"Parents who are number 370 on the
waiting list will call me five years from the
time they are placed on the waiting list only
to find they are still number 370."

Richard Cooper

HOSTAGES AT HOME

Lake School, and the thought of her at-
tending one day and not attending the
next day just doesn't make sense.
"We did not want her in an institution,"
he said. "We wanted her here with us.
And because she was with us, now they
are telling us that there's no room for
Ellen anywhere. Society is telling these
people that they are now to be hostages in
their own house. Society is telling us bas-
ically to get out of their way."
For now, though, Ellen Stern is still
part of the system. She, like Rachel
Kopelman, has a beautiful face, smile and
eyes. She loves having makeup applied as
part of her Wing Lake class, and she loves
seeing herself look pretty in the mirror.
Her teachers joke with her, telling her
that she looks "hot."
Miss Stern's teacher, Alice Johnson,
said Ellen has a "real good self-image and
is living a fulfilled life."
Nicole, born with spinabifada, attends public school five days a week.
On a day in mid-October, Miss Stern
and her classmates are making home-
made applesauce. The class is alive with
children are busy and being taken care of
artwork made by the students. They use
job is saying goodbye to a 26-year-old who
occupational training devices such as
during the day."
Mr. Fontichiaro said that a parent can
large, round electronic switches to turn is moving on.
"We are an extended family here," he
on appliances such as mixers. There is a
not start too soon in advocating for ser-
said. "We live with them through many vices for their children. He said that it is
"talking" computer that a speech
aspects of their lives. When they leave more than just on a school district basis or
therapist uses to work with them. There
here, their parents show a great deal of a county basis. He said parents need to
is also a water bed that gives the students
anxiety. And why shouldn't there be organize themselves politically so that
a chance to get out of their wheelchairs
anxiety? We have a real dichotomy here, their political representation hears them.
and stretch out for a while.
a system that provides a standard of Student services are paid for on a 90-10
It's this liveliness, this stimulation that
excellence and a system that exists on an ratio, 90 percent of their educational fun-
Miss Stern will be without come June.
ding comes from the state, 10 percent
Like the Sterns, Ms. Johnson said she is inequitable basis.
"When a parent (of a child with from the county. Mr. Cooper said he has
dreading the day when she loses Ellen as
disabilities) is working a full-time job, never had any difficulty in getting Oak-
a student.
they are working hard to make it through land County to come up with its 10 per-
"I have grown with Ellen and with
the day," he continued. "But when they cent. He's certain that if Michigan came
these kids," she said. "I have a special
come home, they come home to something up with the $17.1 million of the $19 mill-
bond with them. Please don't feel sorry
different than most of us can understand.
ion he needs, then Oakland County would
for Ellen Stern. I think she is enjoying her
The job doesn't end for them. And now come up with its $1.9 million share.
life. She does a fine job with what she can
we're telling them that they can't even
Mr. Fontichiaro added that many
do." Robert Fontichiaro, Wing Lake's
have the peace of mind knowing their
principal, said the hardest aspect of his

30

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1990