WOODBURY — Nonnewaug‘s Unified Sports teams engage in a heartfelt campaign to eliminate the use of the word “retarded.” The team members share their vulnerability to this topic to urge students to reflect on how their words can leave a hurtful impact.
As students gather to sign the pledge, they are sharing more than just their names; they are committing a promise that resonates with our community.
“This word is a strong word to use; it’s insulting and it’s hurtful to others,” said school counselor Paul Laedke. “Many students and adults use this word frequently without really thinking about the impact that it may have, and I think having people sign this pledge helps bring awareness to this topic in general because I don’t feel people really understand the impact it leaves on others, and I’m glad these students are bringing attention to it.”
It can be heartbreaking to see how many people have become accustomed to being called such a nasty word. It is a label that undermines people’s worth leaving them not just discouraged, but also longing for respect that they deserve.
“If I am being honest, I have been called this word so many times I have just gotten used to it at this point,” said freshman Jocelyn McDougall. “But when people first started calling me this, I started to feel really bad about myself.”
It is important to feel empathy for those called this hurtful word because it is unkind and diminishes one’s worth. By using such language not only does it belittle individuals but also mocks those who have special needs.
“I genuinely have a lot of empathy for people with special needs or those who have been called this word because I feel this word is very derogatory,” said senior Grace Schmidheini. “This word has a bad connotation and a lot of people who are special needs who are being called this word, or anyone for that matter that has been called this word, is ultimately just unkind, and I feel bad for anyone being called this word because it’s just not right.”
Unified members feel the pledge is so important because it signifies a commitment to show empathy and respect in our community replacing some negative traits in our environment, such as judgment and negativity. It ultimately all goes back to the saying: treat others the way you want to be treated.
“Mr. [Conor] Gereg and I are co-coaches of the Unified Sports and Unified Buddies, and one of the founding principles of unified sports, which is part of Connecticut Special Olympics, is to just be kind to people,” said 15-year coach, faculty member, and program co-advisor John Dominello. “So what these kids are doing is to have people pledge to be kind, and the poster says things like look out for those that are isolated and to give everyone a voice and more. But this pledge is specifically to not say the R-word, and it goes much further than that. It’s also just about being kind to everyone. Everything that Unified Sports is about is what we want our school community to be, which means to inclusive and to treat people the way you want to be treated, and that’s really the premise of this whole thing because we want our school environment to be a really welcoming and comfortable place.”
In the pursuit of unity, those who signed the pledge say it’s crucial to recognize how labeling people who have special needs as “different” or “retarded” can diminish their true value.
“I am part of the Unified group; I do Unified Buddies and Unified basketball,” said junior Bradyn Boisseau. “I have been doing this since my freshman year and I think it’s a way to spread inclusivity throughout the school and make everyone feel welcome; I think the word a lot of times is not really used in the official context and a lot of people just kind of use it as a joke, but they don’t realize that what kind of an impact it could have.”
Programs like the R-Word campaign not only bring light to critical social issues in the community, but these events also play into a larger conversation at Nonnewaug: an investment in school culture.
“I see a lot of wonderful things happen all the time,” said Dominello. “I see people invite other people over to their own tables. I see people help people when they drop something, but there’s times when I see things that aren’t so kind, like if somebody drops something people laugh at them or if someone is by themselves maybe they’re just left there alone. The changes that I’d like to see is I want everyone to treat others the way they want to be treated, and if everyone treated each other the way they wanted to be treated, it would be such a better atmosphere, a better school community, [and] a better culture in our school, bottom line.”
Those who signed the pledge say there is beauty that lies in the unique experiences of individuals with special needs as they navigate a world where they are treated differently or often overlooked, when really these people are extraordinary human beings. They say that recognizing the need for change is an essential step to be taken to ensure that every individual feels valued for who they are so they promote a society that truly embraces and celebrates this diversity.
“I think that getting rid of the use of this word would be a really positive change for our school environment,” said Schmidheini. “I, personally, have not been called that word before, but I know that if I did I probably would feel really bad about myself because I get super self-conscious about little things that people call me. If I was being called that word, I probably wouldn’t feel so great about myself, which is why I feel no one should be called that and I have so much empathy for those who have been called that because it’s unkind.”
