Training Future Speech-Language Pathologists

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Re: Referral and the schools

From: Michael Retzinger
Date: 10/20/02
Time: 10:05:39 AM
Remote Name: 206.40.120.147

Comments

Talk about professional insecurities....Recently I was denied entrance into a public school by the school principal to complete part of an comprehensive assessment (that a parent retained my services for) of a child who stutters because the school district's slp felt she would be "undermined and her incompetencies revealed" ( part of me wanted to scream "who cares about her feelings of being "undermined and incompetencies revealed"--What about the child??? and parents????).....Needless to say, the parents now have lawyers involved. It is my belief, in general, that a sad state of affairs currently exists for parents who seek outside help for their children who stutter...Parents who do so are often viewed as "the enemy" by public school professionals. Sad to say, but the truth. The lack of training, education, and understanding of the disorder by most "professionals" in the public school setting puts children who stutter, and their parents, at great risk. My experience over 23 years is that most often the "system" is more important than the child. It is my hope that self help organizations will REALLY advocate for a change in the preparation of future professionals in the schools....I mean "THE HAMMER" needs to come out....It is the best hope for the profession. The consumer MUST DEMAND change....or the profession will die.

Retz


Last changed: September 12, 2005