Another Teacher Says "I Quit": An (Un) Intended Consequences of "The Complete Lives System"?

Does music therapy fit within the Obamacare law or does the scarcity of resources to a needy population dictate its demise?

Another teacher says "I Quit". 

This teacher has requested anonymity to protect former colleagues.   Teacher Kris Nielsen in North Carolina quit because of the increasing impossible top down mandates for teachers and students.  This anonymous teacher was "frozen" out of providing services to special needs students when the district tightened criteria for assessment/evaluation referrals.  This teacher believes this indicates the beginning of the scarcity of services to the special needs population.  Note these students are the neediest in the educational system for services.

Read the Complete Lives System on which The Affordable Care Act in 2014 is based, "Principles for allocation of scarce medical interventions", and see if you agree with this teacher.  Are affordable care and educational services only available to the "common" student, the student who can adapt to a "common" system?  Is the new health care system designed to help/protect special needs students or to eradicate services for this population?

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Director of Educational Services

XYZ School District

Anytown, USA

Dear  *****,

Until the 2009-10 school year, I provided music therapy services to an average of 25-30 students.  During 2010-11, my caseload decreased to approximately 15 students.  In 2011-12, my caseload dwindled to 8 students.  This year, I received a purchase order and contract, but  no students in this district are receiving music therapy services or being referred for assessment/evaluation.  Based on conversations with other staff members, it is evident that the district has begun the process of systematically tightening the criteria wherein students are referred for assessment/evaluation to the music therapy program and encouraging therapists to reduce current caseloads

Pre-determined reductions in services to special education students are especially concerning given the upcoming implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2014.  I urge you to review this legislation, along with the enclosed document, "Principles for allocation of scarce medical interventions", AKA "The Complete Lives System", co-written by Ezekiel Emanuel (brother of Rahm Emanuel, former Chief of Staff for President Obama). 

America's current national debt is more than $16 trillion and our government will be proposing yet another increase in the debt limit before year's end.  At some point, America's deficit spending will STOP and students at our district will be among the first to feel the effects of the, "allocated...attenuated", care outlined by Mr. Emanuel and implemented through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

I was the first Board-Certified clinician to provide music therapy services to students in this district in 1997.  It has been a pleasure to work with other knowledgeable special education professionals over the past 15 years and a privilege to provide necessary quality services to many, many students.  Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I am returning the purchase order and contract for my services.  I will no longer be providing services for the district because I see the district actively implementing allocation of services, AKA rationing, described in the Complete Lives System.

Sincerely,

xxxxxx