As a”graduate” from Webster Elementary School and as an occupational therapist, I was greatly disturbed by the article in <cTypeface:Italic>The Malibu Times<cTypeface:> dated June 1, 2017 entitled, “Kindergarten Controversy stirs Webster.”
Instead of rejecting this child, I would encourage the “Room 1” parents to use this situation as an opportunity to teach love and compassion their children.
I work in a wonderful public school in Placer County, Calif. where we have several special education students, some with behavioral challenges. The administration, teachers, and students accept and embrace these children. The other students exhibit tolerance, compassion, patience and acceptance to these children with special needs because they have watched the adults in both the community and the academic environments exhibit these wonderful traits.
I would encourage the “Room 1” parents to think about what sort of adults that they want their children to become. Do they want their children to be generous, loving, kind and compassionate adults or self-centered, rude and judgemental?
I would encourage the “Room 1” parents to take a moment to “walk in another’s shoes,” to offer this family their support, and to teach their children that we are all children of God and, as such, no one is superior to another.
Asia R. Batchelor, M..S., OTR/L