Talking Points 9

Citizenship in School: Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome
By: Christopher Kliewer

1) "It's not like they come here to be labeled, or to believe the label.  We're all here- kids, teachers, parents, whoever- it's about all of us working together, playing together, being together, and that's what learning is.  Don't tell me any of these kids are being set up to fail."
          - I liked this quote a lot because it shows what a different perspective and approach the people at this school were taking on and how they were reaching outside the labels and expectations set upon these kids by society.  Here at this school they understand the kids and they are teaching them what everyone should be taught- that working together and being able to help and perform together is what is essential to be successful in life.  When you get out into the work force, it isn't going to matter if the answer was C and that you knew it; rather, what is important is being able to work with your peers and create functioning relationships with them in order to progress in life.
2) "They didn't think it was realistic, that she could handle that job.  Here they have her educating America's future, but they're scared to let her work at a movie place."
       -This quote literally made me laugh out loud because it was so ironic and she made a really great point saying that the board was afraid she was not going to be able to succeed in a movie store, but they let her teach children.  It goes to show that the idea of disabled people going out into the work force and working under a set system, such as in a movie store, seems impossible to many people, and may even scare them.  What bothers me is the plain fact that they didn't even want to give her the chance to let her try to work in this video store, even though movies were her passion.  They had no faith in her just because she was considered mentally disabled and they did not think she could succeed anywhere else but this little school.  People need to be more open minded and accepting and give everyone the same chance to do the job they want to do and have faith that they will succeed.  In fact, this particular person went to work in a video store and she did just as good as all her co-workers and loved it.
3) "Instead, she saw incompetence as a perception ascribed to a child by others who misunderstood the meaning of the child's performance."
        -I liked this quote a lot because it recognizes that if someone does not fit society's mold and norms in how people express intellect and understanding of material being taught, then society immediately labels them as mentally disabled.  When in reality, the student does actually understand, but they have a different way of expressing their comprehension of the lesson and people misinterpret it as nothing of substance.  Society needs to be more open to diverse ways of displaying an understanding and explanation of materials and lessons discussed in class.  So in other words, it is not the student that is incompetent, rather it is society that is incompetent in not broadening the scope for different ways of showing understanding.