James M. Kauffman Gets the Star Treatment!

    AFTON, VA, April 15, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- James M. Kauffman has participated in The Star Treatment, a prestigious video series hosted by renowned lawyer and television personality, Star Jones. This premier video series is extremely limited — Marquis Who's Who qualifies 500 listees on an annual basis for this elite service. Backed by a storied career in media that spans more than two decades, Star works closely with Marquis listees to assist with networking goals and commemorative efforts that can be shared with a worldwide audience.

Dr. Kauffman, a dedicated educator, shared the history of special education, which started out in big cities in the late 19th century. Later, in the 1920s, the Council for Exceptional Children was founded, which is now the primary organization for special education teachers. Jumping ahead to the 1950s, it was becoming evident that children with special needs were not being properly educated. Instead, they were kept at home or institutionalized. As a result, the 94th congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975. It was signed into law by President Gerald Ford. This law stipulated that a free, appropriate public education option be provided for all children with disabilities, called "handicapped" at the time. The prospect of IEPs, or Individual Education Plans for children with disabilities was also developed around this time, enabling teachers to tailor their lesson plans to each student's unique needs.

"Most people," said Dr. Kauffman, "understand that everything has its limits," including inclusion for special needs children. It is critical for students who can assimilate to be involved in general classrooms as much as possible, but it is also key that those who cannot assimilate be given a special environment where they will be able to get the education and related services they need. In terms of the educational system of the United States as it relates to special education, Dr. Kauffman feels we still have a long way to go, though we have made great strides since the founding of the Council for Exceptional Children. As an example of how well-meaning policy can have negative consequences, he cited the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Article 24. That article of the convention, states that special needs children should be fully included in an educational setting, but it lacks specificity in terms of what inclusion means, and what standards of education should be. To illustrate his counter to this policy, Dr. Kauffman held up a copy of his 2020 book, "On Educational Inclusion," which addresses the shortcomings of Article 24 and other calls for "full inclusion."

Asked about his professional accolades, he mentioned several. In 2011, Dr. Kauffman received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Kansas School of Education, and in 2007 three of his former doctoral students edited a festschrift in his honor. In 1994, he received the Research Award from the Council for Exceptional children, and he has received numerous awards for publication and leadership.

Another of Dr. Kauffman's 2020 books, "Cyber Abuse," deals with an open letter to Dr. Laura, whom Dr. Kauffman noted was very opposed to homosexuality. As a result, he feels that it is particularly well-suited to members of the LGBT community, but Star felt that it had a wider audience, to everyone who feels like an outsider and seeks recognition of their basic rights and humanity. With such a powerful advocate for special education, America is truly positioned to benefit from Dr. Kauffman's work, and that makes him more than worthy of the Star Treatment.

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