I write this blog to those who are lacking in compassion. So, let me say. I am a mother to a wonderful young man with Down Syndrome. His life long dream is simple to be a part of the community. This is his last week of high school. He is a proud member of the Unified basketball team, participates in community based instruction, and is a proud Ballard High School Bruin. Today, he proudly brought home his senior memory book. Eager for me to look at it, he excitedly pointed out various people he knew. As I perused this spiral bound book with beaming faces full of words of accomplishments, I realized that no child with special needs was mentioned. Nothing. It was as if he never was a student. Dismissed. Non existent. As frustrating as that is for me as a parent who fights for everything little thing, he was not phased. He was simply happy to have brought home a senior memory book.
With that being said, I always feared he would be dismissed. I never thought it would be his own school. Saddens me that the one opportunity they had to be inclusive, they opted to be exclusive. I guess as far as we have come in the fight for our special needs children, we have a long way to go. A very painful reminder.
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