Special Education
I am of two minds on this issue, like the author of this Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty commentary: There has to be a Better Way. In discussing the recent Supreme Court case, she writes:

I sympathize with both sides in this case. As a fiscal conservative, I understand the position of the Montgomery County School District. They are required by Federal law to provide individualized services for all disabled students. The Federal government provides some money to meet this requirement, but nowhere near the full cost. An Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, as required for disabled students, can be appealing to a smart parent with a difficult child. From the school’s perspective, every parent who pops up with a disabled kid is a net drain. If the Court had ruled that an "appropriate" education means whatever the parents say it means, the schools’ fiscal burden would be greatly increased.

At the same time, I sympathize with the parents. I am a veteran of many years worth of IEP’s, going back to 1991, with the arrival of my first child. In the years since, I have also had several foster children go through the IEP process. I admire the anonymous wag who wrote a bit of doggerel in the style of Dr. Seuss, "I do not like these I-E-Ps. I do not like them, Geez-louise. I do not like them here or there. I do not like them anywhere."

She goes on to recommend vouchers as a win-win solution. I am not so sure about this, but it sounds like a step in the right direction.

Here is a "punny" look at the struggles of parents of special needs children, from Special Education Law Blog: Law and Disorders:

As the parent of a child with special needs, I have experienced my son being given many labels and diagnoses by both the medical and educational community: physically challenged, seizure disorder, etc., while I, on the other hand, have been given just as many, if not more, labels, albeit unofficially, by everyone from doctors, school staff and relatives, to the nosey checkout lady in the grocery store. Here are just a few I’d like to share:

Terrible Palsy - A condition in which onlookers and people in the community tell parents how terrible life must be raising a physically challenged child. This condition manifests itself through pity and audible sighing of those around you. Terrible Palsy can be deceiving because you can be asymptomatic for weeks, months, or even years, and then just when you and your family are feeling really good about your child, it can present itself in the form of a condescending pat on the head or a blessing from an anonymous busybody. Best known treatment is to carry a list of snappy comebacks in your pocket or a large bag of peanut M & Ms.

Shlepilepsy - A compulsive condition in which parents feel the need to shlep from doctor to doctor and specialist to specialist in order to seek help and find answers for their child with special needs. The only known effective drug for this illness is caffeine, primarily given to parents to keep them awake while driving to and from appointments.

Oughtism - This condition strongly affects the guilt center of a parent’s brain. Oughtism is transmitted by doctors, professionals, and therapists who constantly and relentlessly tell parents “you ought to do this...you ought to do that...” for your child. The only known treatment is to temporarily unplug your phone, gather information, and trust your own gut to do what’s best for your child.

Oy Vay D D - This condition is usually diagnosed by mahjong-playing lady friends of your mother or mother-in-law upon hearing of your child’s disability. The best known treatment for this condition is to avoid economically priced restaurants between the early-bird hours of 4:00 and 6:30 pm.

Nonverbal yearning disability - This condition affects many vulnerable parents with dreams for their children. It manifests through knowing what you desperately want for your child, but when no one acknowledges the possibilities, you question yourself as to whether or not you actually spoke your desires out loud. Suggested treatment is to tape record your school meetings and play the tapes back to an impartial witness.

Pain in the Aspergers - This is a label usually given to parents like myself by school staff. It is often assigned to conscientious Moms and Dads who advocate strongly for their children with special needs. The most effective treatment - keep up the good work.

OHI/Otherwise Heavily Intoxicated - A label given to parents so stressed by their child’s health issues that they seek to self-medicate. My own suggested treatment - substitute chocolate.

[link via the Christian Parents ~ Special Kid listserv]