In observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, FBLA and Business Classes at Bleckley County High School (BCHS) invited Dr. Cindy Felkins, Student Services Coordinator at BCHS, to discuss with our students what it means to be disabled, what this may or may not look like, whether we can actually see all disabilities, how we should interact. The focus of the discussion was ART, Awareness, Respect, and Tolerance. What is our role as citizens in addressing ART?
Students were given pencils and silicone bracelets with the motto Be Brave. This statement is for everyone. Those with disabilities need to be brave in life as they face new undertakings. Peers and citizens in general need to be brave in standing up for those who need it, being respectful to those who are determined to accomplish things on their own, and in being tolerant of the differences that are exhibited in each of us. Everyone needs to feel a sense of acceptance and a sense of belonging. We have to be a part of creating that atmosphere. Be compassionate. Be understanding. We should build up our peers, not tear them down.
Many of us have learned from generations before about The Golden Rule…treat others as you would like to be treated. We have to embrace this adage of old on a daily basis in all that we do. In working and communicating with those with disabilities, it is important to focus on the person, not the disability. As a follow-up activity, some of our students provided the following insights after the discussion: Don’t judge people on what disabilities they have. Americans with disabilities may be different from us, but they still do many things we can do on a daily basis. People with disabilities are just like us and are able to do almost anything we can. Today we learned that some people with disabilities cannot be recognized as easily as others with hidden disabilities. We learned that people with disabilities are humans too and are capable of doing anything that they set their minds to. People with disabilities should be treated no differently than anyone else because we are all equal. I learned that just because someone has a disability doesn’t mean you have to treat them different from other people. People with disabilities should be treated with respect and kindness. Everyone should ask before trying to help a disabled person. If you go out in public and someone with a disability needs help, make sure you ask first and then help if they want it. And, the statement of the day: Never judge someone based on their looks, actions, or disabilities, because your disability does not define your ability.
