The University of Tennessee’s College of Education, Health and Human Sciences students from Special Education, the Future Postsecondary Education Program, Student Council for Exceptional Children, students from Halls Middle and Halls High Schools, along with members of the Best Buddies chapter at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville organized and participated in the Spread the Word to End the Word national campaign Wednesday, March 6. The campaign is an opportunity to encourage people to pledge to stop using the “R” word, retard(ed). It is dehumanizing and hurtful to people with special needs and exclusive. The campaign encourages and brings awareness to the use of the new “R” word, Respect.
Students were asked to take the pledge and sign the banner, part of the national campaign, to spread the word and to commit to advocating for those who cannot speak for themselves. You were also able to sign the pledge online.
Enjoy this story featured on Wate.Com On Your Side about the event which features Joan Grim and Mari Beth Coleman, both faculty members in the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education’s Special Education program.