Many people may be inclined to believe that I dislike Dirty Diane for erroneous reasons. The reason for this blog is to dispel anyone’s belief of why I fiercely opposed Dirty Diane Rodriguez. She was the most unempathetic person I have ever met in my fantastic career.
I took a lot of issues with Diane Rodriguez during my tenure. The most substantial opposition that Diane Rodriguez faced was her antiquated and dangerous beliefs about various populations. If you ever want to stroll through memory lane, talk to Diane Rodriguez privately. I would encourage you to be warm and non-confrontational as that is how you get to know the honest Diane.
Diane was always adamant about her hate for special education in schools. I would argue with her relentlessly. These arguments were never a matter of funding. It was a matter of her feeling that true special education kids are a burden and unnecessary special education.
Routinely, I would discuss how ALL kids in the United States are entitled to free and adequate education. She would indicate that kids that can never accomplish anything belong in a “special school” like her generation. She would routinely tell me how kids would be shipped to particular institutions.
I know she was unusually cruel because she continued to do that over my entire employment, knowing my niece-in-law is one of the exceptional students. She would continually try and tell me that my relative would have been better in some institution that her generation forced on kids. I never for a second bought her sales pitch.
I would also very sternly oppose her beliefs because I know my niece-in-law. She was told couldn’t live six months. Now she is over 21 and still thriving. One of the reasons she made it all these years is because the public education system took such good care of her. She has always had a zest for life and when was in public school, you could always see she wanted to go to school.
They also said she wouldn’t walk. She, to this day, walks. She would crawl to me and bat her eyes at me. I would tell her we don’t have time to crawl. I would hold her arms, and she would walk in my shoes. What everyone learned was that anything is possible. She now walks on her own. To this day, she gets all excited when I’m on the phone, even though she’s non-verbal. Teaching my niece in law to work has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.
What I would encourage Hawthorne to consider is people like Diane Rodriguez, and Hope Blinco have no clue what kids of exceptional circumstance need. I assure you that paras, educators, and the current Superintendent do. My nice in laws life has not been normal, but she gets through her days and even critical struggles because she knows that she is loved.
My nice in-law recently moved to another state and thrived beyond her birth state. I get teary when my sister-in-law tells me how a waiter will tell her how beautiful she is and makes her whole dinner experience. Hawthorne determines whether paying obscene and unjustified costs to someone discriminatory is the path they want.
My vote would be no. This community has no room for a hateful and racist person that doesn’t even live here. If Diane gets her whole $273k, I can assure you I will move. It’s not political; it is about equity. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for her beliefs on Native Americans.
