Aspects of I n t e g r at i o n By Kylie Outten
Students at Mountain View High School Gabe’s mother, Marcy Selaya, explains the common biases that restrict people with disabilities from the opportunities and experiences that kids typically enjoy. “I wish they didn’t see Gabe for his diagnosis. I think because there are physical markers and characteristics for Down Syndrome, sometimes people see that, and (especially certain generations) carry a bias because a lot of things have been changing the past ten, twenty years, and have become a lot more open. There are people who see him and then automatically assume that he is not able to do certain things” (Selaya). Fostering relationships between students with disabilities and those without is challenging. Continuing these friendships and interactions outside of established programs and into the post-educational year, as the students move into possible careers, is even harder. Friendships and inclusivity are vital for everyone. Among the high school population, there are kids with disabilities who are often separated from the larger student body. Fostering friendships for children with disabilities and their peers is crucial because every student deserves the opportunity to make a friend both in the classroom and outside of it. From my firsthand account as a teacher’s assistant, the result of these friendships is very positive. After building relationships with these students over several months, I went to their taiko performance (a Japanese drumming class) for a World Down Syndrome Day celebration. Brian, one of the students performing, saw me watching the show and stopped drumming altogether to wave at me with a huge smile on his face. There are state and federal laws in place to protect people with disabilities and provide support in younger years.