There is an unusual situation in Flint, Michigan. Most of us heard about the water crisis in Flint, but one side effect of this huge environmental issue is that children who drank the water that was tainted with lead are now in need of special education services. Symptoms of lead poisoning are: Behavior problems, low IQ, poor grades, problems with hearing, short- and long-term learning difficulties and growth delays. ( www.healthline.com/health/lead-poisoning#causes ) Many of the children are now entering school and parents are demanding help for their children. This has become such a major issue in town that the school district has received a four million dollar court settlement to provide health screenings for children in Flint. These health screenings are not mere eye and vision, but include a full-time pediatric neuropsychologist among other professionals. Instead of having a few students in a class with mild learning disabilities and and maybe one or two children with more severe needs, it's possible nearly half or more than half of each class in Flint's elementary schools are struggling with students poisoned by lead. Flint has a great need for special educators and probably will for some time. www.detroitnews.com/story/news/education/2019/01/21/universal-health-screenings-flint-children-underway/2368022002/ Below is a good article from an education perspective about Flint. You would need access from a database or a subscription to view it. It goes more in depth about the educational issues of lead poisoning. Bravender, M., & Walling, C. (2017). Man-Made Disaster Undermines Impoverished School District: The Flint Water Crisis. EJEP: EJournal of Education Policy.
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AuthorSpecial Education major in a university teaching program. Substitute teacher, previous homeschool mom, wife. Archives
September 2019
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