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From: Eric.Bohlman@f778.n115.z1.fidonet.org (Eric Bohlman)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Terminology, cont.
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Date: 4 Sep 90 18:27:08 GMT
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[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]

 >  AB> with disabilities.
 >
 >         In 1970 I was selected as the Freshman Teacher
 > of the
 > Year in my school district.  During her introduction, my
 > principal referred to my students as "MR. C's kids."  They
 > were
 > a group of socially and emotionally and learning disabled
 > children.
 >         I smacked them on the back of the head when they
 > needed it.  I made them run laps around the 1/2 mile bus
 > island
 > when they had too much energy.  I made them do homework
 > and
 > called their parents at work when they didn't.
 >         I loved them.  I took them on special field trips.
 >  I
 > treated them like they were worth something.  Today one
 > of them
 > owns a Chevy car and truck dealership and one operates
 > his own
 > commerical painting/wallpapering business.
 >         Some kids even went to the principal and asked
 > to be
 > placed in my class.
 >
 >         Point.  It's not what you say, but how you treat
 > the
 > individuals involved.  You can call them "ding-bat" and
 > still
 > convey love.
 >                                 -=joe=-
 
True, but the terminology people use CAN influence how you treat the 
individuals.  From what you've said, you treated each of your students 
as himself rather than as an instance of a category described by a 
particular label.  When one gets in the habit of putting the label 
first, however, one can also get in the habit of thinking of the person 
as an instance of the label and acting accordingly.
 
There is a balance to be struck; it IS too easy to get hung up on minor 
variations of terminology and insistance on using the "correct" words. 
That doesn't mean that there ARE some cases where terminology can have 
negative effects.  As an example, I can see a clear value in saying 
"Down's Syndrome" rather than "mongolism."  I can't, however, see the 

same value in saying "Down Syndrome" rather than "Down's Syndrome."

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