For those of you interested.
We had a bit of a discussion about inappropriate names a few weeks ago
http://mencap.org.uk/news.asp?id=13834
This is linked to a wider awareness raising work on hate crime
http://www.mencap.org.uk/case.asp?id=12841
For those of you interested.
We had a bit of a discussion about inappropriate names a few weeks ago
http://mencap.org.uk/news.asp?id=13834
This is linked to a wider awareness raising work on hate crime
http://www.mencap.org.uk/case.asp?id=12841
Thanks. It's one thing to deal with it as an adult on behalf of your own child but when the balance shifts to the protection of that childs sibling as they in turn mature and become more aware themselves completely shifts the balance. However, I'm sure as a result my own children will grow up with a compasion and understanding and a higher level of awareness.
Yes, it is sad - especially on the receiving end
yep, tis a word that's way out of date and current understanding, it is negative and derogatory, a rather anachronistic word is the correct term.
go play on the m 6, now, how does that sound
Cant stand this word. I think kids exercise a higher level of cruelty and viciousness these days and if words like this are common in the media then it is easy for them to justify at school. Its good that attention has been drawn to this.
The Journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step
Thats so sad to hear, kids can be very cruel sometimes, I wonder how schools currently approach this kind of abuse? We can only hope that there are discussions about such language within a wider discussion regarding discrimination and how it impacts on people's lives. I would be mortified if either or my two used such language when they are older. People's attitudes regarding disabilty are astounding sometimes. There is a female Cbeebies presenter at the minute who has a physical disability and apparently loads of parents wrote in complaining that she might scare their children. Unbelievable!
Last edited by freckle; 19-03-2010 at 06:21 PM.
and we run because we like it through the broad bright land
Mental retardation is I understand still commonly used as a diagnosis in North America particularly in determining access to SEN education.
Our discussion last time was around how words like idiot, imbecile and cretin were all medical diagnosis for people with a learning disability that then got used as abuse and in some opinions are now colloquial, though when they are used it is usually as a form as abuse no matter gently its meant.
I suppose what is not acknowledged is the pain the misuse of these words caused to the people labelled by them as they became more common. I think the wider issue is both around what the need is for labelling and how and why the label or diagnostic term is misused, which is an society attitudinal issue and what impact this has.
Mencap did some recent research around bullying of young people with a learning including name calling and this showed 98% of respondents felt they had been bullied because of their perceived impairments by others. In adulthood bullying is still seen as a major issue as can be shown by the recent deaths caused by hate crime, can you imagine what life must have been like if others peoples attitudes and treatment of you caused you to set fire to yourself and your child?
http://www.dontstickit.org.uk/index.html