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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMan With Down Syndrome Loses Job Due To "Budget Cuts." He Made $12...A Week
Times are tough -- and they're apparently so tough for an "education collaborative" in Massachusetts that it can no longer afford to pay a man with Down Syndrome $12 a week to polish silver at a Wyndham Hotel, where he's worked for 15 years.
Mark Stanganelli got the ax last month when the Greater Lawrence Education Collaborative -- a non-profit public entity made up of local school districts, and tasked with providing employment for disabled residents -- sent a letter to his family saying it could no longer pony up the $12 a week to give Stanganelli a sense of purpose.
The reason the organization gave: budget cuts.
Clearly, we have a few questions concerning the "budget cuts" that led to Stanganelli's firing from his $12 a week job, so we sent GLEC Executive Director Kim Oliveira the following email:
more . . . http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/08/man_with_down_s.php
YellowRubberDuckie
(19,736 posts)What is wrong with those people!?
fascisthunter
(29,381 posts)I just don't know what to say but what I just did.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Pathetic.
Bozita
(26,955 posts)virgogal
(10,178 posts)FarCenter
(19,429 posts)To provide vocational experiences that insure exposure to the skills needed to eventually acquire entry level employment and/or to maintain adequate production levels in applied work.
To conduct functional assessments of trainees regarding their interests, aptitudes, and abilities so as to set an appropriate career path.
To develop and implement individualized programming, contingent on abilities, interests, needs, and aptitudes.
To promote community inclusion, to the greatest degree possible, in the best interest of each individual.
It seems to be primarily a training program, and not a permanent source of employment.
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)It also includes ''supported employment opportunities'' under contract with the state of Massachusetts:
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)The $12 / week is a red herring anyway, since the cost per person for supported employment is certainly a lot greater.
For example, does their transportation service provide for his commute?
freshwest
(53,661 posts)A way to interact with other people in the community they will need to keep in contact with the rest of their lives. It is as 'normal' and as close to work as they will ever get. They also show up with a sense of pride and dedication to work that others think is unimportant, but is a challenge for them. A number of companies use this labor pool to do work that even an illegal worker would not be satisfied doing. And the farther out of sight we put such people, the farther out of mind they are and more subject to physical, mental and emotional abuse, chemical restraint to keep them quiet and put them on the shelf and deprivation.
The Wielding Truth
(11,411 posts)The States have been squeezed by idiot teabag solutions that harm so many truly needy souls whose only salvation is the life line given by the public assistance programs.The heartless and foolish "know-it-alls" are cutting the heart out of our society. The real sin of these actions are that the money saved by hurting the needy is going to the uber-wealthy.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)my wife works with people like mark. those jobs are subsidized by the states and families. there are people where she works that can no longer get help from the agency she works for because of the state of illinois and federal cutbacks. food stamps and medicaid has been cut for many people she cares for.
tens of billions for the war but not a penny for those most in need.
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)I want to scream this every time one of the right wingnuts complains about the deficit.