Johnny's Such a Bright Boy, what a Shame He's Retarded

Johnny's Such a Bright Boy, what a Shame He's Retarded: In Support of Mainstreaming in Public Schools

first edition
Authors	Kate Long
Country	United States
Language	English
Publisher	Houghton Mifflin
Publication date	1977
Media type	Print
Pages	361
ISBN	9780395253465
Dewey Decimal	371.9/0973
LC Class	LC4031 .L66

Johnny's Such a Bright Boy, what a Shame He's Retarded: In Support of Mainstreaming in Public Schools is a 1977 fictionalized psychology book by Kate Long, advocating for the implementation of developmentally disabled children into the mainstream public school system in the United States. The book was the winner of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society Internationals Educators' Award for 1978. The original 1977 edition was an apple-green hardcover, while the more common mass-market paperback, released in 1978, was mustard-yellow and featured an image of a smiling child on it.

Reception

Johnny's Such a Bright Boy, what a Shame He's Retarded received largely positive reviews from critics. Dava Grayson of Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness noted that the book's points were "generally valid" and that the book was timely for an era where mainstreaming disabled students into public schools was a top priority in the American education system. Kirkus Reviews agreed, stating, "the fictionalized approach enables Long - who was a special ed supervisor - to explore the issues and dramatize them in human terms, avoiding too-sharp contrasts without obscuring her position. A personalized exposition from a strong advocate."