DS15 just casually said something really disturbing about how their school treats "Special Ed" kids

[Evangeli]

"Did you know they make the Special Ed kids do all the chores at school?"

"Huh? What chores?"

"They empty the garbage bins and take them out"

"Wha? Which kids?"

"yeah, they go around the classrooms and empty the bins. They said it's to have them participate and be engaged. I think it's a just a cover to get them do chores".

Is it me or does this sound really messed up??

I wouldn’t take your son’s word for it. You could email the school to ask?

There could be a ‘litter group’ or ‘recycling group’ or similar. The SEN dept could have various initiatives going that might involve them in the day to day running of the school.

Still sounds like cheap labour, though.

Does sound very weird, especially for 15 year olds.

Urghhhh that doesn’t sound good yet sadly sounds entirely plausible

@SiobhanSharpe it does, doesn't it? And also, isn't it stigmatizing for the kids? God knows mental health issues are stigmatized enough - should we be adding to that by having the "Special Ed" kids go around emptying garbage?
to be clear: it's fine if everyone was doing it.

It sounds implausible. Is this in the UK?

You say garbage OP, are you in America?

Special Ed kids in my sons old school used to sit in a classroom watching youtube, eating chocolate biscuits and not actually taught anything... until they left or were forced out by hassling the parents with the kids supposed 'behaviour' problems 😱😱

I did pull them up on it ...

My son ( with no special needs) was part of a conservation club at school. They collected bins and recycled etc I suspect it's something along those lines.

Well... my neighbour's teenager goes to a specialist SEN school in a neighbouring town, where they do farm labour, make crafts to sell and cook food including for the teachers. She's thrilled he's learning skills but it could seem exploitative.

I know this happens in American schools and is done under the guise of “work experience”. I’ve not heard of it happening in UK schools.

Context is everything!

I knew of a child with asd whose special interest was vacuum cleaners. He could often be found vacuuming the Head’s office or even the corridors ☺️. This was used as part of a reward system for him.

Back in the day. There were a group of lads who mainly washed the teachers cars. To be fair they seemed to enjoy that more than lessons where often they would punch teachers or jump out of windows (2nd floor) for fun.

My Godson (SEN) Is part of the 'Green team' at his school. They collect all of the rubbish from the school & organize it along with various other water and energy saving initiatives. He thoughroly enjoys it & is very proud to be part of it.

Hard to comment without finding out more. Not saying your son is lying but he may have just got the wrong end of the stick, easily done. When my son was at school, the kids (all kids) used to take it in turns to sit in pairs for one morning per academic year on the front desk signing in visitors. Personally I thought it was weird but it was supposed to teach social skills 🤷‍♀️

Many children, in UK schools, have SEN.
Often, they are given jobs that help to foster their self esteem, like helping teacher with important jobs or helping in the lunch hall.

Some children, with SEN, find playtimes and lunchtimes tricky as well as unstructured times within the classroom.

Depending on the level of special needs of the individual child of course.. special schools teach life skills to take the child from early years to adult life. teach kids to cope with and what is appropriate behaviour walking to Asda and buying shopping, teach them how to use money, how to wipe themselves, how to navigate the world around them and how to regulate themselves when times are difficult, when a motorbike speeds pass them and the noise scares them. Could see taking the recycling to the on as a chore but it’s a skill they need to learn. Laying a table, brushing hair etc etc etc they teach them to be as independent as possible along with literacy, numeracy, IT just at different levels and with a different way of teaching them

I work in a special needs school.

This most definitely happens but it’s because they want to do it. They like to have a little job and they can get very distressed if they can’t do that job.

I think a lot of mainstream primary children like doing jobs too but as they get into secondary school it’s not as ‘cool’ to be eager to help out although a lot still do.

We also provide life skill lessons to try and give them some independence in adulthood and we do things like taking the bins out, washing up, washing clothes etc. So it could also be part of that.

@TwoBlueFish

I know this happens in American schools and is done under the guise of “work experience”. I’ve not heard of it happening in UK schools.

From the OPs use of "Special Ed", "Chores" and "garbage" I'm assuming she is American.

We used to love having jobs like this in primary school. Washing the cups in the staff room, taking the board dusters outside to whack with a ruler, tidying the library shelves etc.

This is small town Canada.

I think a conservation group and all kids choosing to join and help out is fine, great.
And having tasks for the kids - also great.

I just found this picture of the Special Ed kids traipsing around school empying bins and collecting garbage while the neurotypical kids were in class doing lessons a bit- well, Dickensian.

According to DS, that's how it is. Only the Special Ed kids do it, it's not an interest group. They knock on the classroom door while others are in class, go in and empty the bins. And if he, who not exactly Mr. Woke Social Justice teen of the year, says "looks like the school is just using them", then that is probably what it looks like to most kids.

I really want to mind my own business but also find it rather upsetting.

I a.so work in a school for additional support needs…recycling is a job many of the kids engage in.

My child has additional needs. 'Jobs' are a really really good tool for giving her a movement/sensory break. The genius that is her teacher has her squeazing the hand sanitiser pump for the entire class of 30 twice a day.

And organising massively helps calm her so there are always some convenient organising tasks available. She loves it.

I would definitely not take his word for it and especially without context.

I think primary is different. My DD and her friends used to run the "snack shack" and answer phones during lunch and even do a bit of filing and tidy up of the main office. It was a sign-up system- they loved doing it and took turns.
This is high school- kids are super conscious about social status and when asked DS does everyone take turn doing the garbage he said are you kidding me??

I work with special needs kids in a school in America. This would be part of work skills at our school. And believe me, the kids LOVE doing it. I dont know the level of disability of the kids in your son's school, but teaching them skills that they can then take into adulthood and use in a job is important. There is nothing shameful about taking out the trash/recycling. Perhaps you should think about why you and your son find that as such a "looked down upon" job. For some kids this will be the level of job they will have when they graduate. And all jobs are important, not just jobs that are done by the "best and brightest" of society.