Shouting Over the Walls

Today atSupport for Special Needs:Excerpt: So many of the discussions and emails I ' ve received lately have reminded me of how tall the castle walls can loom, and how deep the moat runs. I ' ve been told that my opinions on politics and other topics are distorted by the experience of being a disability parent. There was the email telling me that yeah, sure, kids in special education classes need more resources, but so do kids in gifted and talented programs, and I should be advocating for both equally. I ' ve been told that being a special education teacher or knowing people with kids with autism means understanding exactly what the lives of people with disabilities and their parents are like. I ' ve seen, time and time again, parents of kids with disabilities told that their challenges aren ' t any more daunting than those of any other parents. It ' s the " we ' ve all got troubles, bub " argument, first cousin once removed of " quit your bitching already " . I ' m reminded again and again that for those of us attempting to build lives with disabled kids while trying to live normal ones ourselves (pretty much an impossibility, but you ' ve got to try), it ' s a sucker ' s bet to try and explain that no, it ' s not the same as any other family, and usually it ' s not even close. Put it in a hashtag if you will, but remember that #NotJustDisabledKids sounds a lot like #AllLivesMatter to us. 
Source: Schuyler's Monster: The Blog - Category: Disability Authors: Source Type: blogs