Opinion

Picture this. Your child is autistic and non-verbal. School has been a real challenge through the years but your child just finished the seventh grade, and had a very good year. This seventh grade class was tailored to the student’s needs. They used technology every day to improve their learning and to help them communicate. They had a school-wide recycling program to help raise money and teach the students life skills. They were in the kitchen learning about cooking and more life skills almost every day. In fact, the district remodeled the kitchen basically for this class. The class had frequent field trips. The teacher was consulting with the high school, where many of these life skills would continue, to prepare for a smooth transition after their eighth grade. Possibly the most important part is the class had an exceptional teacher that understood these students’ needs and the classroom instructional aides were some of the district’s most experienced and compassionate people. You were truly looking forward to having a great final year of middle school for your child. There was no reason to think otherwise. No one knew what was about to happen. This class was going to be dismantled. However, the district found no wrongdoing!

During this holiday season, families reflect on what is important in our lives.

The South Valley Symphony warmly presents to the Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and San Benito County communities a gift of traditions new and old for music lovers—and especially for families—at its annual winter concert this Sunday afternoon.