Blog Post 6 A - Andrea Barber's Response to Richard Wilkins

In response to your critical issue, “A Reflection of Society-The Immergence of Special Education Throughout the American Culture,” I enjoyed reading about the history of special education.  This research paper was very well written, informative, and organized. I enjoyed reading the events of history and how you compared them to society’s demands. 

            The Dark Times were definitely very depressing to read about how cruel and unfair individuals with disabilities were treated, with little interested in recognition.  Therefore, incarceration was the most common coping mechanism instead of rehabilitation.  The process called eugenics was popular throughout America and Europe to breed out impurities in the D.N.A.  As you mentioned, by separating ’undesirable’ portions of the population, they were denied reproductive rights as in direct sterilization.  On a better note, The Flicker of Light talks about the starting of the federal involvement with individuals with disabilities having the right to education.

            In the section titled “A Map is Being Forged,” I learned that John F. Kennedy was an advocate from the time he took office and that his sister suffered from a series of disabilities.  Interesting to read, Kennedy commissioned a panel entitled A Presidents Panel on Mental Retardation (1961) that did intensive search for solutions regarding issues associated with mental retardation.