Hello. It's a pleasure to be here tonight. My name's Ivy Kennedy. I live here now but grew up in Williamsburg James-City County. I was included in class with my non-disabled peers Kindergarten through 12th grade. I had an assistant write for me and handle my books in class. I graduated with a regular diploma.
I believe if you're included in school, you will stay included throughout life. Inclusion is not impossible. I am proof.
Many of my friends with disabilities have told me they were not challenged in Special Ed. To quote they were given, “Busy work”. The bar of expectation needs to be raised for students with disabilities. All children in public schools deserve a quality education. I believe by including kids with disabilities it will benefit all kids.
Schools are mirrors of our community. By not including students with disabilities you are saying it's ok to segregate. This has to end. We as a society can do better.
The disability employment rate is horrible and will remain horrible until students with disabilities are included with their peers in school.
I had lots friends in school. I'm sure that I would not have had as nearly as many of them if I had been kept in a Special Ed classroom. Friends are the most important in life if you ask me and by keeping children in Special Ed you are depriving them of that gift. Young kids are so opened minded. If you start inclusion young bonds will develop. These bonds will protect kids from bullying and build a strong community.
I realize every child is different. I believe we have the brain power to be creative so every child can be included in the classroom. In the inclusion process adults will be challenged to give their best and that effort will positively benefit every child in the school.
People with disabilities have been around since the beginning of man. It's way pass time to stop segregating them. …..and it starts with our children.
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on 6/21/11 I went back to the school board.
I spoke at the last meeting on my experience with inclusion. I'll read a condensed version of what a few of my peers had to say about sharing the classroom with me. I have left their comments in their entirety with the clerk.
Joseph - If it wasn't for "Inclusion", I would not have had the chance to meet and work with such a wonderful person. Ivy was not the only person that had a disability or mental challenge that I attended classes with. It is amazing how well she got along with her fellow students, what she had learned and with her disability.
Joshua - I know having you in my life has affected the way I've treated disabled folks up to this point in life, and will for the rest of my life.
Danita - You showed and continue to show me a life full of friends, activities, education! Now as a parent of a child with a disability I look at (Ivy) as an example of how full my own disabled daughter's life can be.
Katie - Having you in class was beneficial to me, in that I did not look at you as being different from my other peers, which in turn, helped to mold my opinion of disabled people that I would meet later in life. You were part of the class, while you might have had different learning obstacles than I did, so did a lot of people in class.
Shannon - As I was growing up, I've always let what people say about my differences shadow my confidence. I am so glad that Ivy and I shared a couple of classes, lunch tables and graduated together. She has shown me that no matter what our differences, we can take the opportunities we've had and make them blossom in our own way.
Brandie – Others.... mainly adults viewed her as having a disability but not us! Being friends taught me life skills that not even the best college could have taught me … to have compassion and not turn a blind eye to those with a disability.
Stephanie - Just because people are in a wheelchair or are different doesn't mean they aren't awesome people. In fact most of these folks just as Ivy taught me are way cooler and more awesome than most other folks!
Christopher - No mater how bad of a day I had, seeing Ivy smile and the way she tackled life. Always made my day better.
Bertelle - (because of Ivy) I was inspired me to go into the career field of Rec. Therapy. My favorite part of that job is showing others with disabilities that they can do anything they want if they put their mind to it, just like (Ivy) showed me.
Billy - (Her disability) was no big deal to her...always positive. That positivity transcended through me and the rest of my classmates in ways immeasurable. She essentially provided me with the social gift of equality that I now use on a daily basis as an adult.
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