Blog #9: Eliminating Ableism in Education

 

Welcome back blog readers! 

    During this week's class in FNED, we were instructed to read, "Eliminating Ableism in Education" by Thomas Hehir.  In this piece, Thomas Hehir describes ableism as "the devaluation of disability" which "results in societal attitudes that uncritically assert that it is better for a child to walk than roll, speak than sign, read print than read Braille, spell independently than use a spell-check, and hang out with nondisabled kids as opposed to other disabled kids." Hehir draws attention to ableist practices by discussing the studies and history of teaching deaf, blind, and visually challenged kids as well as students with learning difficulties, including dyslexia. He argues that "the pervasiveness of . . . ableist assumptions in the education of children with disabilities not only reinforces prevailing prejudices against disability but may very well contribute to low levels of educational attainment and employment." Hehir concludes by outlining six specific recommendations for starting to confront and remove ableist behaviors. Hehir uses his personal experiences as the former director of the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education, the Chicago Public Schools' Associate Superintendent, and the Boston Public Schools' Director of Special Education throughout this piece. 

    Also, this week we watched a video called, "Examined life" by Judith Butler and Sunaura Taylor. In the section, wheelchair-using Sunaura Taylor and gender theorist Judith Butler examine disabilities, bodies, and social spaces from a philosophical standpoint. By examining the concept of interdependence, they put doubt on the idea that disability is solely a medical condition and emphasize how socially constructed it is.  During a walk in San Francisco, Butler and Taylor use the activity as a platform for philosophical discussion about the drawbacks of having "an ideal morphology" of how a body should move and look. They study if we actually live in a society where people help one another and challenge the culture's concern with individualism. 

    This video had me thinking about the placement that I am currently in. There is a boy in the class that is physically challenged, and has a one on one aid to help him throughout his day. I love to see each time that I am there, that there is no separation between him and the other kids. They don't single him out because he isn't the exact same as them. The students in the class was kind to him, and help him out when he needs it. They will go and get this chair to put on the rug when it is circle time, because he can't directly sit on the ground. I am sure that these acts of kindness make the student with the disability feel better. 

Thank you for reading!

Maci Maiello