Blog #9 Eliminating Ableism in Education

-

Hehir's "Eliminating Ableism in Education" - Quotes

Thomas Hehir's "Eliminating Ableism in Education" highlights the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities due to societal biases. Hehir critiques schools for trying to "fix" students instead of embracing their unique learning styles. The text emphasizes that ableism—the belief that being non-disabled is preferable—creates significant obstacles. Heir points out how this affects students with various disabilities, like deafness or dyslexia, where they are forced to meet "normal" expectations. It also shows societal and institutional biases rather than the disability itself. Overall, the need to challenge educational systems and cultural beliefs to ensure equal opportunities for all children is a common theme in Hehir's call to diverse learning needs. We can see some of this in the quotes throughout the reading:

1. “I was taught to read print, not Braille, because everyone felt it would make me more like sighted people.”

This quote directly illustrates the pressure placed on disabled students to conform to non-disabled norms, even at the expense of their learning. It shows how ableism can disguise itself as well-meaning intent while actually creating barriers.

2. “My son is a gift not a tragedy.”

The emotional response here shows strength and how deeply offensive and harmful ableist assumptions can be. This quote reframes disability as something human and valuable, not something to be mourned, which aligns with the goals of disability rights advocates.

3. “Don’t assume he has the same educational rights as every other child. You’re going to have to fight for that.”

This quote reveals how systemic and widespread the barriers are. It’s a powerful reminder that even though rights exist on paper, families must often battle to have them recognized in real life.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Post #2 The Silenced Dialogue by Lisa Delpit

-
Image
 The argument about the relationship between language, power, and education by Lisa Delpit .           The readings discuss how language and power are connected in education. The author explains that students should not have to give up the way they naturally speak but should also learn the standard way of writing and speaking to succeed in school and work. The text highlights the importance of teaching students these language skills while also respecting their cultural backgrounds. By sharing personal stories and teaching ideas, the author encourages a fair and open discussion about language and how schools can better support all students. The author presents a few main arguments throughout the reading:      First, they argue that students, particularly those from excluded communities, must learn the "codes of power" to succeed in mainstream society. Without clear teaching of these language rules and behaviors, students might have ...
Read more

Blog Post #1 - Power, Privilege, and Difference by Alan Johnson

-
Image
Quotes from Dr. Alan Johnson and the Reality of Power, Privilege, and Difference      "You can't deal with a problem if you don't name it; once you name it, you can think, talk, and write about it." This quote emphasizes the importance of identifying and labeling issues. By naming a problem, it becomes tangible and can be addressed through discussion and analysis. This is relevant because it highlights the first step in tackling social issues: recognition. Once a problem is recognized and named, it allows for a common language to be developed around it, enabling more effective communication and collaboration in finding solutions. "People don't want to look because they don't want to know what it has to do with them and how doing something about it might change not only the world, but themselves." This quote explains why people often resist acknowledging social issues like racism or sexism. It suggests that people fear the personal and societal change...
Read more

Blog Post #4: The System Isn't Broken...

-
Image
 A Short History of Public Schooling For my blog today, I used Marco's blog as the center of my own to reflect and share for this blog post. I chose his blog because I agree with a lot of the points he brought up and I have my own personal connections and thoughts to add on.  Marco's blog post makes some really interesting points about how public schooling has changed. I agree that Horace Mann's idea of public education was groundbreaking, but I think part of the system could still use some work. For example, the focus on standardized testing and strict curriculums can really hold back creativity and the different ways kids learn. Personally, for me, I am not good with standardized testing at all. I get very anxious and nervous because I don't want to fail. I mean, who wants to fail at something they know deep down they are good at and have knowledge of?  When we look at how education used to happen at home compared to today’s public schools, it shows a big change in ho...
Read more