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Spread The Word

The Source

Triopia students are spreading the word to end the word. The noontime hallways at the school have been become the sign up location for a nation-wide campaign to end the use of the words “retard” and “retarded” in every day conversation. The pledge states, “I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the r-word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.” Triopia student John Love is heading up the school drive along with his sister and THS graduate Lydia Reither. Both John and fellow classmate Derrek Schone have spent some time talking to the elementary school students about the detrimental effects of using the offensive language. More than 250,000 people have pledged online to take part in the Special Olympic Campaign to “spread the word to end the word.” The campaign was initiated in 2009 by two college students, and in 2010 President Obama signed “Rosa’s Law,” which eliminates the words “retarded” or “retardation” in federal health, education and labor laws. Ellen Seidman who has a son with cerebral palsy wonders if people will ever respect her nine-year-old as long as labels are attached to his condition. "It's hard to explain until you experience it yourself, and I think a lot of people out there just don't understand why," she said. "There's already a lot of prejudice and misunderstanding about people with cognitive impairments, and this is one small thing I can do to help." Jill Roegge and Laurie Buhlig are the local organizers for the movement and have shirts available for purchase.