This letter is posted for reference in work I have performed or been involved in.
April 11, 2021 – a Response to Jordan District Decision on closing Bingham & Herriman Life Skills Programs
To the Jordan District School Board, and to the Jordan District Special Education team:
I understand that the Jordan School district has decided to pull the Life Skills programs from both Herriman and Bingham High Schools. This decision was made without adequate input from educators, the community, the impacted students (both abled and disabled) and the parents of the children with Special Needs. Budgetary considerations are a wholly inadequate defense to uproot kids who will be impacted by the move. The decision destroys the community fabric in these schools by taking away opportunities for inclusion, empathy, leadership; and erodes purpose and service.
You may recall that the Utah PTA recently hosted the Utah PTA Advocacy Conference in 2020, where Tim Shriver was a keynote speaker and delivered a presentation on “Building Bridges of Understanding through Social and Emotional Learning“. Our Utah state Governor Herbert at that time spoke of the importance of the social/emotional learning movement.
“Social connection drives learning and the brain has a social filter: if relationships are weak or damaged, learning is too. On top of these challenges, schools are increasingly diverse and rightly responsible for optimizing the chances for all children to feel welcome and supported. If a pattern of bullying and divisiveness exists, children of all backgrounds will suffer. ”
– Business Insider: Tim Shriver Op-Ed, Dec 8 2020
“For over a generation, educators have been working to make schools into places that offer children a path to resisting being a part of this cycle of anxiety, bullying, and despair. That’s what schools need to do now more than ever—teach and model the skills and values that will reduce stress and promote positive relationships and success in school and life. To do so, educators are welcoming efforts to promote the skills, values, and beliefs that reduce divisiveness and isolation and promote learning, belonging, and purpose for all.“
If you want to improve student outcomes, make decisions that build character, raise empathy and grow inclusion in our schools.
- Removing students with disabilities from our public schools destroys bonds for these students, both abled and disabled. These relationships are critical for students, who form lifelong bonds and shape perspectives on individuality, purpose, and understanding.
- Perhaps you can instead focus on building programs that grow Leadership, Unification, Mentoring/Aide programs, Sports, Arts and Community at these schools – these are all areas that students with disabilities can teach and engage in.
- Perhaps you can invest in having Herriman and Bingham become Unified Champion Schools. Years ago Herriman was a host to Special Olympics summer games. Why not bring back these programs? https://www.specialolympics.org/our-work/unified-champion-schools
- Introduce a Diversity Officer role for Student Body Officers. Students with disabilities should help to plan, host and drive events
- Charity events like Bingham True Blue and Herriman Hearts of Gold programs should not be the only consideration or kind of outreach that high schools participate in. Students with disabilities want to contribute, be accepted, and find respect within their communities. This is only found through real engagement. I’m seriously recommending you take 5 minutes to play the Inclusion Tiles game at https://www.generationunified.org/games/inclusion-game-page-1/
- Work with the UHSAA Utah High School Activities Association to grow sports programs and host #PlayUnified events. https://www.uhsaa.org/unified/
- Engage Best Buddies to come to the school at talk about their Best Buddies High Schools programs https://www.bestbuddies.org/utah/
My daughter Natalie attended schools in the Jordan School district and benefited from being part of mainstream classes, social organizations, sports programs and in SBO leadership roles. She is a Special Olympics Youth Ambassador today, where she speaks about inclusion and unified programs that grow empathy and understanding, and enhance the social development of ALL students. https://unite.us/
The decision on closing Bingham & Herriman Life Skills Programs is wrong. You need to reconsider the impact of change and how profoundly negative this will be to all students, to staff and the spirit of these schools.
Respectfully,
Greg Green