Ben Barnhard

The cost of educating and preparing “special needs” children is often an extraordinary budgetary strain on local school districts, especially those with only a few schools and relatively limited enrollments. For many, the effort is directed towards “mainstreaming” such children by placing them into regular classrooms under the theoretically watchful eye of the main teacher: “Mainstreaming is a somewhat old-fashioned term (the newer term is ‘inclusion’). When the term mainstreaming is used, it generally describes a setting in which your child is part of a typical classroom with minimal extra support. Some accommodations may be in place, but in general your child is expected to be able to behave appropriately in a large group, attend to a teacher, and do work at or near grade level… Mainstreaming general works best for children who are high functioning and at least moderately social. It may be especially tough for children who are non-verbal, very anxious, or likely to act out when under stress.” Autismunited.org.

Mainstreaming tends not to work well for children with serious autism issues, and such children are often the subjects of harassment and taunts from callous classmates. “Often, autistic children are placed in a general special needs classroom in the local public school. This option may work well if the teacher is highly trained and experienced in teaching autistic children. The groups are usually smaller, there is more opportunity to work on social skills, and special needs classes are generally included in all school activities and events… Special needs classrooms, however, are generally intended for children with typical social development who have a tough time with academics. Autistic children often have precisely the opposite problem: they’re relatively comfortable with academics, but have a tough time with social skills. As a result, the program offered in the special needs classroom may be completely wrong for your child.” Autismunited.org.

Federal law – such as provided in the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – provides some protection for disabled students, mandating an evaluation program and remedial efforts be devoted to disabled kids, but given budget sensitivities, local school districts often lack the resources to comply, not only with federal requirements but even with state laws where these statutes even exist. Children with severe disabilities often fall between the cracks, and committed parents often risk bankruptcy to find meaningful private alternatives (almost always costly). “Some larger [public school] districts and regional educational agencies offer specialized autistic support classrooms within ordinary public schools. These classrooms are set up to meet the specific needs of autistic children, and are staffed by teachers and aides who are trained in autism and education.” Autismunited.org.

And so we come to 13-year-old Ben Barnhard, who was teased mercilessly in his Maryland mainstream public school over just about everything, including his weight. Bravely, attending a specialized academy, he shed 100 lbs and had every reason to be proud with his achievement. He preferred to play alone with his black cat in his room at home and had an incredible affinity for creating complex origami patterns. His psychiatrist mom, Margaret Jensvold, however, was agonizing over the increasing costs associated with her son’s education, and her efforts with the local school district weren’t working out as she had hoped: “Jensvold had become increasingly strained by financial pressure and by anguished fights with the county public school system over the special-needs education of her son, who had an autism spectrum disorder. They said the school district – apparently believing it could adequately educate Ben – had refused to cover tuition costs for the boy to attend a private school for special-needs students. Jensvold didn't have the money herself and didn't want to return her son to public school, where relatives said she felt harshly judged and marginalized and where Ben had struggled.” HuffingtonPost.com, August 8^th.

Dr. Jensvold must have pictured what her son’s life would be like and how if anything she could provide might mitigate against such a difficult life: “[O]ne month before school was to start for the special-needs teen, his mother, psychiatrist Margaret Jensvold, shot [Ben] in the head, then killed herself. Officers found their bodies [August 2^nd] in the bedrooms of their home in Kensington, Md., an upper-middle class Washington suburb. They also found a note…‘School – can't deal with school system,’ the letter began, Jensvold's sister, Susan Slaughter, told The Associated Press….And later: ‘Debt is bleeding me. Strangled by debt.’” HuffingtonPost.com. R.I.P. Ben. How many others like you have we betrayed?

I’m Peter Dekom, and every budget cut has a concomitant impact on real human beings, some of whom are totally innocent and helpless.