I am more convinced that ever that the only way things will change is if there is ever a mandate that every teacher must have one class in college that covers meeting the needs of special education children in the regular classroom. Most of these people mean well but are just ignorant that what they are saying is hurtful, condescending, misdirected and dismissive.
Hah! In TX teachers don't even need to have a degree in anything even resembling education. So long as they *have* a degree, and can pass the certification test, they can be a teacher. On the whole, it's good, this way you can attract folks with math degrees, or whatever, to come teach without them feeling like they'll have to take more classes... but the downside is teachers who do not have any thorough training.
