Abstract

The Sorting Machine

The article focuses on the book "The Magic Feather," by Lori Granger and Bill Granger. The Magic Feather provides rich and telling statistics on the boondoggle of Special Education. In 1970, 6 percent of the nation's children were in Special Education programs. Sixteen years later, although overall school enrollment had decreased, the percentage had risen to slightly more than 11 percent. The Magic Feather excerpts the testimony of parents whose kids were sacrificed to maintain "special" programs having no demonstrable value. This testimony, reinforced by rich documentation, makes plain that there's nothing special about Special Education. And while the Grangers finally found a school where about one million other kids are being handed "special" labels each year. Most of their parents haven't the Grangers' resources or sophistication.