Equality, not privileges

I’d watched a Hindi film in which a child with crutches stands in line with able kids to participate in a race. Before the starting whistle blows off, a teacher snatches away his crutches, snapping that they aren’t allowed. Is this film Kunwara Baap? Please let me know, and help me identify the movie.

In our society, mainstream schooling is sadly aimed at students who score high marks, and have great memorizing skills. Every class has diversity not just in colour, culture, economic/ social background; but also in talents, and learning abilities.

However, we don’t acknowledge, accept, and celebrate the differences in academic and educational interests, learning styles and speed. Nevertheless, we go on saying that there must be ‘unity in diversity’ in India.

Coming back to the film discussed, the boy with a mobility issue, had every right to participate with crutches. Denying him that, was a clear violation of the child’s and disability rights.

When I tell people that separate text books and stationery need to be available for kids with disabilities, some argue, “But that’s against equality, they cannot get special privileges.” They aren’t being spoon fed or spoiled by efforts aiming to make learning as easy for them as their able classmates.

I am not saying that a child without memory problems must be forced to read a book with many pictures and highlights. These books make it easier for those with difficulty in retaining information to remember better. Those who prefer more print, may opt for a conventional textbook. The truth however is that more pictures may make remembering easier for most, but we may avoid these books as it’s social conditioning that we are stupid if we like illustrated books when older.

Teaching kids with disabilities in the resource room, giving them extra time to complete assignments, and special educators and regular teachers using teaching methods which suit them better in both joint and exclusive classes for them promotes equality, instead of defying it.

#teaching, #disability, #equality, #books, #stationery, #education, #love, #support, #inclusion, #specialneeds, #classroom, #empathy, #support, #ableism

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/wheelchair-disabled-disability-5824015/: Picture Courtesy: Image by Hatice EROL from Pixabay