'Think in terms of inclusion rather than exclusion'
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Working with low income individuals and families for many years, I always tried to keep in mind some advice a friend once gave me about deciding who should receive services. He told me during one of our deliberations that we should think in terms of inclusion rather than exclusion. Find ways to include individuals with need that leaves them with their dignity and self worth in tact.
I would apply this same advice to the issue of paying for advanced testing at the high school level. Find a way to make it possible that families with need do not have to request relief and thereby perhaps expose their children to ridicule. Do not place the burden on the families to come forward to ask for relief, because there may be some families who do not want to risk exposure of their financial status, and more importantly, those who may not see the importance or need for their child to take advanced tests. Find a way to allow everyone the opportunity to participate without relegating it to a matter of family income. And if there is abuse, as has been suggested, then create a solution to that specific abuse.
If you have never had to ask for financial assistance in our culture you may not realize how debilitating it can be. If this new rule keeps some very capable young person from moving the family educational level forward, then this will have been a bad decision. And I know through experience that there will be families who will not ask for assistance because of their pride and they should not be faulted for having pride. Many times advanced educational opportunities in the public school setting are exclusionary. Being in the band, on a sports team, traveling with a class, and taking advanced tests are examples of how low-income families often do not have the same opportunities because they do not have the resources to apply to these activities. Some will respond that if they want it for their child all they have to do is put their pride aside and ask. And therein lies my issue. Raising your hand in our society and stating to those who can, I cannot, is a very hard thing to do. And in the public education system that should not be the case. Public education is to be universal and equitable. If the system decides that taking the band to a competition in another state is part of the educational opportunity they believe is important to the total education of the child then it should be universally available and not dependent upon the families’ ability to pay. It is the same with the testing, it should be available, regardless of cost, to all if this is what the system has decided is needed to improve the educational status of all the children.
Jean Lee
Millwood
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