This page is a work in progress. Please help fill this space by sending your questions about my positions on the issues to me at dawn@dawnharkness.com.
Looking forward to an interesting conversation. Just remember, this is being written blog style, so the earlier questions are at the bottom and the more recent questions are at the top. Writers’ last names are also redacted by me to protect folks’ privacy.
Dawn
Educational Legislative Priorities
What are your legislative priorities with regard to education? If your priorities include adding or expanding educational programs, how do you propose to fund them, given the state’s propensity for passing unfunded mandates and passing the buck to municipalities?
One huge unfunded mandate relates to special education. What would you propose to reduce the financial burdens on municipalities?
Steve
Hi Steve,
I always appreciate questions about substantive and important issues. In the area of education, my legislative priorities are as follows:
1. Improved Chapter 70 funding.
2. Increased SPED reimbursement, and including SPED transportation costs in the circuit breaker formula.
As a bit of background: The Chapter 70 formula for state aid was changed about three years ago thanks to the work of Senator Spilka and Reps. Sannicandro and Blumer. Framingham is doing better, but is still not receiving the same percentage of state aid for schools as other nearby towns. Essentially we are still being penalized because we were so strongly supporting our schools when the original formula was written. We need to try to keep adjusting the formula to make it fair for Framingham.
How will I achieve these goals: Obviously, we need to increase revenue available at the state level to use for education spending. This was one reason I was so disappointed with Rep. Richardson’s decision to vote with leadership to kill the casino bill before it was ever fully discussed. While casinos are not a long term solution for every ill, the $800 million in licensing fees this year alone would have been helpful for education aid, property tax relief or other worthy ventures. I was similarly surprised that Rep Richardson rejected a proposal in 2007 that would have directed about $120,000 towards Framingham for purchase of supplies and computers. As people who have watched school committee meetings this year know, there is real concern about Framigham’s inability to maintain and update district technology.
The other way to increase revenue is to attract good businesses in the state and the town that will help generate tax revenue. Obviously, I have a passion for the environment, and I think that as we move forward, having representatives in the House with that background will be useful in creating economic incentives for those types of businesses to locate or relocate here. Legislation created this session was a good start but will have to be monitored and adjusted to fulfill their promise. I think I have the right skills to help in that realm.
While I am a strong supporter of SPED, it is fair to say that SPED is one of the biggest unfunded mandates from both the state and federal government. The federal government originally proposed to pay for 40% of all SPED costs, but current pays in the low teens, if that. Getting a Democratic president Like Barack Obama who will acknowledge this inequity would be a great start towards real change.
At the state level, the SPED circuit breaker formula is a bit complicated, but the state pays for about 75% of the costs of educating special needs students whose out of district placements cost more than about $37,000 per year. In the long run, I’d work to get the state to either start reimbursing towns earlier (before 37,000) and/or reimburse at a higher percentage.
However, an equally big issue is transportation. Across the state, districts spend as much money on transportation for their special needs students as they do for all other students combined. On a financial level, I will fight to include transportation costs as part of the circuit breaker, as this would be hugely helpful to the Framingham schools. One idea I’ve heard and think should be encouraged is to have the out-of-district schools coordinate transportation for students coming to their schools. Right now, Framingham may be sending one kid to a school in Newton and Natick might be sending another. However, they might travel on different buses. Framingham Public Schools are trying to become more efficient by working with area towns to see if there is a way to coordinate and share transportation where it makes sense for kids. I’d like to encourage that kind of efficiency at the state level, and it might be more possible if the receiving schools were asked to plan the transportation since they know where all their students are coming from. The fact that this might also be beneficial to the environment by lowering carbon emissions is in the bonus. This is one of several ideas I’d advocate for, or at least charge someone to study and explain why it wouldn’t be a cost saver . The money saved can be used for other educational needs.
I am very lucky to have excellent educational advisers who have helped to educate me on this topic, but I welcome information from anyone who would like me to consider alternative options. Again, I appreciate the chance to share my thoughts. I feel it is important for voters to hear-at length at times ☺- from their representatives. It is part of the transparency that I think is lacking at the State House currently. I know you have also posed this question to the other candidates, and I look forward to hearing what they will say so that voters can make an informed decision.
Question 3 Greyhound Protection Act
Hi Dawn –
Can you please tell me your position on ballot question #3
Greyhound Protection Act.)
Thanks in advance,
Emily
Hi Emily,
Thanks for the question. I’ll be voting Yes on question 3. How about you?
All the best,
Dawn
Hi Dawn –
Thanks for responding. After spending time collecting signatures to get it on the ballot, it will be a great day when I get to vote YES. I hope you will encourage your supporters to follow your lead on this issue.
Good luck on the 16th.
Emily
Hi Emily,
Congratulations on a phenomenal signature collection effort. ! Over 100,000 signatures is impressive. I sure will encourage folks to VOTE YES ON QUESTION 3. In fact, consider it done.
Thanks for the good wishes; I truly appreciate them all.
Dawn
More on Charter Schools
Hi Dawn,
I appreciate you making your campaign so issues oriented, and clearly articulating your positions on such a wide number of topics. I read on your website your support of charter schools, and was hoping you could elaborate on why you think charter schools are needed. My feeling is that they stream resources away from the public schools, which already are facing so many challenges with budget cuts, limits placed by prop 2.5, etc…. You were responding to an email from someone who mentioned his feeling that there was a conspiracy of wealthy suburban schools trying to foster inequity, and you remarked you shared many of his views on the topic. Although I don’t believe in conspiracies, I am interested to hear you elaborate on some of your reasons for supporting charter schools. Thanks, David
Hi David,
Thanks for the question.
I don’t see any conspiracy either. Before I delve into why I support charter schools, I need to point out one inaccuracy in your post. Charter schools are public schools. Therefore, technically, they don’t “stream resources away from the public schools”. The children attending these schools are public school kids and deserve to have their educations supported through our public dollars. I think it is fair to ask how much money per pupil should charter schools get, and if the current formula need to be adjusted. Frankly I do support reevaluating how charter schools are funded. As a Town Meeting member, I have always been a strong supporter of our public schools. I understand our fiscal issues better than most, but I don’t think it is fair to blame the charter schools or the families who take advantage of that educational option for those problems.
Now, for the question of why I support charter schools. I don’t know what your experience has been, but I will tell you that I think that even with an excellent local school system like Framingham’s that has a wider array of school programs than you will find in most of our surrounding communities, finding the right educational option for a child can be one of the toughest choices parents have to make. Not all of our children learn in a way that the district schools offer. I support charter schools because I believe that they offer an important educational option that works for many children and their parents. I have friends whose children attended charter schools. I’ve also visited the McAuliffe Regional Public Charter School in Framingham, I think they have some creative ways of teaching in a manner that their students seem to enjoy. I am impressed with the way the charter school kids love their school and how happy parents are that this school meet the children’s educational needs. I know that may not be the way everyone evaluates a school, but whether or not a child and their parents are happy is very important to me. It doesn’t matter how “great” a school is. If you aren’t happy enough there, the likelihood that you will get much out of your educational experience is lessened.
However, I feel that there is some room for improvement with how oversight is handled at the charter schools, and how information is shared between district schools and charter schools. Educational innovation is important, but I think it is fair to ask for more in depth reporting of what charter schools are doing than is currently required. District schools are required to fill out an exhaustive report. Charter schools essentially have been required to write a letter of evaluation. I think it’s a good idea to ask for more.
While charter schools are currently supposed to be sharing information with the district schools about how successful or unsuccessful their programs are working, my understanding is that that level of collaboration is not happening. If district school systems can take advantage of charter schools’ experiences, I think that would be a benefit to all.
I hope that gives you a better understanding of where I’m coming from. Thanks again for the question, David.
On my voting record on the proposed new branch library.
Sharon writes: Is it true you voted against the funding for the Christa McAuliffe branch library
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for the question. I am particularly glad to be able to discuss my voting record on the McAuliffe branch library. I voted against the funding on the first two votes before I voted for the branch library on the third and final vote. That is because the two concerns I had, which were the size and cost of the project, and racial/cultural bias, were to a large extent resolved. Allow me to explain.
When the new branch library was first proposed not only was I a Town Meeting member, I was also a Commissioner on the Human Relations Commission, and in this role I was made aware that there was something of a racial and cultural disparity between the main library, located on the south side of town, and the branch library in the north side Saxonville neighborhood. The Saxonville library was viewed by many on the south side of town as the “white library” and was even referred to by some as the “Anglo-Saxonville” library. The main library was viewed by some as less desirable because more homeless people and people of color used it. When I toured the two libraries as I considered how I would vote, it was clear that there was some institutional support for these perceptions. For example, the south side library had a multi-cultural feel with welcome signs and informational brochures in a wide range of languages including Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. On the north side all the same informational signs and brochures were in English only. Under the circumstances, I could not support expanding the library in Saxonville. My first vote against the renovations happened before these problems were addressed.
The Human Relations Commission invited the then director of the Library to discuss the branch library proposal, and I raised my concerns regarding the disparities between the two libraries. The director was surprised, but agreed that there was a problem and promised he would fix it. He also thanked us for pointing out these issues.
My second concern was that the projected cost of the renovations did not make fiscal sense based on my understanding of our budget. That was a concern many of us had. And even after my concerns regarding the cultural issues had been addressed, this project did not make fiscal sense to me. I raised my concerns on the floor of Town Meeting and I voted against the library for that reason on the second vote.
However the third time the library came up for a vote, the library project had been scaled down and the cost was more in line with what I thought we could afford. I then voted in support of the McAuliffe Library project. Debby Blumer (who in this matter was my constituent as she lived in my precinct) called me before the vote to voice her support for the library. We had a good talk about it, and I was glad that, in the end, we were on the same page.
Unfortunately, the vote still fell short of the necessary 2/3 vote of Town Meeting. I too was disappointed that this project did not go forward, because I think once it was scaled back in size and cost, and once it was clear that the library would endeavor to be welcoming to all people, I think it would have been an asset to the town.
Hi Carol and David,
I appreciate the question and thank you for it. It’s a particularly tough question for me because I know I can and should do better on this subject. Even though I fully understand the impact on the environment that eating so high on the food chain has, I’m not a vegetarian. I was for about five years back in my youth, (17 to 22) but frankly I wasn’t a very good vegetarian when it came to eating enough of the right foods to avoid iron deficiency. My doctor recommended that if I wasn’t going to take the time and effort to make vegetarian meals with enough iron, then I should seriously consider eating meat. I knew that I didn’t have the time to do that, and I wasn’t willing to change my very active lifestyle, so I abandoned vegetarianism. Now that I’m older, (but no less active) I still find it difficult to have the time to eat as healthily as I should, especially since I’ve been running for office.
While those who have adopted a vegetarian lifestyle can be proud of the fact that you are using the world’s resources in a more responsible way, there are things those of us who do still eat meat can do to be more responsible and more conscious of the choices we make. Examples from my own life include having been sharers and supporters of Stearns Farm here in Framingham. We strongly support Community Supported Agriculture and encourage folks to get involved any way they can.
My family is fortunate enough that we can afford to shop at Whole Foods for most of our meat and vegetables. We’ve made a conscious choice to purchase local and organic foods when available. We purchase most of our meat at Whole Foods because we appreciate their Meat and Poultry quality standards, (which if you want to learn more about is located here: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/meat-poultry/qs_programrequirements.html )
If elected I would do what I can to support all kinds of family sized farming operations which are the kinds of farms that provide Whole Foods with the meat they sell. I have to disclose that one reason I care about things like meat standards is because a dear friend of mine is a Wisconsin farmer who has raised cows, pigs, and chickens has over the years given me an outstanding education on the subject. We’ve had many a long conversation about farming in general, the meat industry, and the rise of the large, corporate polluting CAFOs (Confinement Animal Farming Operations) which produce inexpensive meat, but not in any manner that could be considered humane. Here’s a quote from my friend, which resonates with me:
“Most of the folks producing free-range, grass-fed, humane, etc. are going to be family sized farms. Supporting more small farms means overall, more farms, more families gaining their livelihood from an agrarian lifestyle, more open beautiful spaces (as opposed to stinking mega feedlots, etc) for all to enjoy, a more diverse food supply which not only offers us more choices but also protects us in cases of disease outbreaks, more tax base collected, more green plants growing such as trees and shrubs, better erosion control, better ground water quality protection, protection of genetic diversity among livestock (including the preservation of some heritage breeds), better understanding amongst adults and children about where our food really comes from, more support for the businesses which support rural communities and small farms, not to mention better health for us all from more clean air, water, and a healthier food supply.”
I think she makes a good case for why those of us who do eat meat should do what we can to support smaller family farms, both in Framingham and across the Commonwealth. As I’ve hopefully demonstrated, we make that effort in our family. As a Town Meeting member, I supported the creation of the Agricultural Commission both with my vote and by speaking on the floor of Town Meeting in favor of it. I would also be a friend to small farms and farmers if elected to the State House.
This is the first time this question has been posed to me as a candidate, and I’m glad I had a chance to think through this issue a bit. I’d be very interested in to hear what kinds of legislation you’d like to see your legislator sponsor to promote better use of our food resources.
All the best,
Dawn
Dawn:
Thanks for your ample response.
You are right, it’s a big time and financial commitment to be vegan. But, we believe that it has BIG payoffs in terms of health, ecology, and for the animals, Remember, you can torture them less, but milking them and killing them at the rate we do is still bad–for them, and for us.
All judgements aside, we feel that not enough change is going on, and we need stronger leadership. I hope that when you are elected you will make it a priority to help people become fully educated on the matter.
Otherwise we all better start building an ARK!
Thanks, and best wishes,
Carol and David
P.S. I would like to be personally involved in this educational process.
Hi Carol and David,
LOL, yeah I do tend to go on a bit, don’t I?
I absolutely agree that it is a good idea to educate folks that the food choices we make have a wide range of impacts on our health, as well as the ecological health of the planet. I believe that the more informed we are, we’ll be inclined to make better choices. I would be happy to support educational programs around this issue, because I think education is always a good first step. I hope you will be part of that educational process.
Thanks for writing,
Dawn
Here’s a smörgåsbord of questions related to Melanie’s Law, wind power, merit pay for math and science teachers, in state tuition rates for illegal immigrants, cigarette taxes, casinos and Jessica’s Law written to me by Josh. For brevity’s sake I’ve started with my response rather than the entire first email. But it was an interesting exchange I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I did.
Hi Josh, Thanks for the questions.
If you were on Beacon Hill, how would you have voted for the Melanies Law -type bill that was in the news in the last month?
I know Melanie’s Law was signed into law a few years ago, but I’m unaware of any developments in the last month or so. Can you give me a bit more information about that? In general, I support tough penalties for drunk driving convictions, but especially for repeat offenders.
Wind power and the construction of turbines off the coast has been held up for most this decade. Nstar is giving customers the option to purchase wind power from Maine and Canada, what are your visions for getting this type of energy from right here in Massachusetts?
I am the chairwoman of the Greener Framingham Committee and I sit on Framingham’s wind turbine subcommittee which is hammering out a bylaw to make it possible for Framingham residents and businesses to erect wind turbines. I am a strong proponent of environmentally friendly economic development. Alternative energy technology like wind turbines are an important part of that. I have always supported the Cape Wind project and if elected would do what I can to help promote and support wind turbine projects in Massachusetts.
Are you willing to break from the teachers union and wok for merit pay in math and science teachers and teachers going into the worst performing schools?
I’m willing to consider it, but I would need to study this more before I make a decision on this matter.
Are you for instate tuition for illegal immigrants?
Yes
Forty percent of smokers are “poor,” knowing that, would you have voted for the cigarette tax increase knowing that it is essentially a tax on the poor?
I disagree with your premise. Even if I accepted your figures, it would seem that sixty percent of smokers are not poor. I would vote for an increased cigarette tax because it would apply to all smokers equally, rich and poor alike.
Are you for casinos in this state? Knowing that poor people dump so much of their money in the lottery (ie scratch tix, etc) and that money is redistributed to the wealthier cities in down, isn’t the lotter just an example of taking money from the poor and giving it to the rich?
I disagree with your premise. While I agree that lottery tickets and keno are aimed at poor people, casinos are a form of entertainment that are aimed at the middle class. I would have supported the Governor’s resort casino bill because it would have created much needed jobs as well as providing a way to stem the flow of the $1.1 billion of Massachusetts residents’ money that leaves the state to be spent in other states’ casinos.
Thanks for the questions Josh. I’d be interested in knowing how you feel about these issues.
All the best,
Dawn
Josh’s reply:
Thanks for taking the time to respond. I’m embarassed, to admit that I mixed up Melanies Law with Jessica’s law (that’s what happens when you email in between bbq.)
Dawn’s reply:
LOL, that’s ok. I’m impressed you took time out from bbq to ask me my position on the issues. We need more voters who take the time to get informed!
I feel very strongly that the penalties for child abuse, particularly rape of a child have been far too lenient. I support longer mandatory minimum sentences for child rape, and I would support them whether or not force is used (because of course force isn’t usually necessary when adults rape children.) I think the version of Jessica’s Law that has been supported by Martha Coakley is far too lenient since it requires that force be a part of the crime. That will let off the majority of pedophiles who rape children without any “force” whatsoever.
If you have any more questions, please let me know.
Thanks,
Dawn
Josh’s reply:
I just realized yesterday you asked me my position on the issues. In the interests of full disclosure I’m a republican and i have voted that way since i voted for Reagan in 1984 when I was 8 years old (mom brought me in the ballot booth-told me to check Mondale, I checked Reagan and the rest is history).
I disagree with you on the cigarette tax not overburdening the poor,
I’m for the casino’s in Massachusetts (although I’m sure they will be depressing places to visit just like Foxwoods and not fun like Vegas).
I want to see Mass become the leader in wind and solar because I do appreciate the beauty of the region but at the same time our cars and planes will always run on oil based fuels in the immediate future.
I am against in state tuition for illegals but that issue radioactive even for Dems so that isn’t really a top issue for me.
I’d love to see Charter schools and vouchers embraced. Just look was Washington DC- highest spending per pupil dismal results, Charters are making a huge difference down there. Also I think that wealth suburban school want to keep inner city scores down so that those kids will have to be bused out to the burbs- therefore keeping the “education premium” in their homes intact (that is the conspiracy theorist in me.)
Finally, anyone who saw what happened last week with that girl in Vermont is beside themselves. We all want tougher sentences. I’m really glad to hear your take on this. (Get the pot smokers out of the jails and use those cells for rapists and people who hurt kids).
P.S.- Under this new mandatory health care, a “Family Plan” under my provider and I’m sure others only include the employee and one other person. This is outrageous.
Since my dear old Mass GOP party has failed to field a candidate in the 6th I’ll have to look elsewhere to cast my vote. You were the only candidate to actually send a mailer to my house by the way.
Thanks for you time reading and responding
Dawn’s response:
Hi Josh,
Thanks for telling me your positions on the issues.
I’m glad to hear you got my flier and took the time to write me. Now I understand how Reagan beat Mondale/Ferraro in 1984. Too many folks letting their kids vote!
I’m glad to see we agree on a few things. I actually am a strong supporter of charter schools and always have been for many of the same reasons you cited. There still are some glitches to get out of the funding formula, oversight and collaboration with traditional schools, but they are a step in the right direction for many children. I’m curious to see how Governor Patrick’s “Readiness Schools” will unfold.
Now if you really want to vote for me or anyone else running in the democratic primary, you’ll have to unenroll from the GOP before the primary so you can pull a democratic ballot. Go ahead. You can do it! You owe it to your mom for that 1984 debacle.
All the best,
Dawn
Gail
Hi Gail,
Thanks for the email. I did some research before I decided to give away balloons at the Concerts on the Green. We don’t use mylar balloons which are responsible for the bulk of the non-biodegradable balloon litter on the planet. In fact, we looked for and found balloons that are made of 100% natural latex and are fully biodegradable. We don’t do massive balloon releases either. All small children have their balloons tied to them so that they cannot inadvertently escape. It is true that some people untie the balloons and may not properly dispose of them after we give them out, but that could be true of anything we distribute. We can ask people to properly dispose of it after they are done with it (and I believe most do) but some people will litter leaflets, buttons, stickers and any and all campaign chotchkes we hand out. At some point I think that stops being our responsibility and starts being theirs.
As for any wildlife that could be harmed, I researched that as well. Helium filled latex balloons like ours that fly off rise to a height of 5 miles or so when they freeze and burst into tiny biodegradable strands. Even if an animal (or a person) ate one of the strands, it would likely pass through the digestive system and be expelled.
You are right, I am a deeply committed environmentalist personally and politically. Our two family vehicles are a Prius and an ambulance that runs on waste vegetable oil. I use public transportation, recycle, compost and have invested in energy efficient light bulbs. I don’t litter. In fact I spend a great deal of time picking up other people’s litter when I’m walking along the rail trail or even on the sidewalks of Framingham. I’m the original sponsor and Chair of the Greener Framingham Committee, and I’m on the Wind Turbine Bylaw Committee. I have sponsored motions at Town Meeting to dramatically improve Framingham’s recycling rates, and to get our municipal fleet to adopt more fuel efficient vehicles and biodiesel.
While I’m personally kind of obsessive about environmental issues, I try very hard not be be holier than thou. I hope that everyone properly disposes of all my campaign materials after they are finished with them, and I encourage them to do so. After that, it’s up to them.
Thanks again for the email, Gail.
Dawn
On Preventing Sports Injuries
Dear Dawn,
How would you prevent sports injuries and brain injuries in the Legislature?
Sincerely,
Bob
Hi Bob,
Good to hear from you. As you know I personally am a huge fan of helmets for all kinds of recreational activities. I bet you remember this picture of me wearing my scooter helmet:
http://frambors.syslang.net/album/cast/tn/Dawn_Harkness.jpg.html
I also wear a helmet when skiing and while cycling.
I’ve played sports on the varsity level in high school and in college, including varsity soccer. I think for most sports, proper training and education are the keys to preventing sports injuries. Some sports are inherently dangerous and we need to require additional equipment to protect athletes. Other sports are less inherently dangerous and athletes deserve to make the choice themselves (or with their parents) as to whether they want the additional protection of helmets or other protective gear. So even though I wear a helmet skiing, I don’t think every person should be required to wear one. That’s a choice every skier should have the right to make for themselves.
As a legislator, I would support legislation that educates athletes and their parents as to the risks of injuries in sports, so they can make informed choices about how they can protect themselves.
Thanks for the question, Bob.
Sincerely,
Dawn Harkness
On Universal Pre-Kindergarten:
How do you feel about UPK (Universal Pre-Kindergarten)?
Angella
Hi Angella,
Thanks for the question. I feel strongly that universal pre-kindergarten should be available to anyone who wants it for their children. Many studies show that children who enter school unprepared in the early years have difficulty catching up to their peers. If parents feel that their children will benefit from pre-kindergarten, then I believe our schools should provide it. In the long run, I think that benefits all of us.
However, I don’t think pre-kindergarten should be compulsory for those families who do not want to put their children into school that young. I think that is a decision that is best left to the parents and not the state.
I’m curious to know what your feelings are on the subject, but of course since you aren’t running for office, please don’t feel obligated to answer if you don’t want to.
Thanks again for your question!
Dawn
Ms. Harkness-
I totally agree. It should be readily available, but not mandatory. I hope that
if elected into office you bring this idea to Massachusetts, or even in your
campaign. Maybe even while you edited your website, putting some ideas about
the subject and all others so that supporters know.
Angella
P.S. Thank you so much for getting back to me.
I have emailed many other people who are running and very few are getting back
to me. It shows a remarkable quality in you. I wish you the best of luck in
your campaign.
Angella,
It’s my pleasure! Thanks so much for your good wishes. I can use all I can get.
All the best,
Dawn
On Autism Legislation and Turning 22
Dear Dawn Harkness
I am a constituent living in Framingham at (redacted). As part of my decision for upcoming state legislative elections,
I would like to know your opinion of some legislation currently being considered.
The legislative initiatives are:
Turning 22 - 5920-5000 Tom Sannicandro’s
and
5920-3010 Autism Division
These pieces of legislation are very important to families, as well as
individuals with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). As these are some of societies most vulnerable
individuals the state must step in support their basic human needs.
Thank you,
Sincerely Robin and Paul
Hi Robin and Paul,
Thanks so much for the question. I have a long and proud record of speaking out to protect the rights of people with disabilities and complex life challenges as well as their families. While my opponents have been largely silent on the subject, I have also withstood a tremendous amount of criticism for taking such strong and uncompromising stands in support of our most vulnerable citizens. Some people just don’t get it, but I can guarantee you that I do.
I strongly support both pieces of legislation you have asked about. The Division of Autism’s need for additional funding is simply a reflection of our society’s dramatic increase in the number of children with autism. The Children’s Medicaid waiver program is critical to help the families of children with ASD access intensive in-home services that support children in their homes and communities to help them achieve what they can as young as they can. To do less is to waste valuable opportunities for these children with ASD and their families to maximize the potential they have in life.
As for Tom Sannicandro’s bill, I share his concern that for too long, our society has turned our collective heads to ignore what happens to young adults and their families when they move out of the umbrella of protection offered through Special Education programs and become 22 years old. The Department of Mental Retardation needs all the help it can get to provide support services to folks who need it. I believe it is in all of our interest to continue to offer these individuals and their families the kind of support that allows both to live productive lives in dignity. Young adults need to be able to look forward to living lives with some independence from their parents, just as parents need to know that their children will have more options in life than remaining inextricably dependent on them. This is true whether a child has any disabilities or not! But considering the extra amount of support a person with disabilities may require, (which is financially out of reach for most families) it seems to me to be a good use of tax payer money to support programs that help both the young person and his or her family achieve this basic human goal. It is also in keeping with my sense of sound public policy that the role of government should provide mechanisms for all people to live as productive and independent a life as one can. I believe it is in all of our interests, not just the individual with developmental disabilities or their families. I’m glad that Tom Sannicandro has worked hard to get increased funding and if elected I would want to join the Special Education Caucus to support his efforts and to fight for additional initiatives.
I know you wrote to me to to ask me my positions, but I hope you won’t mind me asking a question of you. I’ve long believed that the Massachusetts. Department of Mental Retardation needs a name change because frankly, words matter to me. I’m afraid that over time, the term “mental retardation” has a) outlived its usefulness, b) presents some unnecessary barriers to people accessing services, as well as c) continue to foster misunderstanding in the general public. I like the approach that the American Association on Mental Retardation took when it changed it’s name to American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. I ‘d be interested in seeing Massachusetts take the same approach. How would you feel about that?
Thanks again for taking the time to ask me my positions on the issues. If you have any others, I hope you’ll send them along. I also hope I can count on your support in this election.
All the best,
Dawn Harkness
Thank you very much for your response.
Massachusetts seems to be one of the better states (depending on the town you live in) for providing educational services to children on the spectrum (especially if you get the proper evaluation and recommendations. Also, the quality of the number and quality of services providers has improved dramatically over the years. Where Massachusetts is lacking is in providing housing, services and supports for adults on the spectrum. This is an area I hope to become more involved in but so far it seems to be that people have buried their head in the sand regarding this issue.
In answer to your question, I strongly support the name change not just because one might find the term mental retardation derogatory but also because their are many other disabilities that do not involve “MR” yet deserve to be included. I find that the advocacy, services, special needs trust development meetings all revolve around MR and are all sponsored by ARC. Children and adults with autism may or may not test as mental retarded. In either event the type of support and services they need if different because their disorder is different. As I am sure is the case with those with other disabilities that I am less familiar with.
It is interesting that you mentioned the name change because quite a while ago a friend of mine who lives in California told me that California does not have a department of mental retardation but rather they take a broader approach.
I just searched and found their website:
http://www.dds.cahwnet.gov/
You will note they support all individuals with developmental disabilities.
Thanks again
Robin