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- cross-posted to:
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A council has apologised after parents were offered a choice of class photos with or without children with complex needs in them.
Parents at Aboyne Primary complained after being sent a link from a photography company offering them alternative pictures.
People are not cars, and most of the time “fix” is problematic as people don’t need “fixing” - spaces do. The solution to someone unable to walk is not to fix their legs (which, for most, e.g. amputees, spinal injuries, birth complications is impossible), but to build a ramp instead of a staircase. Unless you happen to have, on hand, a way to “fix” Downs Syndrome, Autism, Dyslexia?
People who can’t use a staircase aren’t “special,” as both you and I and everyone else will inevitably either reach an age where we can’t use a staircase, or will happen to die before that happens - but either way would be been inevitable. Unless you happen to have, on hand, a way to prevent the aging process?
EDIT: also, if we’re getting super pedantic about word definition, if it has to be truly “unique” - ie a set of exactly 1 - then either everyone is unique or no one is, and therefore the usage of the term is equally moot for a different reason
edit: again, are you absolutely sure the objection is because “complex needs” is truly impossible to understand, or actually because changing a learned behavior is sometimes uncomfortable and requires effort?
People are also not cake, plates, or cupcakes like you used in your examples. Nobody stated that people are cars. It’s just an example of using the term “special” in the same form as “special needs.” Nobody said these people need ‘fixing’ either. You’re just trying to make a strawman argument to make yourself appear to be the ‘the most PC person in the room’ and it’s quite absurd.
People who can’t use a staircase have special needs like needing an elevator or escalator.
It doesn’t have to be something unique to the individual, more that it’s unique to the disability.
My objection here is you attempting to ‘one up’ everyone and act morally superior by using some new terminology that nobody asked for, while doing absolutely nothing of substance to help anyone.
I’m not attempting to be the most PC person in the world, its not even about me.
I’m giving a perspective from someone who works in communications and previously worked in education. It doesn’t matter to me whether you like it or not, but it does reflect what is happening in the academic space of disability theory, education theory and PR.
I’m not even really arguing for what I really believe in, im just repeating what is out there and what conversations are happening. You’re not mad at me - you’re mad at communications policy in general.
Just like some people above are mad at the dictionary lol. Anyway, it’s an interesting discussion, I wish it could have been a bit more in depth and a little less about nitpicking semantics of basic words.
Regardless, no hard feelings - have a good evening!