Yesterday I substitute taught in a pre k special education classroom

[kimbutgar]

Last edited Sat Mar 15, 2025, 09:15 PM - Edit history (1)

6 children on the autism spectrum who were non verbal and 1 girl in a wheel chair with muscular dystrophy and could not talk or walk. Seeing these small innocent children 4-5 year olds who are going to suffer the cuts of this evil administration, a couple of times I felt like crying. I sat with each of the children though out the day to make a connection with them. One boy had severe eczema and was crying after he had his diaper changed. I massaged him on his arms and back and an aide got a cold compress which we put on the part of where the rash was the worst and then I used a massage roller on him and he stopped crying and was good the rest of the day. One boy was playing with plastic animals and I imitated the sound the animal makes and he looked me straight in the eye and laughed. A sweet little girl non verbal ran back and forth in the classroom and I raced with her a little and she stopped and looked at me and smiled and was calmer. But the one that I almost cried the most was the girl in the wheel chair. She can’t walk or talk but I sat next to her and spoke to her massaged her hand. She looked straight at me at one point and her face was no longer contorted and for a moment look normal and she made eye contact with me and gave me a wonderful smile. All day I was filled with joy and sadness and fear for these precious children.

Driving home I felt so helpless for their future. I really hate our country now because I know what Hitler did those who were disabled and I remember that sob imitating that writer with a disability. I pray to God I am not
hyperbolic !

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Bummer

I subbed yesterday, too. But, nothing like what you did.
Just a math class where I had to help kids with algebra.
I do share your sentiment about the curs & dismantling of DoEd will do.

[republianmushroom]

2. Republican lack of values

[bsiebs]

5. republican lack of simple decency

[Baron2024]

52. Worse Than Ever

But there used to be some Republicans who were not as evil as the Trump MAGA Fascists. MAGA is far beyond the Republicans of yesteryear. We used to have social moderate Republicans in New York called Rockefeller Republicans. I can't imagine someone like John McCain mocking a disabled person like Trump did. MAGA Fascists take this stuff to another level. Old School Republicans were bad. MAGA Fascist Republicans are worse.

[DENVERPOPS]

55. I am not religious,

but I hear it rumored that the Devil is busy preparing a whole new lower level of hell for a Thousand Republicans including Trump and his countless complicit comrades, as well as Trump's mentor Putin.......

[republianmushroom]

60. True but now any Old School republican sits there with their mouths shut, not saying a word.

They are condoning it.

[Baron2024]

62. Yep

No "Profiles in Courage" to be found amongst the Old School Republicans. Well, some resisted and left politics, like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Too little, too late.

[senseandsensibility]

3. Once when I was studying for my Masters in

Special Education, I visited a public school run by the county for severely "handicapped" as they were called then. Until that point, I had only taught in regular education classrooms, or occasionally in RSP classes for children with mild learning disabilities, so I was completely unprepared for what I saw. I literally burst into tears within minutes. The staff tried to comfort me, and I felt foolish and like I was in the way. It was a real eye opener. You describe it well.

[kimbutgar]

4. When my son was diagnosed with autism and was put in this special pre k class

I used to take days off and spend a day there. And I remember those children were so sweet. I think having him led me on the path to education.

[senseandsensibility]

17. You deserve accolades

for your roles as both parent and teacher.

[BoRaGard]

6. .

[Botany]

7. You have a heavy burden my friend but you still brought light, love, and laughter into some children's world

That will not make your pain and load any less but you are richer than anybody in the
world via your actions.

Thank you.

[angrychair]

8. Gutting the special education support

From DoEd is not only in violation of law but also a crime against humanity. It is eugenics by any other name. TSF is trying to kill off special needs children to create his master race

[AZ8theist]

46. Doturd is too fucking stupid to do that......there's no money in it for him.

Eloon, however.............................

[Baron2024]

53. There Is A Book

There is a book called "War Against the Weak" by Edwin Black. It is kind of a dry read but it is an important book. It is about how American eugenics was developed and was actually a precursor to Nazi eugenics. I had hoped to go back to grad school to study the history of science, in part because of an interest in the use and abuse of science and medicine. Given that the Trump Regime is trying to kill American universities it doesn't seem likely to happen at this point. This terrible fascist evil has been reborn here in America. Unfortunately it is no longer just a matter of academic history. Now we are living it. We must do our utmost to fight it. Stay strong. We have got to fight to protect these disabled kids.

[love_katz]

9. I spent over 23 years driving kids to and from school.

The kids who touched me the most were the Special Needs kids. They need the interaction with other kids and the teachers and their assistants. Those kids usually love going to school. I remember one student who cried inconsolably when the wheel chair lift on my bus broke and I couldn't get him onboard. I was able to go into the house and try and comfort him while we waited for another bus to be brought to my location.
I will never cease to be angry with these greedy uber wealthy jackals who want to impoverish and steal from the rest of us, in order to stuff more money into pockets that are overflowing.

[Evolve Dammit]

49. Well said.

[Sun-Moon]

10. Thank you for your love for these sweet little ones

You are an angel.

[barbtries]

11. I wish you were.

i say it's every bit as bad as you think it is, and it is heartbreaking.

[Passages]

12. Love this, love you.

Seriously beautiful human being.

[mommymarine2003]

13. My oldest grandchild (age 20) is high-functioning autistic and currently lives with us.

He works part-time in an autism center, and has one client, a 7-year-old boy. At dinner the other night he was discussing how his day went, and he told us how one minute the boy is happy and then gets angry and frustrated the next. The boy is non-verbal. My grandson stated that he understands these kids because he himself is autistic. We talked about how he used to line up his little cars in a long line but never played with them like the regular kids. Our grandson is socially awkward, but he is kind, sweet, and super smart with an incredible ability to remember facts and statistics. He graduated from high school two years ago and attended regular school his whole life.

[kimbutgar]

14. You're fortunate

my son always was in a special ed classroom. Mostly because of behavior issues. But he knows how to read and write and he can build anything. Before the pandemic at his day program he was doing taskrabbit work and assembling furniture. He can assemble things easily from IKEA. He’s 32 and when he was diagnosed and the number of kids with autism exploded without enough qualified teachers. I used to take time off from work all the time to spend a day in his classroom and ended up helping the other kids! I usually encounter kids with autism mainstreaming but they are able to handle a regular ed class like your grandson.

Also thank you for taking on the responsibility of your grandson 🙏 ! My biggest worry is who will take care of our son when his father and I are gone. After his diagnosis and meeting several other families with multiple kids on the spectrum we didn’t have another children. And I don’t have any relatives who would stand up and take care of him.

[Doodles]

15. Oh my.

What have we become?

[spooky3]

16. Good on you for helping these poor kids. As an aside

I have eczema and there are prescription ointments that help a lot. Can the medical staff at the school get a prescription?

[kimbutgar]

20. I asked the aides about that and when he went into the bathroom again I found the ointment and she put it on him.

[spooky3]

22. Great! Nt

[Gimpyknee]

18. RFK Jr says all that's needed is a good diet and exercise.

[modrepub]

19. I Hope You Continue To Do This

And tell your story. Shine the light, for I fear what will happen to these human beings in the dark.

[kimbutgar]

21. In my early years I worked in Wall Street firms

The money was great but I never felt I was doing anything for humanity.

I now work with kids as a substitute teacher and also am a senior move manager who works with seniors, prepare them for moves to smaller living spaces or senior living centers and then unpack and settle them in. nothing like leaving and seeing a senior in their new environment smiling because I tried to replicate important things in their own lives.

[cksmithy]

23. You did good.

[JMCKUSICK]

24. What a life fulfilling day yesterday must've been

I'm so moved by your efforts and your capacity for giving love kimbutgar.
We all have the gifts to make moments special and you built a day filled with them.
Thank you for your grace.

[erronis]

25. You have "empathy" which is devalued by people like musk/trump/putin/thiel/etc.

And your empathy shone through so strongly. Thank you so much for connecting with those children, and then with us!

[kimbutgar]

30. My parents always said when I was growing up to treat people like I'd want to be treated.

If my mother ever overheard me say something mean to another kid I’d get in trouble. She said you’re bigger when you stand up to bullies. As a kid I didn’t always understand it what she meant but as I grew older I got it.

[moniss]

26. You are a benefit beyond words to those children.

The funds for counseling will also go out the door. The ignorance and evil of cutting children off from programs and resources is monstrous. The ignorant GQP/MAGATS say "Let each state do it all themselves". The task is too big to be done individually and results become too uneven and fragmented.

As you know we end up in a situation where parents in one state have far less available for their child than in another state. As a person of an age nearly predating the pharaohs I can tell people about how horrendously uneven states were back in the '50's for giving financial assistance to parents for things like orofacial cleft, joint deformities, strabismus etc. If you had the misfortune to be in some of the southern states you were on your own and if you didn't have the money yourself for the surgeries etc. they didn't give a damn.

That attitude of "not give a damn" prevails with these GQP/MAGAT monsters still today.

[Evolve Dammit]

50. Good info. And you do not pre-date the Pharaohs!

[KitFox]

27. Oh my heart! Thank you for sharing this poignant experience.

What a sweet soul you are bringing precious comfort to other sweet souls. Everyone needs to hear and see the tragic impacts this reign of cruelty will unleash. I loved having special needs children in my classroom. I always felt (and knew) that they taught us oh so much more than I taught them. So many wonderful experiences; I’ll share one: I had put some prisms on a high window ledge in my classroom. That year, I had an autistic child who was mostly non verbal. One morning he jumped out of his chair and shouted, “I’m dancing in the rainbows!” and started spinning through the rainbows the prisms had projected onto the floor. I joined him and asked who else wants to dance with us. The kids all got up and we had a rollicking good time. Without him, think of the joy we would have missed. My heart aches for the fear and worry and hardship this will inflict on so many.

[kimbutgar]

31. What a wonderful story!

I could just visualize this! And I’m glad you invited all the other kids to join in!

[Greyhead]

28. Thanks for what you do.

Musks post ( the fundamental weakness with western civilization is empathy)
Republicans have no empathy, that’s what is wrong with our country.

[kimbutgar]

34. I was so angry when I heard that quote recently

Empathy is what makes us all have humanity. Even animals in the wild have empathy!

Obviously the parasite muskrat is inhumane and evil.

[wendyb-NC]

32. It's heavy to ponder the future

Those children are deserving of the same love, kindness, compassion, and opportunity to live their best lives, with a sense of personal accomplishment, experience a sense of dignity, be respected, and feel appreciated. You made a difference in acknowledging them individuals.
You spoke to and touched their souls, and lifted their spirits.

[WVGIRL]

33. I agree!

I am a retired Preschool Special Needs teacher. I agree with you! If anything, there needs to be more money applied to schools to hire additional personnel to reduce class size. It is almost impossible to get a sub for the teacher or assistant where i live. I spent many a day alone all day because there was no sub to help me. It is also a safety issue when this happens. These people trying to defund schools are a special kind of cruel. and very greedy.

[kimbutgar]

35. The teacher was so happy when she made the request and I accepted.

I will do it again if they ask me.

[nowforever]

36. 90%

of Americans have no idea how critical the DOE has been to helping children with disabilities. The college students are soon going to find out what happens when the federal loan and grant process is dismantled. This administration is perpetrating one evil after another and sad thing is they sleep soundly every night.

[GPV]

37. I work in a resource room now, but have worked in severe and profound set up too. I am

terrified for our kids and their families. Letitia James assures us the IDEA Disabilities Act and Individualized Educational Plans will still be law, so there's that. But yeah, losing funding is terrible.

[oldsoldierfadingfast]

38. Can you...

email this to your Congress persons?
Can you speak at a Dem meeting in your area?
Your message needs to go out beyond DU.
Can other DUers email it to their Congress persons?

[BBbats]

39. You're not being hyperbolic.

Public programs to help these children will be the first to be cut.

[nolabear]

40. My d-i-l owns a Montessori school that is inclusive

and has a number of kids with diagnoses, autism spectrum, non verbal, etc. They are wonderful at finding the ways they learn and thrive. Quite a few of course came from public schools who sometimes try but sometimes fail. Why this country doesn’t fight for these little ones is beyond me. Just another form of othering so they don’t have to care.

[kimbutgar]

43. When my son was in middle school in 6th grade in public school it was awful

The staff did not now how to deal with so many kids on the spectrum. They called me one day to pick him up and he was bawling like a baby on the sidewalk and I find out they had shut him inappropriately in a closet most of the day. I took the next day off and called the school district and threatened to get a lawyer. The previous two years I was on school district autism task force and got to know the head of special ed and other district personnel. I told them they should start preparing for the surge of students coming into middle school. Then I found out the district was paying an average of $100,000 to lawyers per student to defend placements. I told them I knew this and wanted him in a private school. And I was willing to get a lawyer. They called me back within a half an hour and gave me names of private schools. I toured them all and found one that my son went up to age 21. The irony was the methods of behavior management they taught in these private schools could have easily been used in public schools.

[nolabear]

47. So true. And many teachers would love it.

All my d-I-l’s teachers have training in neurodivergent teaching techniques. The ones who really take yo it are irreplaceable. Some don’t but they find out fast if they can’t deal with the various issues the kids face. And of course to all the kids it doesn’t matter. They’re growing up knowing there are differences and developing their own skills for compassion and respect. It’s nice to be even a small part of.

[hay rick]

41. Your fears are well-founded.

They want to cut $880 billion out of Medicaid. Medicaid provides coverage for 59% of children with disabilities.

[kimbutgar]

44. The number of children with disabilities is increasing in this country.

For 20 years I’ve seen the rise in numbers. When my son was first diagnosed in 1996 very few people knew about autism outside of the Rain man movie. When I had to apologize for my son’s behavior and said he has autism people didn’t know about it. But as the years when on I encountered so many more people who had children, a relative, neighbor, friends kid who was on the spectrum.

Even MAGAloons have kids on the spectrum and they will get hurt also. I hope the callback is fierce against these cuts to education.

[Aristus]

42. I'm overwhelmed by the way you put kindness and compassion into action, kimbutgar.

In this day and age, that is amazingly off-the-charts thoughtful and empathetic. It's times like this and people like you who make me hope that things are going to be okay.

[kimbutgar]

45. Thank you

[Evolve Dammit]

48. Bless you for your compassion.

[Clouds Passing]

51. A moving story.

My son was autistic and gifted with intelligence and music. He was misdiagnosed beyond too many times and never diagnosed correctly by mainstream psych. He eventually diagnosed himself accurately yet it was too late. I honor him and his struggle.

Thank you kimbutgar for doing the real work. Compassion and Peace.

[Baron2024]

54. Thanks kimbutgar

Thank you for what you do. We need more people like you.

[Littlered]

56. What cuts?

I see a lot of fortune telling, thought distortions lately. That lack fact based commentary.

Personally I am more interested in the reason there are so many distressed children. What is causing this?

It’s weird. I literally encounter thousands of people on a regular basis, and I never seem to have these notable encounters. I read about them here on an almost daily basis. But I never have this happen in my life.

Thank you for what you do. Not many people can do that.

[Ilsa]

57. Bless you.

I have a grown son who is severely autistic. It's not an easy life. Last night he got violent with me. A surprise attack, broke my glasses, banged up my face, and he ran to his room.

[kimbutgar]

61. I'm so sorry

My son used to get violent with me when he was 20. I lived in fear until we found a decent group home. We used to bring him every other weekend but during the pandemic we brought him home for a week and now he prefers one long stay monthly instead of the weekend.

Stay safe.

[littlemissmartypants]

58. ❤️

[calimary]

59. We need OODLES of stories along these lines. More Testimonials!!!

The more of these stories there are, the more likely SOMEBODY on the receiving end will help them spread. And make sure MORE eyeballs can see and know, and maybe pass it on to THEIR friends, and ...

Well, you know the story. One of those shared stories maybe be THE one that helps turn the tide. You just never know. So why not help a little?