When Universities are not inclusive

  So  last post  did not get any  comments but I  did  post a question.  

 The  inaccessible
 staircase
 that leads to campus.  I do not  take this
 often.
 I  go  where the cars
go.

        My  university is completely inaccessible.  Walking  up to  the  campus  from  the street,  I   take the bus  because I live at home with my parents,  You  are met with a wooden   staircase.    You  know the  wood  that cause  you to have  splinters if  you  need to  use the rail due to  compormised   balance.       
  There  are only two people that I have seen  that use  wheelchairs  and  I am not surprised because there is  one  building  that holds classes    does not have a elevator.


 Why  am  I  telling you this , well this is the scene  of my college  and their  view of  disabled  people.   This  is where  I have been attending for the  past  week and although I   do not need an elevator   I still have a major  disability.  I  have CP   NLD and  OCD.

   *  I have had  teachers  that do not  get it. 

*  I had a professor   make jokes about my  hats and then  when  I explain  the fact that I can not do  my hair because of  Cerebral  Palsy.   He says  whatever

 A sad day at school.    This was taken  in the
 beginning of October
:however things never improved  they got worse

 *  I have  had an  Linguistic teacher   say  blanket statements    such as  " Everyone learns  language without direct instruction,  which   invalidates   my experience,

*   I have  had a professor    defend  the use of  the word  cripple.  She  is not  a  crip   thats  my  word to defend.

*  I have had a  professor  use the R word and  then   scold  me  when   I  bring  it to his attention.

*  I have had a professor   not  understand  why   reading   Beowulf  and  Canterbury  Tails   ( Click on  each one to hear  how its pronounced )  out loud    seem  like cruel and  unusual  punishment   for someone who  struggles to speak  modarn    english.

 *   I  have had   a professor   force me to take a test that I was not  prepared  for.


 The last  one  was the  straw that broke   my  back.  i have  no  intention  of  going back this semester     Its   gotten  too the point where I do not want to  be a teacher anymore.    




 So what  happens  when  schools   are not inculsive  

    One of the few fun times that   I  had  in University was
 an activity  on campus.   

 " IT MAKES  DISABLED  STUDENTS  FEEL  LIKE THEY ARE AFTERTHOUGHTS.   IT MAKES US  GIVE UP ON OURSELVES AND   LIVE UP  TO SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS,   IE SHELTER  WORKSHOPS,    IT  MAKES US  DEPRESSED AND UNSURE OF  OUR  FUTURE." 

Inclusive Schools week 2013 : A Question

 If  I knew what I know  now.   I do not  think  I be smiling for the camera .

             According to my parents, who are both physicians    College is the key to a good life.  You need college to have a great job.  I   believe this  and have a lot more to say; however  its 11:25  I have class at  12:30  which  means that   I have  to leave but  before i do  I want to leave you with this thought.


" If college is  supposed   to be the key to   a successful adult life .  Who is that  key ment for?  Is it  ment  for  everyone  who  wishes  for a  good life. Is it ment for   people who  fit the mold  of   a college student.   How about  students who  have physical and  mental  health issues.  Is college ment  for them."   

An Update on Henry

     Remember this   amazing young man.

    No  well  maybe  this will spur  your memory.  






 Here is  his  update.      Watch it til the end its  worth it.   He also  got an  Award from ASAN.  











  Keep up the good   work  Henry.  Still want to meet you one day

Its been a while

   Hay  guys  so   I  know  I have not been around    recently.    Its because   I have been dealing with  mental health issues/ depression in addition  to another loss in the family ,  My mom's dad    pasted away  the last saturday of  october.  So its been  hard.   Hope to blog more soon.

Dear Public Schools,

   Dear  Public Schools,


  You  know when  you have school wide events,  and  the school  website  .  All  the kids  need to be represented.   That   means   every type of  learner  needs to be represented  at the school.   If you have  school  wide   pajama  party  or a  Science fair  or  walk a jog .  All kids  need to be represented.  Including those  kids in those  classrooms.  You  know the ones  who  for no fault of your own have special  needs.   Let me tell you a secret.

  Those    kids have names

 Those  kids   enjoy  having fun.

 Az, a student who has special needs goes down a bouncy slide  on her  Senior Activity Day.     

 Those kids want to belong to the school community

 So  next time  u have an event   Please make sure they know.   please  make sure they are invited.  If you  happend to take pictures of  said  event   please make sure you capture their smilies to  post on the website.   They    have  the same rights  as the  average students.

 Sincerely

 AZ
 ( a  student who   is friends  with  students in the Special Education  classes. and has  disabilities)

 AZ graduated  community college with honors and a  degree in Social Sciences 

Got  pic from http://prek-8.com/holiday/backtoschool/images/backtoschool_nametag1.jpg

World CP Day 2013

  Hay  guys  so today  is  World CP Day  and this year its  special because I am a champion for  CP day.     Today is the day to  wear  green and  talk about the abilities of people who live with CP.  The  video  this  year is  a very  unique one because it shows the great  abilities that  people with Cerebral Palsy  have.  I want to thank everyone for sharing their photos with me.    It was so fun to be able to see all  of the people with CP and learn about their abilities. Thankyou.

  I also want to thank  Kate  for letting me   honor  her son Gavin.   For those of you who do not  know the story.  Gavin    passed  away this past  April at five and a half years old .  His  family   called him  their super hero.   For more information please visit Kate's  blog  to learn more about Gavin and his amazing family.


   Hope  you enjoy the video



 Rest in  peace  Gavin

 Have a great day everyone and remember to wear  green.


 Ps.   Sorry if there are spelling mistakes.

University Update

            For those  who read the blog and  or  know   me  offline,   You  know that  last semester  I graduated   Jr. College and  started University  near by  my  house.  Well  what  you  probably are wondering is  How is the transition  going.

               I have  changed my clases  a ton  so now  I am  going  part time with nine units and  the department   dean has already met with me and my  parents and advisor,  who originally said that  I  could stop on by  whenever I want   however  I   was  going too much,   So as of  now  I have  nine units 



   Math for Elementary School  Teachers

   Linguistics

  American  history

  Lets  take a look at how  I am doing  in all three in those classes 


 Math 

  Never too old for  a first day of  school pic  8-28-13

          I  hate to admit it but this class is hard.    We are doing fractions and  the homework has  been difficult   We went over the  chapter review, we have a test on Friday, which I  understood  so   maybe  the test will be doable. 

   Linguistics


                I  got an  A  on the first test despite not having  extended time because the professor did not put  the test  in the   DSPS place.    I wish  that was  my only complete about this   professor but  I have not  liked them  since the day they  said  that "  All  children learn language without ever being taught." When I   confronted her about it she  said  Well  all NORMAL  children do. I  went to  her office  hour and  tried to expalin   the mistake to her but  she  said it was interesting   how a word changes.  (  ok  so  she was  taking about the R  word)  and she  used  crippled   in her handout then  defended it.    If that isn't  Ableist then  I do not know  what is.   When  we were learning about  developmental stages she  said    " AZ knows that your  tongue  has to do  gymnastics   to make  the sounds."   = Sure bring up that up I am all ready finding some part of the topic that applies to me.

                  We are  doing  phonics  now which is  going alright except that some  students are laughing  at things  and sounds  which  I do not find funny because  well  I do know It might have something to do with the fact that I  been in speech  for a long time  and still  t alk like Sh**.   Oh  the  professor thinks  sounds are interesting and  K i s such a  cool  sound.  The professor also  said  jokingly to another student,  Well J  its ok if you cant   make a clicking  sound  but     I  think you can make the  L  sound.       J finds it  funny I  find  it  offensive  but again  I  can not do anything about it.   I  sit in the back of  the class its  a good   place to  doodle  and   zone  out.



 History


 Well I  have this right  after  Linguistics and it    gives me something to look forward to  those days.  The  guy is  British  and extremely funny.    I am  interested in hearing his  take on the American  Revolution.  I  enjoy his lectures.


 We had  a test Tuesday  and I think i did alright considering that    i had to take the test where people  get tutoring.  I am used to  total quiet when doing  test  in  fact that is why I take the test  outside of class.    I  do not think  the campus is disability friendly.  There is  one  bright  spot  I have  a friend that wants to be a special education teacher and  has   worked in the field so he   'gets'  it.  Now to  educate more people .  
:(