We have heard people say that teasing and bullying are not problems on the reservations, that we accept people with disabilities as part of our culture. This is nice to believe, but we have heard too many stories from people who attended reservation schools, and from American Indian children who attended school off the reservation, to believe that any group is immune from problems.
The following is from the article "Teasing and harassment" by the PACER Center, copyright (2000) used with permission from PACER Center Inc., Minneapolis, MN, (952) 838-9000. www.pacer.org. All rights reserved.
Eleven-year-old Brian has mild cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. Until a few months ago, he had a “sunny” disposition and loved going to school each morning. Last April, Brian’s parents noticed a change. Brian seemed unhappy on school days, and his parents had difficulty rousing him out of bed in time to catch the bus. He rarely discussed the events of his school day, as he had in the past. He frequently had a morning stomachache, and he began to beg to
stay home from school.
Fortunately, Brian, while reluctant, eventually told his family what was happening to him daily. He revealed that he was the object of constant teasing by several classmates.
Brian and his parents are fictitious, but many families of children with disabilities know his story all too well.
“All children need a school environment that is safe and supportive for learning,” said Virginia Richardson, parent training manager at PACER. Telephone calls from parents to PACER Center indicate that Minnesota children with disabilities often encounter teasing at school. “We want to give families some tools so that a child is not consistently made miserable by teasing,” said Richardson.
To read the entire article, click here
Next page: behavior problems