Ad

Every year children love to get their yearbooks and look eagerly for their picture. They show their family and friends. They hope to find themselves in a candid photo. This year it won't happen for high school junior, Garrett Naughton in Madera, California. He has downs syndrome and his whole class of 10 special education students were left out of the Madera High School yearbook.
To continue: tinyurl.com/nqqapk

You must be a member of this group to post a reply. Join

Parent Replies to "Downs child left out of high school year book"

RSS View 5 replies: Newest-Oldest, Oldest-Newest
Display fewer replies
teachukid
teachukid July 23, 2009
Re: Downs child left out of high school year book
What a heartbreaking thing to have happen. Sometimes what parents don't realize is that students actually compile the yearbooks and do all the photography and layouts. If your child is in a large high school, the oversight was no doubt unintentional. If he is in elementary or middle school, parents and students often work together to gather photos. I know that in our elementary school, the teacher is responsible for sending a cd of pictures to the yearbook team by the end of February for publication in June. If the teacher doesn't have any, the yearbook team sends someone to take some photos. Perhaps a simple checklist with teachers' names on it will prevent this from happening again.
Anonymous
Anonymous July 10, 2009
Re: Downs child left out of high school year book
This disgusts me to no end. Especially since in our nation people like to dribble on about morality and this being a Christian nation and so on. This absolutely sickens me. We're offended by gay marriage? We should be offended and outraged by this. What kind of example is this to our young people? And then we point fingers and say the youth is too materialistic and celebrity obsessed!!! Where are the ADULTS at this school?! If we're going to implement programs on social skills and "being nice", (Corrine are you reading this one?) then perhaps charity really does begin at home.
spedexaminer
spedexaminer June 14, 2009
Re: Downs child left out of high school year book
My child was left out of a private school directory last year but I knew the people doing it would not do it intentionally. It really was an oversight.
mvigi19
mvigi19 June 14, 2009
Re: Downs child left out of high school year book
My son has endured a couple of injurious actions by two private schools for learning disabled children. When he was at Frostig School he was the only one out of 100 in the school to have his last name wrong in the yearbook. They gave him the last name of a female student (this was not a switch, as the girl's last name was correct) This did not happen to any other student. Then last year when he was a junior at Bayhill High School, they left out his photo completely when they had photos of all the next year seniors. And of course, there was the chronic misspelling of his last name, in between these two negligent acts. Of course, both schools, had every excuse in the book as to why these "errors", "oversights" or what every defense they came up with happened and this year in his final yearbook, graduating seniors had pictures of their early childhood but my child's was blank. My child made up some reason why - but why did the school allow this? These schools get paid very well by the districts and yet the districts tolerate this discrimination - which is what it is. I could call it a few other things too. I notice if a student is not liked or not popular or whatever, if there is going to be acting-out it will show up in the yearbook. The yearbook - a permanent, historical recording. These schools should be sanctioned for these abusive actions. My child threw out last year's yearbook and never again opened the yearbook from Frostig. I don't buy that these were innocent mistakes - and you will never convince me otherwise. And I have noticed that more and more you read about yearbook pictures where there is some type of acting act against a student. The yearbook has become a weapon of humiliation.
dhfl143
dhfl143 June 10, 2009
Re: Downs child left out of high school year book
Was it an unfortunate oversight or an intentional action? What is proposed to make sure that it doesn't happen again in the future?

(444295)

Any contributed content above is the subjective opinion of that member or external author, and not of GreatSchools. GreatSchools does not check for accuracy in community posts or verify the contributor’s identity. If you are searching for health-related advice we strongly suggest you seek professional medical support. View our Community Guidelines for more details.
Local Q&A is brand new! What do you think? Give us your feedback in our feedback forum.
AD
AD
Join the community or login
Join the community or
Read our community guidelines and FAQ
Community Moderator
Email the Community Moderator for help
tracker