By MAELEI CASLER
Sheridan High School Student
For Maelei Casler, being inclusive is not only a personal matter, it’s simply the right thing to do. (Photo provided)
The Sheridan Student Column is brought to readers by Sheridan High School’s 10th grade English class, taught by Abby Williams.
The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘inclusivity’ as the practice of providing resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those having physical or intellectual disabilities or belonging to other minority groups.
I have a strong belief that everyone should learn about inclusivity and integrate it into their everyday lives. Growing up I was raised by a Deaf dad and a hearing mom which makes my brother and me CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults). My brother and I have seen many instances of people excluding our dad from various things because they didn’t know how to communicate with him. Many people have negative ideas of Deaf people and are not willing to be educated.
As I grew up, I learned about more injustices that people with disabilities face and have always wanted to help change them. I will do this by becoming an Elementary Life Skills teacher.
My brother is a senior at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. This college is a predominantly Deaf college with a very small percentage of CODAs and an even smaller percentage of hearing people. Recently, my family and I went to visit him, and every time I go there I am awed at how inclusive this school is. Gallaudet University enrolls people of all genders, races, nationalities, and abilities. There was a “Unity Fest” going on that had tables of various countries that offered foods for people to taste. While I was there, I saw a Deaf-Blind person and multiple people who were wheelchair-bound. All people are welcome at Gallaudet and that makes me happy.
Being more inclusive is one way that I know could help others feel like they fit in more. At Sheridan High School we have a fairly large life skills class (Mr. Moore’s class) which is a big part of our school. Every day I see multiple kids from his class helping our school in many different ways. Some students may be helping in the kitchen during lunch or making their morning rounds to change the office ladies’ calendars. I think just having Mr. Moore’s class at our school is helping students learn to be more inclusive.
One way that you could try to be more inclusive is by using the correct language. If you are talking about someone who has a disability such as Autism, you would say, the boy with Autism, instead of, the Autistic boy. This is called “people-first” language and humanizes those with disabilities.
Some people still use inappropriate language such as the R-word, which is a slur. The Special Olympics website goes more in-depth on why this is a slur if you want to learn more about it.
You can also be more inclusive to LGBTQ+ people by not using the F-slur, which is further explained on the Burnett Foundation website. Another great way you could learn to be more inclusive is to educate yourself on disabilities, cultures, or LGBTQ+ people, immerse yourself in different cultures, or be around people with disabilities.