Hello. My name is Ivy Kennedy. I live in ***. I have lived in *** all my life. Although I've been told numerous times that I look like I'm in my 20's I graduated High School in 1997. (that was supposed to be a joke) I went to K thru 12 grade with my non disabled peers. So I feel I'm a living testimony for how positive inclusion can be in school. I would also like to say after a graduated I felt like I was basically forgotten about. I was lumped in with all the other disabled kids at a vocational school were there there was no hope of earning a regular degree. You need a degree to be able to be taken seriously. If kids with disabilities are included when they're young, they'll stay included all their lives which will ultimately lead to a change in the disability employment rate.
The biggest barrier facing people with disabilities is not something you can touch. Can you guess what it is? It's people's attitude towards disability. I hope we can all agree that kids are more open minded than adults. I feel that you can't necessarily teach someone how to feel towards one another, but by teaching about the history of a group, it will lead to compassion and understanding. Virginia has a resolution designating the month of October as disability history and awareness month. Now this was made in 2009... I don't know what or if any other schools are doing anything to promote this, but I tried to get the **** School Board interested a few years ago. There is curriculum publish online for teaching disability history and awareness. Teaching this important subject is the first step to breaking stereotypes about people with disabilities.
Lastly, I'd like to share with you about something I'm sure you've heard about before. It has to do with Virginia's budget and institutions for people with disabilities. It's a fact that is cheaper to care for someone in their home. It is a fact 13 states across the country have closed their institutions for people with disabilities. It is a fact that the Olmstead Decision by the Supreme Court declared people with disabilities have the right to live in their community.
On a personal note, it makes me angry that my personal aides pay is being shared with the institutions. If there were no institutions, my aides could be paid more. That would result in me having more freedom and being able to get a job (pause) AND giving back to Virginia's economy.... because better pay would mean less turn over and better quality aides.
Thank you for listening.
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