Don’t Kick The Tires

Of Impaired Children

To the Editor:

On October 17, the Legislative Council held a joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen, Board of Education, and the Board of Finance. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the 2013-2014 budget cycle.

During the course of this meeting, numerous opportunities were given for various board members to question and challenge figures given for the upcoming budget cycle. As both a clinical psychologist and member of our community, I was particularly disturbed by the targeted comments made by one of our elected Board of Finance members about the provision of services for the most vulnerable of our community, those children with impairments so severe that they cannot be adequately educated within our own district. 

This Board of Finance member likened the process of out-of-district service selection to that one might undergo when choosing to purchase a car. He stated, at reference point 53:45 on the town video link for LC Meeting 2012-10-17: “Tuition out-of-district, that seems to be an item that’s been growing over time. When we do that, when we pay for these costs, are we, is there any opportunity to take a look at that and see whether or not we are over, what I would say overproviding for? Meaning, if the statute says ‘X’ are we giving a Cadillac or Chevrolet or a Volkswagen in fulfilling that statute?”

The suggestion that choosing an out-of-district placement is equivalent to shopping for an “upscale” or a “base-model” car is both preposterous and inappropriate. These are highly impaired children with autism, or other chronic/acute health impairments that preclude their ability to be educated in a regular school setting. This is not about shopping for a car. This is about carefully selecting a setting that best fits the highly specific, educational needs of the child.

Make no mistake, it is the job of the Board of Finance to take a hard look at expenditures that are on the rise and, potentially, address them. I respect the need to do this. However, the Board of Finance needs to be reminded that we are not financing cars. We are financing the educational needs of the most vulnerable of our children.

Dr Joanna L. Rosen

15 Berkshire Road, Sandy Hook                           October 24, 2012