The students wore ties, the faculty were moved, and there was a general out-pouring of love and support for Joel as he concluded his last day in school. What to Joel might have seemed unusual, and I have little doubt that he never understood what the tears were all about, nevertheless he was aware that he was being honored and while he may have been confused by all the attention, he also responded with hugs and sincere appreciation. Why all the fuss? Isn't Joel simply one of thousands of students who graduate from high school?
The show of warm affection mingled sweetly and nostalgically with sadness as the students and faculty gathered around Joel to demonstrate what he has meant to them through the years. Joel's disability, autism mixed with learning problems, could have resulted in rejection, loneliness, and alienation as he did his best to fit in to a public school system whose prime concern is to meet or exceed academic expectations on standardized examinations, but somehow instead resulted in unconditional acceptance. Never mentioned, but maybe foremost in an administrator's mind, has to be the cost of educating a student so far away from the model needed for institutional success. Joel, in his thirteen years, cost the district time, money, and to a small degree academic reputation. Not only that, there is the peripheral curiosity that the time Joel required may have taken away from other childrens' educational needs. His need for specialized classes, teacher's aids, almost constant attention, modified grades, meetings, individualized teaching, and unique scheduling had to have been a serious drain on the resources of the district.
But, ironically, the cost of educating Joel was much less than the gain. Economically, when I spend money on an item, I hope to gain more than I spend whether it is a car, computer, clothes, or food. If I buy something that quickly breaks, then I realize I spent more than I gained. Yet if the car I purchase helps me make a living, then it is my contention I have gained more than I lost (unless of course fuel and upkeep costs keep escalating!). Obviously people are worth the investment and should not be considered objects or commodities for consumer consumption. Yet, even from an economic standpoint, is it possible that Joel was worth more than he cost? I believe the answer is yes.
The surface explanation is that any cost that leads to the education of a child to make him a productive, contributing member of society is beneficial to the common good. And, no doubt, in spite of his disability, Joel's education has helped him to cope, to adjust, to think critically, and to make his own decisions at least to an extent. The relentless commitment to Joel's improvement, the concerted effort of teachers, other students, administration, and yes even custodians and maintenance workers, all came together in a glorious chorus of dedication to helping a disabled child.
But returning to the question, what did they gain? Why invest so much effort into one person? Were they simply doing their jobs or was there more to it? As I watched the myriad of reactions to Joel's departure from school, I realized for not the first time that it was not Joel who was being honored but rather it was Joel who had done the honoring for the last thirteen years. Joel was simply being thanked, thanked for all he had done for everyone else.
Thanked for the smiles, the handshakes, the hugs, the encouragement, the support for everyone, for everything. Thanked for the consistently good attitude, the effort, the adherence to looking his best, the absence of ugliness, or bad language, or unkind words. He was thanked for being true to himself without malice, without pretensions, and without the lies that often accompany students trying to make themselves look better. He was thanked for his unceasing and transparent honesty. He was thanked for making their world a better place. His value was and is immeasurable and in economic terms the demand for Joel is far greater than the supply. Maybe if we had more Joels, the world would be a better place.
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