The challenged citizens in our society.

            As a little background to my topic here is a story about my uncle. My Uncle Bill is one of the nicest people I know. He lives on his own, works at a company sorting mail and has a college degree. Although this is all true there is something that sets him apart from the general population, he has Aspergers, a type of Autism that hasn’t exactly made it easy for him to get where he is now. He has integrated himself into society and feels he is in the right place and people around him are glad that he is there. Bill has not caused any trouble and contributes to society equally if not more than the general population. However, in recent times people from his work place have abused their power over him and he is confused as to what to do. They tell him that he needs to work overtime otherwise everyone will get fired and it will be his fault so while everyone else goes home on time Bill keeps working for no extra pay because no one wants the bosses to know that he is the only one working late, that and overtime is not allowed at this office and he could be fired for working so long.

Do we as a society integrate and accept the mentally challenged to the best extent we can or do we simply avoid and sweep the subject under the rug? We may try to be fully aware and tolerant of other’s differences but our society often falters in total acceptance of others with mental and other handicaps. Through all the acts passed and assistance in schools provided there is still little understanding of those who are considered different from the general population.

How can you define someone who is mentally challenged or impaired? It’s a difficult task. There are no direct definitions in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, but there are the definitions of impaired and challenged. To be challenged means to be “: presented with difficulties (as by a disability) <physically challenged> “ or impairment as defined by “: disabled or functionally defective —often used in combination <hearing-impaired> .“ However, under the American with Disabilities Act these citizens are defined by those with “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.” This broadens the terms in which we evaluate this population. This is the closest I can come to defining these terms. This expands our topic to the autistic, those with down syndrome, and even those with psychoses and other such impairments.

    What is true in every situation is how bullying is out in the open in front of this population unfortunately. In the book, Riding the Bus with My Sister, author Rachel Simon explains that in community in which her mentally challenged sister lives “Not everyone is nice. Some drivers, I learn, call her ‘The Pest.’ When the see Beth at a stop ahead , they cruise right by, gaze glued to the road” (Simon 6). These incidents are so similar to the ones the rest of the challenged population experiences on a day to day basis, whether riding the bus like Beth or my uncle in his place of work. Here we can plainly see that even if a society seems open and welcoming there are still others in the community who are not and avoid these situations entirely, unfortunately that percentage of the population has the greatest impact on these citizens.
    Another example of the unfair treatment of the challenged population is in the case of the Kehoe couple vs the Baker’s. ABC News quoted Mrs. Baker in an article when she spoke about why she took legal action to take back her twins after she agreed to be the surrogate mother to the Kehoe family, "I felt irresponsible as a mother. You know, as a surrogate," Baker said. "Because I stood in front of the judge, while listening to this woman tell about her psychotic disorder, and her anxiety, and the pills she has to take and the criminal history." The Bakers knew about Mrs. Kehoe’s psychotic disorder before the pregnancy and to all of a sudden decided that she might just one day stop taking her medicine that she has dutifully taken for nine years straight is ludicrous (Clarke, et. al. 2). Kathryn Johnson says this in response to the article “There’s no test that parents have to take before they get pregnant...So I guess I feel like she shouldn’t be judged for it I don’t think by having a mental illness it by definition makes you an unfit parent.” She also stated that the Baker’s have no background in mental illness or any support that could really put them in a place to judge Mrs. Kehoe. Obviously with no outside information the Baker’s have no right to not only humiliate the Kehoe’s or to keep the twins at all. This action alienated the Kehoe’s from society, they now “have a nursery with everything a parent could ever need. Except babies” (Clarke, et. al. 3).
    However there are some situations that might make it appear that those who are challenged are fully welcomed into society. One example is that of a long-term care facility in Iowa that employs the challenged in level entry jobs, by training them and giving them a job to fit their skill levels they argue that it is a win win situation and in most ways this is true. Pine’s article addresses the advantages Halcyon experienced with hiring and training the challenged, “Halcyon has benefited by reducing staff turnover while gaining dedicated and reliable employees. Also, the CCRC's residents have developed special relationships with their new friends. Additionally, these special employees are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the community” (Pine). These are great opportunities for those who are physically and mentally challenged but getting to this point isn’t the easiest route, when the program was first introduced many of the existing staff members, not challenged, were wary, distant and unsure if the new employees could handle the work they had been given (Pine). The transition was difficult for all employees this only proves further how a community, even as welcoming as a retirement home, could at first be uncomfortable for those working with the challenged employees.
    Another opinion on how received the life skills kids are at Fairview is that of Trudy Ebersole. Here she states her beliefs on Fairview’s work to involve these kids, “Overall, I think the students and faculty at Fairview are very open-minded and friendly to the students with special needs.... One thing that Fairview has that no other high school in BVSD has is the Adaptive PE class. This class helps students form special friendships that then carry over throughout the day.” This class matches these kids with other high school students for a physical education class including fun, easy games to allow friendships to form during the class period. Trudy also reveals the reality about what some of the Life Skills kids are facing once they graduate senior year, “BVSD has a Transition Program that most of our students attend after they finish their senior year. They can attend until they turn 21. This program helps them learn skills to transition from a more formal setting (high school) to an independent setting...Wait lists for students to receive services such as financial help, respite care, job coaching, or a residential setting is anywhere from 10-20 years. This is really scary, sad, and unfair to parents.” In this way although Fairview and BVSD as a whole is a welcoming community, it certainly has its short comings. Unfortunately, like art, the programs that benefit these kids often come second place to new football uniforms and pom poms.This is unfair and wrong. These kids have so much potential and do not have the same opportunities as less challenged students might although we do share many academic classes (Ebersole). Our community may be welcoming but these kids still ”run into people who stare, laugh, or are uneasy” (Ebersole).
    No matter how inclusive or helpful our society tries to be these kids will always have hardships with the general population. Whether by alienation or simply avoided they can only do their best to do well and thrive in their community. The Kehoes had their kids taken away unfairly and without just cause, but it was legal (ABC News). My Uncle Bill will probably continue working in these conditions because that is what will allow him to keep his job. Beth found that riding the buses with the nice bus drivers was the best way for her to spend her day (Riding the Bus with My Sister). And even though the Americans Disabilities Act tries to create a sort of tolerance there is no way to officiate that or even to give a chance to the citizens that need it most. These are just a few ways in which our society fails to integrate and accept those who are more challenged than the general population.

Work Cited

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm#anchor62335.A Guide to Disability Rights Laws.U.S. Department of Justice. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

Chang, Juju ,Pereira, Jennifer  and Clarke, Suzan. “Adoptive Mom's Medical, Criminal Past     Causes Surrogate to Revoke Agreement” ABC News, Good Morning America. 11 Jan. 2010 Web. 15 Nov. 2010.

Ebersole, Trudy. “Interview.” Message to Life Skills Educator. Sent 18 Nov. 2010. E-mail. Disability Interview.

Johnson, Kathryn. Personal Interview. PA Spruce Street Internal Medicine. 16 Nov. 2010

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Web. 16 Nov. 2010.

Pine, Nancy. “Hiring the Mentally Challenged to Improve Staffing.” 1 April 2000. All Business.     Web. 16 Nov. 2010.

Simons, Rachel. Riding the Bus with My Sister. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 2003.     Print.