sped = special ed

[Amy West]

This is a colloquial shortening and blending that I've heard used by
other parents, but now just spotted in the local paper:

"Look how much we've done for this kid. He's a great kid. We want the
best for him. No matter what we do it's like BAM! BAM! Obstacle,
obstacle, obstacle. So I jump over that one, jump over that one, jump
over that one. It's like that for any sped parent." -- Dorothy Odgren
quoted re: her son John Odgren, in "'It seemed there was nothing we
could do,'" Lee Hammel, _Sunday Telegram (Worcester, MA)_, 27 June 2010.

What's interesting is its application to someone indirectly involved
with special education services -- the student and service providers are
directly involved, one receiving and one giving. "Sped parent" is
standing for "parent of a special education student."

--
---Amy West

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