You have heard undoubtedly about Linda Brown, the little girls whose last name heads the historic legislation “Brown versus Board of Education Topeka Kansas”. Her parents, along with 12 other families, fought to desegregate our public schools, paving the way for an inclusive special education model. If, indeed, separate is not equal, than desegregation should apply to children with disabilities as well.
The civil rights movement paved the way for IDEA and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE):
“To the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. (20 U.S.C 1412(a)(5) (A)”
For me though, the person who inspires me even more than Linda Brown, is Ruby Bridges, the seven year old girl who bravely exercised her legal rights to attend an all white school even in the face of persecution and hatred.
Actually, to be perfectly honest, the person who I empathize with the most is Ruby’s mother, who sent her child to school in the face of such opposition. Although she could not stay with her beyond the first few days, she taught her to pray in an effort to insulate her from the abuse. “Bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:28) These were the words of Jesus, and Ruby’s mother taught her to exercise her faith in the midst of overwhelming hatred.
I look to her as a role model now, as I send my son to school. He does experience abuse for his differences time and again, see Not Received. I have many opportunities to exercise my faith and to teach my child to pray for those who mistreat him, and he has an incredibility mature faith. (See Aspergers and Spirituality).
Life can be hard, and for folks living with a developmental difference, it can be even harder. In reference to life’s trials, the apostle Peter describes the refining of our faith. Trials come “so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine…” I Peter 1:7.
As we follow Ruby Bridges into a mainstream setting, our entire family gets to exercise our faith and grow spiritually. Forgiveness is sometimes harder to find when your child is the one being abused, but I pray that my faith will be proven genuine every day during those times when my little boy is not received.
Enjoy the attached video for more information about Ruby Bridges.
Filed under: Apergers, Civil Rights, Education Tagged: | Aspergers, Autism, Civil Rights, Parenting
