discussion of best practice in special education placement. In reviewing the specialized A fundamental element of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is that of a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment.