What shuttered schools mean for students with disabilities in Michigan – Koby Levin (Chalkbeat) / April 8 2020
On a normal day, Giovanni Warrior, a 17-year-old with autism and schizophrenia, might dress in a suit with his mother’s help, announce that he is going to work, and board the school bus.
The bus was the first step in a treasured school day routine that was a crucial source of stability in Giovanni’s life. Last week, that routine was put on hold when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan’s school buildings will stay closed through the rest of the school year because of the coronavirus.
“If I was to tell Giovanni there would be no school for the rest of the year, he would be screaming right now,” said LaRai Warrior, his mother. “He doesn’t understand.”
Giovanni’s disabilities are unusually complex, and he depends on his Detroit high school for a wide range of services.
Advocates worry that Giovanni and the 208,000 other students with special needs who rely especially heavily on their schools will be among the hardest hit by the school closures.
“It’s the quiet time bomb that’s going to go off as soon as we start back,” said Laura Jones, a special education advocate and founding member of the nonprofit Michigan Special Education Advocacy and Development. “The child who comes back is going to be completely different. People in special education all know it. It’s going to be really challenging.”
Continue to article: https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2020/04/08/michigan-school-closures-special-needs-coronavirus/5119821002/
