I LOVE Starbuck's Coffee, So We Should Ban All Other Brands!

kathy dolan

Alright, so my editorial is NOT about Starbuck's coffee, directly that is, but it is about the importance of CHOICE and our rights as American Citizens to expect such protection under the law. Imagine if we did impose such "rules" on our population? I drink Starbuck's coffee so we should outlaw all other brands. You may prefer Chock full O'Nuts, but you can no longer buy it, because one choice should be good for all. Sounds ridiculous, right? We all have different tastes, likes and dislikes and this is America after all, the world's greatest Democracy where individuals ALWAYS have freedom of choice! At least we're supposed to, unless you happen to be a parent of multiple birth children (twins, triplets, quads etc) entering the school system. Then you probably won't have any choice, unless you move to Europe.

Under the Constitution, parental rights to "direct the education and upbringing of ones children", have long been protected in addition to other specific freedoms under the Bill of Rights. Yet parents of multiple birth children are being denied the freedom to decide whether or not their children would benefit more from being placed together or if they would be better off being placed separately within the classroom. Although cousins and best friends are often placed together without concern, our education system allows some school districts and principles to impose "across the board" separation policies of twins, based solely upon their "multiplicity" in the hopes of promoting "individuality". A contradiction perhaps? Children who are not being judged on their OWN individual merits are being treated as a "GROUP" in order to promote "individuality", based of a trait determined prior to their birth? Discriminatory even? I believe it's both. But on the other hand, maybe you think it does seem logical to separate children born and are raised together in order to promote their "individuality", so why all the fuss? Well imagine you're a coffee drinker again, but Starbucks gives you indigestion. You would want another choice, wouldn't you? Well, some twins and even their parents end up with indigestion-theoretically that is. Internationally renown Twin Researchers and Authors, Dr. Nancy Segal and Dr. John Mascazine, as well as the International Society of Twin Studies and National Multiple Birth Advocates, have all called for forced separation policies to end and for a flexible placement policy to be instituted. In their studies, they have found that separating some 'twins' before they are emotionally ready, can cause psychological and academic repercussions which in some instances can last for years. Although some children do well when separated, others seem to benefit both academically and socially when they are allowed to remain within the same classroom as their sibling. You guessed it, research shows, what we all could have surmised just from a trip to the supermarket, choice is good and what's good for one is NOT always good for all!

So why, with all this information available to educators, do many schools still NOT allow parents to have a choice? The answer is simple. They have ALWAYS done things this way and like most discriminatory practices which have eventually been outlawed in this country, they most often apply to a minority of the population. Multiples, though there are more twins than ever being born every year, still remain a minority. That is why, twin parents like myself, have joined together and begun a campaign to see that Legislation of a "Twin Bill" becomes sponsored and enacted into law. The Bill would allow parents of twins, triplets and higher order multiples to have a "voice" in the placement decision's of their multiple birth children either separately or together within the classroom. Minnesota's Senator Dennis Frederickson sponsored the first "Twin Bill" which was signed into law on May 5th 2005 and I am determined to see that New York follows suit. After all, I live in the Big Apple, the world's melting pot, where anything can happen and everything is possible. Maybe even one day I will actually look forward to both, my Starbucks and the beginning of a new school year all at once WITHOUT the Tums in my pocket!

If you would like to join our campaign to make a difference in the lives of America's multiple birth children and their parents, log onto our website http://www.twinslegislation.com. Together we can make a difference.