The campaign hopes to change the way we think about adults and children with special needs or intellectual disabilities. It’s about love, inclusion, and understanding the power of words. Casual use of words like “retard” in everyday conversation shapes how we think of others. It promotes separation and division, and that’s not right.
I hope you’ll join the movement and sign the pledge. It’s a simple gesture, but I know when signed my name and joined the movement, it made me think about the power of words. And seeing almost 50,000 other names on the list made me happy to know that change is spreading.
Will you add your name to the list? It’s easy… just go to R-Word.org. The pledge itself is short and simple, yet powerful in its meaning and scope, “I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the r-word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.”
Your children can get involved, too. It only takes a minute and it can be a great way to get the conversation started in your own family. If you’re worried about what to say or want tips for talking with your kids, we have an article—Teaching Children About Special Needs—that has great information and useful ideas for parents (and for caregivers).
Thanks for your time. Let me know if you’ve signed the pledge, too.
Are you aware that special ed paperwork has stopped being politically correct? Rather than using terms such as "educable handicapped" as was used in the past to identify student disabilities, retarded is now used in the Illinois paperwork.
I have taught special ed for the past 20 years and am very familiar with the paperwork.
Posted by: R.A. | April 22, 2009 at 09:25 PM
I agree. The "R" word is absolutely offensive. My son is a wonderful loving & caring little boy who happens to have Special Needs. Every year when it's IEP time (Special ED Review), I have to mentally prepare myself for the verdict that states in writing that my son qualifies to receive IEP Benefits due to "Mental _______tion". I refuse to even say the word. I never used that word before I gave birth to him and absolutely will not start now. Thank you so much for this site!!! It's nice to know that I'm not alone in this. Sincerely, Terese Parks
Posted by: Terese Parks | July 14, 2009 at 11:59 PM
i find the use of the word highly offensive and enraging!! i grew up with special needs kids as part of my group of friends, probably because i could so closely identify with being made fun of because i wasn't exactly how kids were supposed to be molded into at that time. i wasn't special needs. i was overweight. i was more widely accepted just for who i was not what i looked like and always have been by kids/adults with special needs than so-called "normal" people who have these stupid hang ups on how you're supposed to look, act, talk, and so on ad nauseum. i will stand up for the special needs population any day of the week and we need to stop tolerating this ignorant and unacceptable behavior.
Posted by: anita jacquet | July 29, 2009 at 09:37 PM
Today I went to the wilmington ymca to sighn up my child for soccer, his name is christian he is 7 and has autism he was allowed to practise and he was placed in a team however the coach a lady i did not get her name she waited till the game was over and tolm me he can come to the practice but dont pay for the membership because he will not be allowed in the game. we can let him practice we can give it about a week and see what kind of effort he puts in the game but if he does not do better he will not stay in the team, so dont pay. I had him play previously in the lakewood ymca and they were volunteer couches their were great with him. he was never discrimanated agaist in that way. any suggestion i was told by the lady from the ymca that she would help me talk to onother coach and get my son another team , but i dont think its fair she is allowed to do that. what can i do to stop this.
Posted by: irma | August 05, 2009 at 01:00 AM