NewsletterKentucky Education Rights Center, Inc.
February,
2008
Newsletter
The History of Saint Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.
The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.
Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honor of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.
The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavored to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feast. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.
Some "Pretty Darn Cute" Stories
An
exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into mischief, finally asked
him "How do you expect to get into Heaven?" The boy thought it over and said, "Well, I'll run in and out and in and out
and keep slamming the door until St. Peter says, 'For Heaven's sake, Dylan, come
in or stay out!'"
It
was that time, during the Sunday morning service, for the children's sermon. All
the children were invited to come forward. One litte girl was wearing a
particularly pretty dress and, as she sat down, the pastor leaned over and said,
"That is a very pretty dress. Is it your Easter Dress?" The little
girl replied, directly into the pastor's clip-on microphone, "Yes, and my
Mom says it's a bitch to iron."
One
summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her son into
bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his
voice, "Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?" The mother smiled and
gave him a reassuring hug. "I can't dear," she said. "I have to
sleep in Daddy's room." A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: "The
big sissy."
Down syndrome is a genetic condition that causes delays in physical and intellectual development. It occurs in approximately one in every 800 live births. Individuals with Down syndrome have 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. It is the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder. Down syndrome is not related to race, nationality, religion or socioeconomic status. The most important fact to know about individuals with Down syndrome is that they are more like others than they are different.
It is important to remember that while children and adults with Down syndrome experience developmental delays, they also have many talents and gifts and should be given the opportunity and encouragement to develop them.
Most children with Down syndrome have mild to moderate impairments but it is important to note that they are more like other children than they are different. Early Intervention services should be provided shortly after birth. These services should include physical, speech and developmental therapies. Most children attend their neighborhood schools, some in regular classes and others in special education classes. Some children have more significant needs and require a more specialized program.
Some high school graduates with Down syndrome participate in post-secondary education. Many adults with Down syndrome are capable of working in the community, but some require a more structured environment.
Many children with Down syndrome have health complications beyond the usual childhood illnesses. Approximately 40% of the children have congenital heart defects. It is very important that an echocardiogram be performed on all newborns with Down syndrome in order to identify any serious cardiac problems that might be present. Some of the heart conditions require surgery while others only require careful monitoring. Children with Down syndrome have a higher incidence of infection, respiratory, vision and hearing problems as well as thyroid and other medical conditions. However, with appropriate medical care most children and adults with Down syndrome can lead healthy lives. The average life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome is 55 years, with many living into their sixties and seventies.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The ADA is civil rights legislation designed to protect people with mental or physical disabilities from discrimination based upon disability. Title III, generally effective as of January 26, 1992, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public accommodations and requires places of public accommodation and commercial facilities to be designed, constructed and altered in compliance with the ADA Accessibility Guidelines. Public accommodations include a variety of businesses and organizations such as restaurants, hotels, retail establishments, hospitals and child care centers.
What is the definition of an individual with a disability under the ADA?
It is a child or adult who:
Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of the "major life activities" such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working,
Has a record of such an impairment, or
Is regarded as having an impairment.
What does the ADA mean for a child care center or family day care home?
The ADA affords children with mental or physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in all activities and opportunities of community life. Part of community life is the opportunity to benefit from being in a child care setting. Children can no longer be excluded from a child care setting on the basis of a disability.
Are there benefits to including children with disabilities in a child care center or family day home?
Yes. All children benefit when children with and without disabilities are served in the same child care centers. Children with disabilities learn important personal and social skills that they might not otherwise learn in segregated settings (Biklen, Corrigan & Quick, 1989). Children who do not have disabilities benefit by demonstrating improved self-concept, growth in social cognition, increased tolerance of others and decreased fear of human differences (Peck, Donaldson & Pezzoli, 1990). The parents of the child with a disability also benefit from integrated child care centers by being able to choose from neighborhood child care services instead of having limited options.
Does Title III of the ADA create changes in child care programs?
The ADA states that public accommodations, including child care centers, must make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, and procedures in order to accommodate individuals with disabilities. A modification is not required if it would "fundamentally alter" the goods or services of a child care setting. Architectural barriers and communication barriers that are structural in nature (such as stairs or permanent signage) which prevent access to services must be removed when "readily achievable." When barrier removal is not readily achievable, centers must make services available through alternative methods, if those methods are readily achievable.
Child care centers are required to provide "auxiliary aids and services" to ensure effective communication with children who have disabilities affecting hearing, vision or speech, unless to do so would "fundamentally alter" the goods or services provided or would constitute an "undue burden."
Possible changes may include:
Revision of policies and procedures
Curriculum adaptations
Removal of physical barriers
Provision of additional staff training
Alteration of staffing patterns
Provision of certain adaptive equipment
Although the ADA may require some changes in the operation of child care programs, examination of existing integrated schools and programs indicated that "imposing mainstreamed services to children with disabilities in private preschool or day care settings did not pose unusual difficulties" (Bagnato, Kontos & Neisworth, 1987).
IDEA’s?
We’re always looking for ways to better our organization, your suggestions will not only be welcomed, but invaluable. Please don’t hesitate in offering your suggestions. Feel free to either call or use our e-mail address, kerc@edrights.com
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away~
