Reconceptualizing Down Syndrome

The article this week started out really dense. It was not boring, there was just a lot of information that needed to be processed in order to be able to understand the rest of the article. Once I got past the density, I absolutely loved the article! It was so interesting and I loved all the stories that were told. The struggle that those with Down Syndrome, as well as many other disabilities face, is absolutely unfair. What makes me sad is that those who deal with children who are disabled have all of the tools to help them, and some just do not know how to use those tools. It is so frustrating knowing that these children could be helped and those in power just don’t recognize that.  One quote that I really liked from the article was

 “It’s not like they come here to be labeled, or believe the label. We’re all here, kids, parents teachers, whoever,- it’s all about us working together, playing together, being together, and that’s what learning is. Don’t tell me any of these kids are being set up to fail”

 

This quote speaks volumes to me. These kids are out here trying their best and being so happy with the life that they have that sometimes they don’t even realize that they are being oppressed. They do not realize that what is happening to them is not fair in any way, shape, or form. Teachers and youth workers are given the tools to help all children succeed, there should not be any exceptions. Maybe I am biased, because I am a PASS worker with a young boy who has Down Syndrome. He is the happiest person I have ever met in my life, he tries so hard in school and it is so frustrating to see that some of his teachers are not using the tools that they have.