Donnelly 1

Maura Donnelly
Professor scar Fernndez
FRINQ: Race and Social Justice
Assignment: Reflection
4 March 2015

I have had a phenomenal experience in my race and social justice class. Because of this
class I think about race differently know knowing more information about it For my research
project I chose to look at special education and minorities. I feel nave that I thought it would be
relatively easy to find information on this subject. I assumed this would be a topic that there was
a lot of data already collected. I discovered there is not as much information available as there
should be or as a thought there would be. I really had to dig deep to find statistics on specific
areas I needed. There is an overrepresentation of people of color in special education. I learned
that the public schools are doing little to fix this problem. It left me to wonder if there was an
overrepresentation of white students in special education would there be more date and more
progress in fixing that problem.
Doing research for my paper made me reflect on my own experience in the public
schools with my learning disabilities. I am truly lucky that my mom was able to be my advocate
for me and knew what learning disabilities were. There were many times when my mom needed
to take time off of work to go to meetings to make sure my accommodations were met. I
wondered what if there was something as my mom could not speak English or could not take
time of work. Who would have my advocate?