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Texas yearbook labels some special needs students 'mentally retarded'
A Dallas-area high school was forced to pull back its yearbooks after a section described some students with special needs as “mentally retarded.”
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Officials at the Mesquite Independent School District have apologized to families and students of Mesquite High School, east of Dallas, for a section dedicated to students with disabilities that contained errors and offensive language, district spokeswoman Laura Jobe said.
“It was with the best of intentions and not meant to ridicule or disparage anyone in any way,” Jobe told msnbc.com on Tuesday. “We believe the students didn’t understand the term ‘retarded’ was not acceptable. It was just an error that was overlooked and got printed, unfortunately.”
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Jobe said she did not read the two-page section, but did see a photocopy of one page, which was sent to her office. She said a section read: “some of the disabilities the students in the Special Education Program have are being blind, deaf or non-verbal.”
She added: “Specific disabilities of students were also cited in the yearbook, with some labeled as both blind and deaf, as well as mentally retarded.”
Students on the yearbook staff, a team of mostly seniors and a teacher advisor, also did not have parental permission to publish the photos of the students with special needs, Jobe said.
A special education teacher noticed the errors on Friday after 100 copies of the publication had been distributed to the senior class at Mesquite, Jobe said. Mesquite High School has about 2,800 students.
The school collected all the yearbooks and sent them back to the publisher, Jobe said. She said the section will be taken out and the yearbooks glued back together. Students will get their copies by next week, she said.
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"The principal did call the parents on Friday evening -- the parents of the students who were in that section -- [and] explained to them what had happened," Jobe said. "They were extremely understanding."
High school seniors, such as Alexandra Doverspike and Iman Hijaz, said they believe it was an honest mistake.
"You know everybody wants to be included, not left out," Hijaz told NBCDFW.com. "I think it was nice to make the page."
"I feel like everybody makes mistakes, and it's fixable," Doverspike told NBCDFW.com.
The school district plans to include additional training for staff members who work with yearbook production.
Some parents, like Christie Rawson, whose son is graduating from Mesquite High School on Saturday, are still upset.
“This should have been flagged during proofreading,” Rawson told msnbc.com. “The school made a mistake, and the graduating class shouldn’t have to leave school on this note. People need to have a greater sense of understanding and respect for all people. I want to congratulate the Class of 2012 and for them to move ahead on a positive note.”
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/22/11810461-texas-yearbook-labels-some-special-needs-students-mentally-retarded#c66250533
Follow @msnbc_us
Officials at the Mesquite Independent School District have apologized to families and students of Mesquite High School, east of Dallas, for a section dedicated to students with disabilities that contained errors and offensive language, district spokeswoman Laura Jobe said.
“It was with the best of intentions and not meant to ridicule or disparage anyone in any way,” Jobe told msnbc.com on Tuesday. “We believe the students didn’t understand the term ‘retarded’ was not acceptable. It was just an error that was overlooked and got printed, unfortunately.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Jobe said she did not read the two-page section, but did see a photocopy of one page, which was sent to her office. She said a section read: “some of the disabilities the students in the Special Education Program have are being blind, deaf or non-verbal.”
She added: “Specific disabilities of students were also cited in the yearbook, with some labeled as both blind and deaf, as well as mentally retarded.”
Students on the yearbook staff, a team of mostly seniors and a teacher advisor, also did not have parental permission to publish the photos of the students with special needs, Jobe said.
A special education teacher noticed the errors on Friday after 100 copies of the publication had been distributed to the senior class at Mesquite, Jobe said. Mesquite High School has about 2,800 students.
The school collected all the yearbooks and sent them back to the publisher, Jobe said. She said the section will be taken out and the yearbooks glued back together. Students will get their copies by next week, she said.
Watch the Top Videos on msnbc.com
"The principal did call the parents on Friday evening -- the parents of the students who were in that section -- [and] explained to them what had happened," Jobe said. "They were extremely understanding."
High school seniors, such as Alexandra Doverspike and Iman Hijaz, said they believe it was an honest mistake.
"You know everybody wants to be included, not left out," Hijaz told NBCDFW.com. "I think it was nice to make the page."
"I feel like everybody makes mistakes, and it's fixable," Doverspike told NBCDFW.com.
The school district plans to include additional training for staff members who work with yearbook production.
Some parents, like Christie Rawson, whose son is graduating from Mesquite High School on Saturday, are still upset.
“This should have been flagged during proofreading,” Rawson told msnbc.com. “The school made a mistake, and the graduating class shouldn’t have to leave school on this note. People need to have a greater sense of understanding and respect for all people. I want to congratulate the Class of 2012 and for them to move ahead on a positive note.”
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/22/11810461-texas-yearbook-labels-some-special-needs-students-mentally-retarded#c66250533
I'm with you on this.
Often, special needs kids, or kids with disabilities, are completely left out of the yearbook, save the picture of them in the picture-section.
I think it's awesome that the yearbook staff made an entire section for them, and gave them some time & space in a book that will be with them for the rest of their lives.
An honest mistake was made, and now a concerted effort is being made to correct the error.
To those of you that want to crucify these kids and the staff that overlooked the error, and are asking "what kind of education are these kids receiving?", and want to send the staff to sensitivity-training... it just shows how OVERSENSITIVE you've all become.
The kids and the parents weren't offended, so why are you taking it upon yourself to be offended for them?
Doesn't bother them, so why should it bother you?
The term "bandwagon" comes to mind.
Often, special needs kids, or kids with disabilities, are completely left out of the yearbook, save the picture of them in the picture-section.
I think it's awesome that the yearbook staff made an entire section for them, and gave them some time & space in a book that will be with them for the rest of their lives.
An honest mistake was made, and now a concerted effort is being made to correct the error.
To those of you that want to crucify these kids and the staff that overlooked the error, and are asking "what kind of education are these kids receiving?", and want to send the staff to sensitivity-training... it just shows how OVERSENSITIVE you've all become.
The kids and the parents weren't offended, so why are you taking it upon yourself to be offended for them?
Doesn't bother them, so why should it bother you?
The term "bandwagon" comes to mind.
That lacked a little sensitivity, didn't it?
Oh, and yeah . . . they used an antiquated term. My dear son at the age of 8 can explain to someone about an extra or missing chromosome.
Hm. Well, remember I have a special needs child. And I want to say that I think it was wonderful that the seniors on the yearbook staff were including these kids in the year book.
In reality, kids with disabilities are often pushed out of sight.
There is a boy with downs thatwas in his class last year and is my son's age and my son and this boy have bonded. My son doesn't play with him as this boy doesn't play. My son doesn't eat with him as this boy sits with his aide who helps him eat. But thiis boy's mother has contacted me to tell me that her son has said my son's name and how much that means to her that HE feels he has a friend. These kids are ignored and often nameless.
So, personally, I love those seniors for including these kids the way they did.
In reality, kids with disabilities are often pushed out of sight.
There is a boy with downs thatwas in his class last year and is my son's age and my son and this boy have bonded. My son doesn't play with him as this boy doesn't play. My son doesn't eat with him as this boy sits with his aide who helps him eat. But thiis boy's mother has contacted me to tell me that her son has said my son's name and how much that means to her that HE feels he has a friend. These kids are ignored and often nameless.
So, personally, I love those seniors for including these kids the way they did.
Two things stand out in this article. The first was that the assumption was made that the kids didnt think anything was wrong with using the word retarded? Uh how come? What kind of education are they getting? Secondly, an error in proofreading? Um, is there anyone that gets paid to actually do their job correctly anymore? Expensive error.
I doubt the school I went to is still there but I went to school there in 72 or 73. Mesquite is the Rodeo Capitol of The World. We moved there from Dallas because my mother was concerned about me running the streets of Dallas. My hair was very long and they made me cut it so it could not touch my collar or ears. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy. We didn’t last long in Mesquite and moved to Baton Rouge. Been here every since.
I'm sure no one meant to be cruel. Still, very careless and sounds to me like some need sensitivity training. Ironically, there really is no such thing as mentally retarded. It used to be used as a blanket description to describe a huge range of conditions from Downs Syndrome to Brain Damage and everything in between. Still, as a parent, it would have upset me, I'll admit it. It's not a nice label and it's hurtful.
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