To be Inclusive or not to be Inclusive

Since I have moved to New Jersey I have been struggling to understand its school districts’ policies toward, and treatment of, children with disabilities. I grew up in a school district where all the schools were accessible… growing up I only had the vaguest idea that “special schools” existed. I was mainstreamed from a very early age and I excelled in everything I did… well, ok, chemistry and calculus were tough, but those classes are supposed to be tough. There were also many other kids who excelled in the “regular” classrooms with minor support from the special education department. Sure, my school district had special education classrooms, but the kids that needed that level of support still walked the same halls, ate in the same cafeteria and participated in the same school functions as the rest of the student body.

As I have moved around the country, I learned that “special schools” do exist, but it has always seemed that the emphasis was still on keeping children in their home district if at all possible. In New Jersey, at least in the counties around where I live, I have not seen much effort toward inclusion. Schools are older, yes, but with buildings that large, I can not see why all of them can not be made accessible. Many high schools appear to be wheelchair accessible but fewer elementary schools are. I am disturbed by this because, in my eyes, young kids are shaped by what they are, and are not, exposed to and so this inaccessibility hurts not only children with disabilities, but those without disabilities as well. Inner-city schools (not just in New Jersey) tend to be accessible less frequently than suburban or rural schools; money being the obvious factor causing this. I have to wonder, though, at what point does all that money those schools are losing yearly by these children going to other schools surpass the amount of money needed to renovate the school, making it accessible?

I have heard that many parents who have children with disabilities, particularly those residing in inner-city districts, do not want to send their children to the local school even if it is set up properly because they do not want their children teased and/or the parents fear for their children’s safety. While I can surely understand the safety concern, if it is legitimate, it would be a risk to all children with or without disabilities. I do not know if parents should be allowed to use this as sort of a “special education get-out-of-jail-free card.” On the other hand, I also do not know if I can argue against a parent sending a child to a “better school” if the opportunity presents itself… the question is, how does one make that determination when all factors are considered. If fear of teasing is the main reason, those parents need to realize that they can not shelter their children from this forever, especially given the fact that, once their kids finish school, they come home to that very same area those parents were trying to shield them from. It is a tough world out there and our natural instinct is to protect, but overprotection is just as hurtful, if not more, than what those kids are being protected against.

Is Cheney Dr. Strangelove?

During yesterday's historic presidential inauguration, Dick Cheney could be seen in a wheelchair. Apparently, he sprained his back recently and it was too painful to walk. Considering all the stairs visible along the path to where all the dignitaries were seated and President Obama was sworn in, I do not blame him one bit. Why he was in a rickety hospital-style wheelchair, considering how easy it would've been for a person of his influence to procure a rental of much better quality, is beyond me.

Much was made of Cheney's appearance in a wheelchair by numerous commentators covering the event. One such observation, made by Tom Brokaw of NBC News, suggested that many might use this opportunity to compare Cheney to Dr. Strangelove and that Cheney would not be too happy about it. Dr. Strangelove is a fictional character from the 1964 Stanley Kubrick film by the same name. Dr. Strangelove is an ex-Nazi nuclear physicist, a mad scientist of sorts, who happens to be in a wheelchair. It is subtly implied that his being in a wheelchair is a consequence of past evil deeds. He even has "alien hand syndrome" where one of his hands seems to have a mind of its own and tries to strangle Dr. Strangelove on several occasions. It was not uncommon in film during this era for "mad scientist" antagonists to have disability/disabilities and, even though it is far less common today, this trend still exists.

As a person with a disability, I feel Brokaw's observation (mirrored by other journalists since), that people are going to think that all the wrongs Cheney has done have put him in a wheelchair, was a bit out of line, especially considering that Brokaw himself probably caused more people to draw that connection than those that had already drawn it in their heads. I am in no way claiming Cheney is a good man (I despise the man), I am instead arguing the fact that the connection was unfair to people with disabilities everywhere. Having a disability should never be thought of as a just consequence for past sins.

Brokaw, a man I deeply respect and have enjoyed watching for years, had every opportunity to connect what will likely be a short stint in a wheelchair with something, anything positive about disabilities. A very good example would have been to discuss FDR's modifications to the Whitehouse that laid the foundations for future modifications that has allowed Cheney to use a wheelchair in the Whitehouse almost 70 years later.

I'm sure most, if not all Americans are tired of Cheney's antics and are glad to see him leave, but Brokaw and others who have made similar comments have the journalistic responsibility to make sure no minority group gets caught in the crossfire and to ensure stereotypes such as this are not perpetuated. Journalists may not believe the stereotype in question, but bringing it to the forefront of viewers'/readers' minds is just as damaging to people with disabilities.