A disturbing post about “disruption” in the classroom.

I recently read a Twitter post by a self-described “public school veteran” that went all over me. (We’ll call her “PSV” for short.) PSV’s thesis: “Disruptive students steal education from others, but they never make amends because they cannot restore learning. So the just thing is to prevent the theft by removing them from the classroom, no?”

My response to the post: “My son has autism and while not intentionally disruptive, I’m sure his learning difficulties and inability to regulate, especially early on, appeared that way. Would you deny autistic children the opportunity to learn alongside their peers?”

The response: PSV “mostly” meant those who are “knowingly rude talkers.”

Not exactly the show of support I’d hoped for! Bottom line: In this teacher’s view, if a child is subjectively “disruptive,” whether because they have learning difficulties, are chronically hungry, become overstimulated, are ill or sleep-deprived, or just think differently, they don’t belong in a general education setting? It stuns me that people think that way, particularly a “veteran” teacher.

Setting aside all other reasons kids might be “disruptive,” those with autism spectrum disorders alone make up almost one-third of elementary school-aged children—the latest CDC numbers estimate that 1 in 36 eight-year-olds has some kind of ASD. Add to that kids who have other learning differences or disabilities, those whose home lives leave them fearful or neglected, and the myriad other random reasons why kids might have difficulty in a classroom, and you’ve probably pegged half the population.

I hate to break it to this “veteran,” but the US government guarantees EVERY child a “free and appropriate public education” in the “least restrictive environment.” As it should. Who are we to decide who can and can’t learn, or shouldn’t be given the opportunity?

I suspect PSV’s beef has more to do with the effort required to teach different kids differently—to meet kids where they are—than the professed hand-wringing over the “theft” of education. And it’s a safe bet that the kids aren’t the problem here.

What do you think? Does your initial reaction mirror mine? I’d really like to hear your experiences with public school teachers—the best and the worst. (And for the record, most of TJ’s teachers were beyond amazing—I am forever grateful to each  one!)