Henry's Classroom

Over 7 million students ages 3–21 across the United States receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Amy Mackin’s son, Henry, is one of them. As she navigates the medical, social, and educational systems that are designed to help families like hers, she discovers that staffing shortages, budget restrictions, ineffective communication practices, and a resistance to innovative ideas all threaten her son’s ability to reach his full potential. Henry’s Classroom takes readers on Amy’s often frustrating, sometimes funny journey with her son—from the initial signs of a developmental delay, through early intervention, eventual diagnosis, and Henry’s challenges within the public education system—until they finally turn away from traditional structures and create something new instead. As much a work of cultural criticism as it is a memoir, Henry’s Classroom argues that an expanded, more flexible vision of American schools and workplaces is essential for our society to realize true equity and inclusion.