Samantha Garcia 1

Professor Rodrick

English 115

Octber,25,2017
Students with Disabilities Conforming to Special Education Stereotypes

In todays society, the identities of high school students with disabilities are often greatly,

and negatively, influenced by the perceptions of those around them. Teachers, administrators,

and fellow students who do not understand disabilities are quick to judge them and may think of

them as unintelligent, or lacking the motivation to learn. These false perceptions can lead the

students with disabilities to conform to others opinions because social influence and peer

pressure is particularly powerful impactful at that age. It could be argued that it is easier for

students to conform by playing the part through acting act dumb, or not try their hardest as

opposed to trying to explain their disabilities to others who have misjudged them.

The special education programs are for students that have a learning disability, physical

disability or behavioral problems. One the programs that is provided is called an individualized

education program (IEP). An IEP is a document provided and developed for each public schools

student who needs special education, based in the needs resulting from their educational

disability. This document creates yearly goals and also includes accommodations, modifications

for the classroom as well as additional supports as needed. Although IEPs are supposed to

support students academically, it can unintentionally cause some people to assume that students

with IEPs do not want to learn or cannot. According to Rose Kivi the learning disabled label

can result in the students and educator reducing their expectations and goals for what can be

achieved in the classroom. In addition to lower expectations, the students self-esteem to be very
Samantha Garcia 2

Professor Rodrick

English 115

Octber,25,2017
low. Students that are labeled as Kivi stated, are more likely to be judged by preconceived

expectations of what a special education student is. It is not that students cannot learn as the rest

of the students, its that they learn a different way. This may lead to students being treated as if

they cannot learn or they are not smart enough, they conform to those perceptions because why

try if people have already decided that you are going to fail.

Since most students in high school are still underage and maturing, they really dont have

an understanding of who is controlling their education. Now imagine a student who has no idea

of what or why they are in a special education program. It makes them believe that they are

special because they arent smart enough. So they may conform to their own negative ideas of

what they think having an IEP means, possibly because of what theyve seen from other students

with more severe disabilities. They make up an understanding of what they think a special

education student is and conform themselves to the perceived lower expectations of being a

special education student.

Although having an IEP as a student can be very helpful and beneficial, some students

are being affected in a more negative way by having an IEP. Students may end up conforming to

expectations of having an IEP or being in a special education program. When students are

labeled as having a disability, the mindset of other can change into more judgmental thinking,

and consequently for the students themselves. Students can personally feel like they doubt

themselves because they are being labeled as a special education student. They feel held back

and have a sense that the level of education classes that they are put in are considered not normal
Samantha Garcia 3

Professor Rodrick

English 115

Octber,25,2017
and are subjected to think that they are getting something benefit out of it. Many people may

think that putting students into a class filled with students that have similar difficulties as them is

going to help students succeed and strive. In reality, students will notice that they are being put

into a dumb class so they think that they are dumb or think that there is not really a point of

paying attention in class. For students who have an IEP, when they attend their annual meetings,

the IEP team may talk about what the students problematic areas are and will set a special goals

for the student and that is it. The student does not understand how to make sure that they are

actually achieving that goal.

Students self-esteem is a very import part of believing you can succeed in life, but

special education students are more likely to have lower self-esteem which can lead to students

being discouraged about themselves and what they can accomplish. According to Angela Oswalt,

positive self-esteem is something that grows from the experience of meeting and conquering

challenges; it cannot easily develop when expectations of a child are low students who have low

self- esteems may not strive as diligently if they feel incomplete or not worthy of being

intelligent if they are not being supported by others.

As an IEP student myself, I understand why students often end up conforming to the

perceived lower expectations of being a special education student. Entering high school was very

exciting for me, I went in with a positive mentality that made me excited to learn and experience

new things. But all that changed when I realized what people expect out of me when they found
Samantha Garcia 4

Professor Rodrick

English 115

Octber,25,2017
out I had an IEP. People treated me differently than other students. They doubted that I could be

smarter than what they expected me to be. The classes that I was put into were very distracting

and I felt like I did not learn much. I began to become more judgmental of myself, I felt out of

place and lost excitement in school. I became to diminish my confidence of what I was capable

of doing, because I saw that there was not a support that told us students that we actually could

be smarter than the rest. Instead I accepted that I was not as smart as the regular students and

thought that I was just simply meant to not overcome what it meant to be a special education

student.

Although my academic disability was not as severe as other students, I can only imagine

what it must be like for students that do not necessarily comprehend the situation of being

expected to fail by others. In an article written by Tracy Tomson, she speaks about how her

daughter with ADHD struggled in school, and being in a special education program did not help

much either. Thompson includes, After three years at an elementary school where she was told

constantly she just needed to focus, my daughter collapsed to the floor one night sobbing.

Shed spent two hours on homework and still wasnt finished, but I told her she was done. Im

not done! Im not done! she wailed. Having a student that only wants to try their best is so

unfortunate, when the main source of education is not supporting you, and only telling you that

you just need to focus as Thompson stated.

Students that are in a special education, are being subjected by a preconceived notion and

expectations that special education students are not smart enough or capable enough of

overcoming their disabilities. This leads students to conform to expectations and give up on
Samantha Garcia 5

Professor Rodrick

English 115

Octber,25,2017
themselves which may cause low self-esteem and which may cause them to also have a harder

time in school. The special education programs are labeling students and are upbringing

expectations that students fall under which makes them lose themselves.
Samantha Garcia 6

Professor Rodrick

English 115

Octber,25,2017

work cited

Kivi, Rose. The Positives and Negatives Effects of Labeling Students Learning Disabled.

Bright Hub Education, Bright Hub Education, 24 Apr.2015,

www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-learning-disorders/97167-how-labels-affect-students-

with-special-needs/. Oct,22,2017

Oswalt, Angela. Criticisms of Disability Labeling. Mental Help Criticism of Disability

Labeling Comments, Mental Help.Net, 16 Mar. 2010, www.mentalhelp.net/articles/criticisms-of-

disability-labeling/. Oct, 22,2017

Thompson, Tracy. The Special-Education Charade. The Atlantic, Atlantic Media

Company, 3 Jan. 2016, www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/01/the-charade-of-special-

education-programs/421578/. Oct,22,2017
Samantha Garcia 7

Professor Rodrick

English 115

Octber,25,2017