I hear the classroom door open. I turn my head to see who is about to enter the classroom, an excuse to focus on something other than the lesson for a few short seconds. He walks in with a smile on his face and empties the classroom garbage can. This is daily routine, and he never asks for anything in return. I realize that he rarely gets the praise he deserves. So many don’t realize all the hard work that this boy has done. A feeling of gratefulness sinks in, and I promise myself that a “thank you” is in order the next time I see him.
The term “special education” envelops a broad scope of disabilities. Disabilities can come in the form of Asperger’s Syndrome, autism, blindness, diabetes, paraplegia, and many more. There are different cases of severity; they range from ones that need constant care and include little independence to very minor ones that only need a little guidance. Several students who have disabilities aren’t in a special class at all. They take regular classes and their peers don’t even realize they have a disability. Although some students with disabilities are in special classes, they are just as much a part of this school as the brainiacs in the CIS classes. Although most of them aren’t triple sport athletes, they provide cheer sections at a lot of our sporting events. When it comes down to our student body, it shouldn’t be broken down into those with disabilities and those without.
Although the kids in special education classes may have physical, cognitive, emotional, or learning disabilities, that’s not what defines them. The limit may be there, but so is the ability to break the limit. Lots of people with disabilities and special needs have gone on to do great things. Stevie Wonder, although blind from birth, signed a contract with Motown Records at age twelve and has been singing ever since. Adam Young, the Owl City guy, along with Thomas Edison, Mark Twain, and Ludwig Van Beethoven have/had Asperger’s Syndrome, which is characterized by social skill deficits. Michael J. Fox, a famous American actor, and Muhammad Ali, a famous boxer, both have Parkinson’s disease, which is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that impairs the sufferer’s motor skills and speech.
It’s the tasks that appear to be simple, like walking the crowded halls from class to class, weaving through the lunch line, taking notes in a class, singing in the choir, playing in the band, and handing in homework that most do every day and don’t give a single thought to. It’s hard to imagine being limited in doing the things that are practically second nature, let alone not being able to do them without some assistance. But when it comes to high school, even with all its cliques, one thing’s for certain: when graduation day finally meets us face to face, we are a class not divided by kids with disabilities and kids without. It marks the end of one journey together and the start of an unknown one with endless possibilities, regardless of your educational label.