Chosen Topic: Special Education
Refined Topic : Special Education in the Early 1900s in Ontario
Goal: To discuss how how special education in the early 1900s in Ontario was a mean of social control.
Findings:
Through a number of different articles and books I was able to pin point three main discussion topics that would be used in my final research paper.
- First discussion topic: Labelling of “Special Education”
- Labelling of disabled children began in the late 1800s, but I focused on the labelling of disabled children in the 1900-1950 time period. The role of labelling was to allow the hegemonic class to define who was considered “normal” and who was not “normal.” From this labelling, it allowed the hegemonic class to segregate those who were considered “Idiots,” “Imbeciles,” or “feeble-minded” children, into separate institutions to be education differently. Primarily, the labelling was done through IQ testing, which allow children to be placed on a scale – this scale determined if there were capable of being educated or if there were better off in another institution where they could be trained.
- Second Discussion Topic was – Why Those who had Disabilities Still Needed to be Educated
- Under each grade scale for disabled children (Idiot, Imbecile or Feeble-minded), they were considered to be “unfit” for society. During this time period (1900-1950) being an unfit individual in society was unacceptable because one needed to be a contributing member to society. Therefore, these children with disabilities needed to be educated somehow. It was also believed that children with disabilities were dangerous and criminal, which set a bad example for the rest of society. In order to control these children it was believed that they needed to be placed out of the public eye and into segregated institutions.
- Third Discussion Topic was – How They Were Educated in Segregated Institutions
- How they were going to be educated in these segregated institutions was not an easy decision. For all the contributing members on how to educate disabled children, it was believed they needed to be educated differently from regular public schools because they did not have the mental capacity to learn what “normal” children were learning. The primary goal of putting the disabled children in segregated institutions was to reduced the reproduction and ultimately eliminate their offspring. Because this was a time period when Eugenics had an increasingly impact on society – it was highly considered that the institutions would provide a place for disabled to be admitted into and sterilized. Initially this was believed to be the only way for them to eliminate this portion of the population that seemed “unfit.” It was not until the royal commissioner came into the picture and disagreed with the idea of sterilization. He agreed that the location of the institutions be segregated, but he believed that educated could be provided to those who were disabled. Specific training was then done in these institutions. Some of the basic skills included: learning how to use the toilet, using manners, understanding expression. Other tasks included: doing laundry, working in the coal pit, sewing. This enabled the facilities to use the children as labourers rather than hiring other people to do the work and maintenance of the building.