‘R-Word’ a thing of the past
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Courtney McClure
May 12, 2010
Filed under Student Life, Top Stories
Words like “retard” or “slow” have slowly slithered their way into everyday language. Their hurtful connotations and their derogatory meanings sometimes go unnoticed. With the help of East students and staff, the R-Word Campaign has dedicated itself to putting an end to the use of these loaded words.
The movement began when one Illinois sophomore, Soeren Palunbo, entered an essay in a contest about his struggle with the R-word in regards to his handicap sister in 2008. Palunbo then collaborated with the Shriver family, who then founded the Special Olympics in order to make an organization designed to promote dignity and respect for students with intellectual disabilities. A $4 million grant was then given to several schools around the nation, including East.
First the students and teachers of the Exceptional Children (EC) department collaborated to publicize the issue. Together they gained more than 1,200 pledges from the student body and faculty to stop the use of the r-word.
“The word is insulting and worst of all hurtful,” said freshman Sara Jolsen.
In March Nancy Calloway, head of the EC department, organized and coordinated a school wide viewing of the inspirational YouTube video. Watching the video of the student reciting his essay and the photos of East’s EC students really hit home for most students.
“It was meaningful,” said senior Heather Dillard. “It made me rethink a lot of things, including the way my friends and I joke around with the word.”
EC students then took on a project to raise money for the Special Olympics. They rallied together with other student volunteers at lunch to collect donations. Overall, about $392 was raised in efforts to pay for athlete admission to compete and train.
“The kids really do enjoy it, and you can tell by how much they get involved,” said Calloway.
In the future, the staff and students of the EC department are looking forward to holding more fundraisers and further the efforts to end the use of the R-word.
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