Does this imply they have driver’s ed books in braille?
Blind Students Required To Pass Driver’s Ed
(AP) CHICAGO: Most high school students eagerly await the day they pass driver’s education class. But Mayra Ramirez is indifferent about it.
Ramirez is blind, yet she and dozens of other visually impaired sophomores in Chicago’s public school system are required to pass a written rules-of-the-road exam in order to graduate — a rule they say takes time away from learning material they might actually use.
“In other classes, you don’t really feel different because you can do the work other people do,” said Ramirez, 16. “But in driver’s ed, it does give us the feeling we’re different. In a way, it brought me down, because it reminds me of something I can’t do.”
Hundreds of school districts in Illinois require students to pass driver’s education before they graduate, although the state only requires that districts offer the courses. A state education official says districts that require it should offer an exemption for disabled students.
“It defies logic to require blind students to take this course … and waste their academic time,” said Meta Minton, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Board of Education.
About 30 students at two Chicago high schools with programs for the visually impaired recently formed an advocacy group in part to change the policy.
A Chicago Public Schools official said Thursday the district would be open to waiving the drivers’ education requirement for disabled students.
“I can’t explain why up to this point no one has raised the issue and suggested a better way for visually impaired students to opt out of driver’s ed,” said Chicago schools spokesman Michael Vaughn.
Vaughn said parents of disabled students can, by law, request a change in the student’s “individualized education plan” to exempt them from the rule. But teachers and students say it’s a little-known option that school officials rarely, if ever, mention.
Brent Johnston, a teacher at a suburban high school and chairman of the Illinois High School/College Driver’s Education Association, told the Chicago Tribune that the classes aren’t a waste of time for blind students.
“I don’t think you can ever get enough traffic safety,” Johnston said. “Still, this shouldn’t be the school’s decision; it should be mom and dad’s decision. A little commonsense would go a long way.”
It would be a dangerous precedent to allow visually impaired high school students to opt out of driver education. It could inspire mathematically and scientifically challenged students to question why algebra is a required course. All this could lead to parents and students actually insisting on training for well-paid, high demand jobs. We need to avert this unmanageable crisis now by punishing those students for challenging the established order and for asking relevant questions.
Just proves that common sense isn’t common.
Eugene, if I didn’t know better I’d accuse you of being sarcastic, but I know you’re 100% serious. đ
Beauracrats Gone Wild
I wouldn’t opt out. Instead, I would request a handicap accessible car and test. Then let the Board of Education figure it out from there. After all, if they are insisting on the course, they are required to offer it to any and all students.
Where’s the politically correct far left on this one? I am surprise, usually they are “embedded” into the education system sticking up for criminal rights, …. challenged people, etc. I mean come on they control the school books. This is racism/discrimination. I am serious on this paragraph.
Mr. Fusion, you’re right. They should equip these students with Star Trek the Next Generation glasses so they can see and pass the driver’s test. If not, a designated navigator, preferably one who passed algebra.
Some uneducated kid way way back in the 70’s or 80’s killed a little puppy dog/granny/school mascot/etc and some politcian stood up waved his biggest dick and said I WILL PASS A LAW
Here is that law
Now find the big dick
Is drivers Ed that important? LOL
“I am surprise, usually they are âembeddedâ into the education system sticking up for criminal rights, âŚ. challenged people, etc”
Oh yes, cause “challenged people” shouldn’t be stuck up for, they should just be locked away like the criminals. Neo-con ignorance knows no bounds.
Isn’t this article just a bit sensational? It doesn’t belong here. It is only here because it has the appearance of being stupid. Anyone who can actually read would see the students aren’t required to drive.
“required to pass a written rules-of-the-road exam”
There’s nothing wrong with forcing all of the students to learn the rules of the road. If you can convince me that the blind won’t ever be crossing a street, then we can exempt them from the test.
Why was this article put here? To show that Dvorak’s blog is into sensationalism too?
“If you can convince me that the blind wonât ever be crossing a street, then we can exempt them from the test.”
1) I believe it is the law in every state that the blind have right of way when crossing the street at all times wherever they are.
2) It is unlikely that a blind person has reached high school without learning to cross the street.
3) Since driver’s ed is about, well, driving, unless they have a chapter on being a backseat driver, I can’t even guess at what they would learn that would be of even the slightest use.
4) As I remember it, the written test was on things like road signs, distances between cars, how to pass and other things one does when driving. None of which a blind person will ever do.
“Why was this article put here? To show that Dvorakâs blog is into sensationalism too?”
5) I posted the article because it is another example of lawmakers not thinking through the laws they pass. Taxpayers have to pay for each blind student taking the class and I consider that a waste of my money. Therefore, I feel that this does not only have the appearance of being stupid, it stands up and shouts to the world, stupid.
6) I will grant you one, possible reason for the blind taking drivers ed: through the miracle of modern medicine, there may be a tiny chance that one day, the blind may see. On that day, because they’ve taken drivers ed, they can jump into a car and safely maneuver it around town and highway.
7) Yes, on occasion we here at DU do what one would call sensationalistic. BFD! Find me one newspaper, one news show, one reporter who never, ever has done a sensationalistic story and I will be amazed!
Dave & Steve
I don’t care if this is sensationalism. It points out an absurdity that some bureaucrat came up with and has tried to defend. I hope you guys come up with many more similar topics. I love ’em.
We aim to please!