Dispelling a Myth

The story of Cassandra

In Greek mythology, Cassandra was a Trojan prophetess who had the curse of always being correct, but with no one ever believing her. Her story takes place during the Trojan War.

After 10 years of war with Troy, the Greeks left an infamous gift of deceit for their opponents – the legendary wooden horse that served to end the war victorious for the Greeks. Cassandra was the only voice of dissent in the city, saying that bringing the giant horse inside the gates would lead to the destruction of Troy. She was mocked for her opinion, and the rest is mythological history.

One of the most frustrating things as a person is when you know the answer to something but your opinion goes unheeded. While it might make us feel better to say, “I told you so,” we know in the grand scheme of things being right isn’t all that big of a deal. However, there are times where the stakes are high and the consequences of our decisions reverberate for years to come.

Uncultivated Brilliance

Isaac* is a brilliant young man. He knows more about science, history, and random facts than anyone I have ever encountered. He takes an unparalleled fascination with things that pique his interest, and he devours information that he takes upon himself to research about these subjects. In essence, the boy is a walking encyclopedia whose mind is like a steel trap – nothing escapes it.

Is this boy the next Bill Gates? Will he be headed to the college of his choice in a few years? Will success at every level be this child’s academic trajectory? I dream wistfully at the possibilities he has in front of him. If only this wasn’t just a vision. What does the future behold for such a fascinating young man?

Sadly, the answer is in question because the decision on how to educate students like Isaac is not in the hands of the various Cassandras that are providing sound and expert advice. The decision is in the hands of people that are experts in loving their child and have the best intentions – but not true experts in child development. This is similar to the decision to bring a wooden horse into the city of Troy - it wasn’t the decision of the resident expert, Cassandra. It was in the hands of King Priam, the king who loved his city as his own children. As much as this great king knew what was best for his city in most instances, at the moment it mattered most he didn’t follow the advice of the person that knew the most. His decision doomed Troy.

The reason I am discussing Homer’s Iliad is because brilliant young Isaac is a child that has special needs. Not in the sense that many of us from an older generation view it; he doesn’t have Down’s syndrome, doesn’t have low IQ, and he seems completely normal – even brilliant – when speaking and interacting with him. However, somewhere along the way from his brain to his pencil, his thoughts get lost. Isaac, a boy that might live down the street as you, go to the same church you do, or even live under you own roof, is a boy whose mind requires special cultivation in order for it to achieve it’s full potential. But then again, aren’t we all uniquely and wonderfully made? Don’t we all need to be nurtured in a manner that is befitting our own special needs?

As brilliant as Isaac is, and as much as his parents love them, parents of Isaacs around the nation are ignoring the advice of others that also want what’s best for their children. They are hesitant to adhere to the advice that a more accommodating environment is needed to harness their precious child’s immense talent. They are listening to the gremlins of the past as opposed to the knowledge of people trained in education and human development.

A long time ago, special education was limited in scope to certain disabilities. Although it has undergone a significant overhaul over the years in both the spectrum of students it covers (gifted students, students with processing issues, and attention deficit students are now classified as special needs students) as well as the way that special education is administered (in most cases students stay with all other students in a classroom while specialists push in), the stigma of being a special ed student is still present. However, it isn’t present in the classroom with the students as it was when many of us were children. The stigma is felt by their parents. As a result of these misconstrued notions, well intentioned parents end up withholding the services that their children need. These parents are like King Priam – their love and intentions are not in question, but the results of their decision are destructive to the people they were seeking to protect.

This is not to say that Isaac’s future is as sealed as the citizens of Troy after King Priam ignored the pleas of Cassandra. Children sometimes outgrow obstacles to their learning. Other times, they find ways to cope with these issues. Maybe parents find other ways to help their child or get them the help that is needed later in their lives. However, that doesn’t change the fact that listening to Cassandra would have been sound advice.

Like most people, I like to be right. It’s a smug feeling when my opinions have been validated by results. However, when it comes to the education of brilliant young Isaacs around the world, it won’t feel good if I’m right. I want them to succeed without the help that child psychologists and teachers feel is essential. Whether or not these children get the help that they need, it doesn’t change my desire for them to achieve their highest potential. It also doesn’t change my desire for their parents to get them the help that will help them achieve their best.

Should I ever have an Isaac in my classroom, I hope I never have a time when I look sadly at the outcome of his life and think, “I told you so.” Instead, I hope more than anything to think, “Wow, look what he accomplished! Boy, was I wrong.”

*Editor's Note: Issac is a metaphor for special needs children across the nation that are not receiving the support they need. This is not intended to represent any individual student.