Ableism

The author Thomas Hehir, argues that ableism is an overlooked category of discrimination and our education system needs to work on bridging the gap between disabled students and receivin the same education and expectations of those of able bodied students. 

 Until recently, I didn't realize how much ableism I see in my life. My father is dyslexic but did not find out until later in life. He felt "stupid" as a kid because he didn't know how to read and no one took the time to help him figure out why he couldn't read. My brother is physically disabled and walks with a limp. He has been through several surgeries in his lifetime.  He hasn't been able to walk correctly since he was 10 and probably never will. 

Since working in a school, and taking classes for my school nurse teacher certificate, I see all the different types of supports that schools have to offer to students and it makes me wonder why my brother never had any of these things when he was in school. I asked my parents why my brother was never offered such supports in school but her answer was not what I was expecting. They said they were offered a support plan for him but they turned it down. My parents never wanted to make him feel like he different than other kids. They didn't want to give him the label of being disabled. But thats what he is. 

My parents heard several comments to them over the years like the ones that Penny had heard. As I am sure many parents in similar situation do. It's heart breaking to see people write children off because of something they cannot control. Hehir talks about "entering a world of lower expectations" meaning that people see a child in a wheelchair and automatically assumes he is not as smart as other students or needs to be in special education classes because of it. I have seen this first hand when I first started at my school. We have a student with muscular dystrophy and is wheel chair bound. During his first few weeks in high school, the teachers noticed he was excelling in all of his special education classes and moved him to regular education classes. When the special ed coordinator at my school asked him why he never moved to regular ed sooner, he said that no one had ever asked him. They had just assumed he wanted to stay in the lower classes.