Ableism, as the Center for Disability Rights defines it, is a set of beliefs or practices that devalue or discriminate against people with physical, intellectual or psychiatric disabilities. The belief that disabled people need “fixing” or that there’s something wrong or bad about bodies and minds that work differently from what we’ve been taught to consider the norm. People form prejudice, ableism can be rooted in fear, ignorance or a lack of education. Even though as many as one in four Americans live with some sort of disability or chronic illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many people are uncomfortable talking about disability or interacting with disabled people, especially those with apparent physical or mental disabilities.

In the beginning of the article Penny she is Joe's mom. She knew her son was disabled but didn't realize the fight she would have for son's basic rights.  The world has negative assumptions concerning disabilities. While speaking to the social worker at a preschool they made it clear she shouldn't have the same dreams for her son as a parent with a non-disabled child. Another time she was told that she had to go through a period of mourning the arrival of her disabled child. Penny’s response was, “I have lost a child at birth and I have had a disabled child. I know the difference. My son is a gift, not a tragedy. This is terrible for a parent to hear. I can’t imagine a parent hearing that. 

Ableism in schools, according to the article an ableist perspective, students with  disabilities results in societal attitudes that assert that it is better for a child to walk than roll, speak than sign, read print than read Braille, spell independently than use a spell-check, and hang out with nondisabled kids as opposed to other disabled kids. Basically its preferable for  disabled students to do things in the same manner as nondisabled kids. 

Education of the Blind, The school Bias for against blind or visually impaired students. The schools have been against Braille and failing to teach it to blind and visually impaired is ableist assumptions. Reading Braille is a disability-specific method of reading.  The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), an advocacy organization of blind people, has taken a strong position favoring the teaching of Braille to blind children and those with other vision impairments. The controversy around Braille is the students that are visually impaired they can read large print or other accommodations. Another controversy with blind or visually impaired students' orientation and mobility services (O&M) they help teach students to walk around with a cane. Does a school provide assistance and 1:1. We have one blind student at our school who walks with a cane and has a 1:1 aid with him at all times. He uses a Braille typewriter for his work and has special services. The problem is when she is unable to attend school and they cant replace her he has to miss school. 

  To end ableism in education, schools need to continue to make everyone feel equal whether its race, gender, or disabilities.  The article had suggestions to help end ableism 

-Include disability as part of schools’ overall diversity.

-Special education should be specialized, The notion that once children are placed in special education they receive a different education should be rejected

-Encourage disabled students to develop and use skills and modes of expression that are most effective and efficient for them. 

 The school dept I work for does a great job with working on ableism in ours schools. We encourage all of our students to participate in activities, sports, school events etc. I have 4 special ed classroom and 6 co taught. We have students that work well in reg ed rooms and others that have difficulty. Every student learns differently and at different paces.  We are having our first unified basketball game at our elementary school. We are having our 5th graders and staff along with our special ed dept. Our senior prom last year our student with special needs was our prom queen. I think our schools have done a good job but still a work in progress. I attached a video of my students that appeared on channel 10. https://turnto10.com/news/local/promposal-prom-warwick-rhode-island-pilgraim-high-school-unified-program-sports-poster-bee-celebration-special-may-16-2023