Feb 3, 2018, Chippewa Herald (Chippewa Falls, WI): Southview Elementary closes distance to 'barrier-free' playground http://chippewa.com/news/local/southview-elementary-closes-distance-to-barrier-free-playground/article_8793093e-a9d3-5456-8cc6-78e74e7da0ae.html Not only will kids with wheelchairs be able to climb the structures, the playground will have “sensory” equipment, aimed at students on the autism spectrum: “We’ll have some spinner chairs, which are for kids with sensory needs,” Golden said. “We’ll have a lot of games and interactive boards that kids can feel. It’s all about including that sense of touch.”
Childhood Lost
Children today are noticeably different from previous generations, and the proof is in the news coverage we see every day. This site shows you what’s happening in schools around the world. Children are increasingly disabled and chronically ill, and the education system has to accommodate them. Things we've long associated with autism, like sensory issues, repetitive behaviors, anxiety and lack of social skills, are now problems affecting mainstream students. Blame is predictably placed on bad parenting (otherwise known as trauma from home).
Addressing mental health needs is as important as academics for modern educators. This is an unrecognized disaster. The stories here are about children who can’t learn or behave like children have always been expected to. What childhood has become is a chilling portent for the future of mankind.