2021 Inclusion Summit: Understanding and Ending Ableism

For NYCDOE students, staff, parents, and partners with and without disabilities

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Taking place during National Inclusive Schools Week

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December 10, 2021

Welcome

Christina Foti, Deputy Chief Academic Officer, Division of Specialized Instruction and Student Support, NYC Department of Education

Welcome

Linda Chen, Chief Academic Officer, NYC Department of Education

It’s National Inclusive Schools Week!

This year presents us with the unique opportunity to rebuild our inclusive school communities. As we come together again after separation and hardship, we can bring a new and inclusive mindset and vision. We can construct stronger, more inclusive school communities.

Schools across the country have been reflecting, working, and celebrating this week under the theme, “Rebuilding Our Inclusive Community Together.”

This week in NYC...

Schools have been participating in lessons and activities that focus on current disability and inclusion topics.

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17x/SBAAM: Student

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Today’s Event

Today we will explore the concept of ableism: what it is, what it looks like, what it feels like, and how we can end it.

We will be hearing from guest speaker, former NYC student, Peter Trojic.

Even though today’s event is virtual, we encourage reflections and connections via the chat.

We hope that schools walk away with an understanding of ableism and a commitment to end it.

Let’s Rewrite the Rules

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• This is a space where you are welcome to be brave.
• That means sharing your real thoughts and feelings when you are comfortable.
• Sometimes brave means speaking up and sometimes brave means being quiet. Please do what’s right for you.
• If you choose to share in the chat, aim to be respectful with your language.
• Assume good intentions from all who share at today’s event.
• Try to deeply listen to all who choose to share.
• Understand that we are all unique and have had different experiences.

Ableism

Ableism is the discrimination against people with disabilities.

Ableism assumes that a person with a disability is not equal to others because of their disability.

Ableism can take the form of an idea that someone has about a person with a disability, a statement directed at a person with a disability, or lack of access to places or opportunities because of someone’s disability.

Ableism exists in our world but there are things we can do to end it.

Check out this video with Haben Girma!

Examples of Ableism

One student begins pushing another student who uses a manual wheelchair down the hall to their classroom without asking them if they would like help.

Moving someone without their consent undermines their bodily autonomy. Even if someone appears to be having a difficult time, if they say they don’t need assistance, the student should not undermine their authority by assisting them anyway.

An older woman asks a young woman to move from a bus seat that’s reserved for people with disabilities.

Assuming that all disabilities are visible is ableist behavior. There are many people who have disabilities who do not use assistive devices. Asking someone to give up an accommodation or coercing them to explain their disability is unacceptable. The younger woman could have a disability that is not visible, and operating under the assumption that disabilities must be visible perpetuates a harmful stereotype.

A student repeatedly refers to their teacher as their ‘blind teacher.’

Using language that reduces a person primarily to their disability is ableist. Instead, the man could say, ‘my teacher who is blind’ when the teacher’s disability is relevant. This is an example of using people-first language that features the person being spoken about first and their disability second.

A teacher speaks to a parent’s interpreter instead of to the parent.

When speaking to someone who uses an interpreter, it’s important to face and address the person with whom your communicating. Speaking directly to the parent would show the parent respect and acknowledge their presence. The interpreter is functioning as an aid, so the parent should feel like the active participant in the conversation.

Adapted from https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/ableism

More Examples

A panel is being hosted on a stage that is not accessible to all people.

When a person is invited to speak somewhere, they should be able to easily get to where they need to be. If a venue does not have an easy way for invited guests to be on stage, the guest is being treated as a problem instead of the venue. By expecting that all people invited to present can easily climb stairs, the organization hosting is exhibiting ableist behavior.

A group of friends go out to eat, and someone in the group mocks the waiter’s stutter.

Making fun of a person’s disability perpetuates an idea that one way of moving through the world is ‘correct’ and another is not. By mocking a speech impediment, the perpetrator is furthering the idea something is wrong.

A school building does not have a working elevator.

Having only stairs limits the amount of people who can access certain floors. If a person who uses an assistive device such as a walker or wheelchair is unable to reach all levels of the building, then that is an example of ableism.

Adapted from https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/ableism

We asked some students:

What does ableism mean to you?

[When a person acts] as though people without disabilities were better than people with disabilities.

Everyone has things that are hard for them. We all have strengths and weaknesses. People with disabilities may have something specific that can’t be changed but doesn’t need to be fixed. We could focus on fixing our ideas about what’s normal and change the way that we talk and live to make it accessible.

Ableism is a kid or grown up getting teased because they have a disability.

We need to let all people be proud of who they are. There’s nothing NOT to be proud of.

Collected from Inclusion Advisory Committee members from The Children’s School (PS372K)

Reflection and Share

Have you observed or experienced ableism? How did it make you feel?

Take a moment to reflect. If you want, you can share in the chat.

If you’re with your class, feel free to discuss in small or large groups.

Ending Ableism

• Don’t make assumptions about people with disabilities.
• Educate yourself on disability history and culture.
• Listen to and defer to disabled voices.
• Take space/make space for stories from people with disabilities.
• Educate yourself on issues faced by the disability community.
• Stop using language that the disability community has deemed ableist (i.e. “the R word”, “wheelchair bound”, “special needs”).
• Recognize that people with disabilities belong in all areas of society (all classes, all activities, all communities, all jobs). Disability is a part of diversity.
• Become aware of barriers to access and equity (both physical and attitude). Work to fix them.

Let’s hear from Peter Trojic!

Peter is a disabled dancer, actor, and accessibility consultant.

He will share his personal stories and lessons learned with disability, inclusion, and ableism.

Feel free to submit any comments or questions in the chat as Peter talks.

Social Media @ptrojic

@fullradiusdance

@heidilatskydance

@general_Mischeif_Dance

Medical Model vs. Social Model

What if it was flipped?

What does disability mean to me?

• I know I have a disability. Does that mean I’m unable to live a full life? NO!
• When I’m unable to do something in the world it’s usually due to lack of accommodation and/or understanding. Understanding is why inclusion matters.
• Can or should I be “fixed”? NO! I don’t want or need to be “fixed.” My disability is one part of who I am.
• Put simply, accommodations are the tools needed to succeed.

Disabled is not a bad word. SAY IT!

The word disabled is not a bad word! In fact, it is empowering to acknowledge it.

Success and Failure: AKA Growing Up!

• Independence looks different for everyone.
• Providing students with appropriate accommodations gives them the freedom to explore.
• Take and give the opportunity to discover independence and allow it to happen naturally.
• The paraprofessionals, teachers, and staff who helped me thrive were the ones who took a step back and advocated for me only when I needed it.
• Even though I was a kid, they thought of my independence and skills for the future as an adult.
• Encouraging us to find our independence helps us know who we are and how and when to ask for help. That’s advocacy.
• School is a microcosm of the world; test the waters, succeed and fail there.

Family

• No one is ready for their own disability, whether it happens at birth, an early age, or later in life
• So how can we expect parents and/or caregivers to be ready for something that happens abruptly usually with no warning?
• Giving a family the tools and resources to raise a child with a disability is vital to be child’s success.
• Having family understand disability in a productive way versus “proper” way. In other words, the way things are supposed to be.

Community

• It’s important to have bonds with disabled and non-disabled peers.
• This helped me to form a narrative around myself and my disability, discovering who I am.
• We are not only our disability; there are many identities that contribute to who we are, and when we’re kids we begin to figure that out.
• Having successes and failures within a community are important for self-discovery and connection. Don’t be afraid to mess up!

Fitness and Fun

• Kids want to have fun. In fact, who doesn’t?!
• Fitness changed my life. It was something I came to appreciate later in life.
• Health, as a kid, was not usually fun. It meant repetitive exercise, doctor visits, being separated from my classmates, etc. Health is important but it made me miss out on other things.
• Through fitness that is fun, we can begin to understand our bodies differently. This is just as important when you’re in 4th grade as it is when you’re 34!

The Future

• Think about how the lessons we learned this week, can be applied tomorrow, next month, next year
• How can you remove ableism in your everyday life
• Ie. how can we make our lives more accessible

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Dance Video

Excerpt Broken/Open (2019) | Marked Dance Project

Dancers Peter Trojic, Louisa Mann, Choreography Mark Travis Rivera

Advocacy and “Allyship”

Representation

• How do we develop advocacy skills?
• Include students in decision making and goal setting
• Be part of your own IEP meeting
• Do you have to be disabled to be an advocate?
• What does it mean to be an ally?
• Understand the access needs of those around you!

• Representation on all levels matter.
• Nothing about us without us!
• Always include people with disabilities.
• Disability impacts all our lives directly or indirectly!

Back to Ending Ableism

• Don’t make assumptions about people with disabilities.
• Educate yourself on disability history and culture.
• Listen to and defer to disabled voices.
• Take space/make space for stories from people with disabilities.
• Educate yourself on issues faced by the disability community.
• Stop using language that the disability community has deemed ableist (i.e. “the R word”, “wheelchair bound”, “special needs”).
• Recognize that people with disabilities belong in all areas of society (all classes, all activities, all communities, all jobs). Disability is a part of diversity.
• Become aware of barriers to access and equity (both physical and attitude). Work to fix them.

Reflection and Share

Go back to your reflection on ableism in your life. Are there examples you didn’t even think of or realize existed? How has your thinking grown or changed?

How can you take a step toward ending the ableism you see or feel?

If you want, you can share in the chat.

If you’re with your class, feel free to discuss in small or large groups.

Call to Action

• Commit to taking steps to ending ableism at your school.
• Find an entry point, be an advocate, find ways to share and apply what you’ve learned today.
• Peter is happy to talk to schools after the event about physically integrated dance, ableism, and other topics or next steps.
• Take a minute to write in the chat what you plan to do next!
• We’ll follow up by email to ask about your work.

More Inclusive Opportunities

• Inclusion Expo in the Spring
• Inclusive Schools Week Activities
• Disability Pride Visual Arts Contest
• Inclusion Talking Circles

Disability Pride Visual Arts Contest

Inclusion Talking Circles with Nava

As a next step to the Summit, students can participate in a talking circle with Nava

This is an opportunity to talk, listen, and explore the concept of ableism further

Closing

Jackie Okin-Barney, Parents for Inclusive Education (PIE)

I pledge to ACCEPT, RESPECT, and INCLUDE people of all abilities, including my peers with disabilities.

Inclusion starts with ME!

Thank you for Celebrating National Inclusive Schools Week and Attending the Inclusive Education Student Summit!

Email us at InclusionSummit@schools.nyc.gov with any feedback or questions.