Who *belongs*?

[96BANDY@wmich.edu]

Susan-
	I have been following this LD thread in agitation.  I have an
ex-girlfriend who made me aware of these issues in a very personal way, so I
did not feel I could respond in an even-handed way, nor that I had anything
to add other than fumes.  But you anecdote about the person who believes LD
students have no place in the system pushed me over the edge, though a
different edge.  I see this attitude as very similar to the argument that
surfaces about athletic scholarships.  This argument reminds us that there
are still people out there who believe that our institutions are no place for
those who "aren't adequately prepared for the challenges" presented in the
college experience.  Of course this is always carefully couched in language
to avoid race or cultural bias issues.
	Although nobody has raised this issue here I want to offer my own
refutation of this related attitude.  I am currently working with an older
African American man completing his second Master's degree in hhPublic Admin. 
He went through his undergrad work on a football scholarship and ROTC.  His
rough draft writing shows all the grammatical signs of black English as well
as many of his verbal patterns.  If anyone were to judge him on these
markers, or to label him as an athlete who took the easy route through
college, would be missing the opportunity to learn from an incredibly
intelligent, ambitious and accomplished man in his feild.  This all has
something to do with sharing authority in tutorials, because I have learned
so much about the problems inherent in the current move towards moving
medicare patients into managed care (HMO) programs over the last few months.
	In addition to citing this client as an example whenever anyone
complains about athletic scholarships, I remind people to remember ths
Atlanta Olympics.  Did you all notice that most of the fastest individuals in
the world had graduate degrees from US institutions (black athletes on
scholarships who might not have had the educational opportunity without the
scholarship).
	If it wouldn't put our undergraduate tutors out of work I'd propose
that all faculty members put in time at WC's (except that I fear they'd usurp
too much authority and not learn a thing from the experience themselves).

	Sorry.  But I feel better now.

James Bandy, GA               |---------------------------------------------  
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