Tonight at Five PM

Truth in advertising: the main reason I don’t write about something which is local, timely, and pertinent is that I am afraid I can’t do it perfectly. That’s almost always what stymies me. If you struggle with perfectionism you know the feeling.

Today I’m going ahead anyway.

Tonight WBAL begins a two-part series on special education in Howard County Schools. Here’s a promotional trailer.

WBAL TV: TOMORROW AT 5pm: 11 News Investigates has spent months looking into why one of the top public school districts in the state has a special education crisis, leaving students with unmet needs and teachers begging for help.

You may already know that the Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) gave a present the February 12 BOE meeting. You may also know that the Howard County Educators Association (HCEA) has raised the issue of understaffing in Special Education repeatedly in testimony before the Board. But that would mean that you follow Board of Education meetings. Not everyone does.

If you don’t have children in the county schools, or you do but they don’t receive Special Education services, you really may have no idea what is going on here. I would suggest that it matters to all of us. We are only as good as how we respond to the most vulnerable students in our community.

At the risk of repeating myself for the thousandth time: they are all our kids.

Here is where I am wading into imperfection territory. It seems to me that the biggest problem is that our special education programs are dangerously and chronically understaffed. This means that students don’t get the support they need (and are guaranteed by law) and that teachers and support staff are punishingly overburdened. This can create unsafe conditions and contribute to teacher/staff burnout.

If you know more on this topic please fill me in. I am aware that this is a very basic explanation. But I wanted to get this out there in case people could make the time the watch the WBAL piece and become more informed on this issue. More people need to know, and more people need to care.

As you know, I had the great privilege of teaching music and movement to special needs preschoolers for twelve years in the RECC program. Those were some of the most rewarding years of my career and I will never forget the joys and challenges of striving to become an effective teacher with those students. The teachers and staff I worked with were highly skilled, empathetic, determined, and committed.

I know things are overwhelming right now. It’s a lot for me to ask you to pay attention to one more thing. If you are able, I hope you will.

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