Student Input
I am self conscious about people accepting me as a person, being in a wheelchair. I do not want their pity; I want their understanding and friendship. On the inside, I am just like everyone else, with all the same feelings and desires. I would like to be accepted into society as a normal human being.

Geneva Carr.
We spent time being bored by looking at our cubicles. The teacher wanted us to be quiet as mice in the classroom. I felt angry that they put us in such a little space to walk around in. I always wanted to move to another classroom where there was sunlight.

Greg Grant.
I don't understand why the school system kept passing me instead of helping me. People always think that people like me are stupid and dumb. My sister told me about three to four years ago that I wasn't. I was very surprised.

Valerie Delaney
I was not so smart in Math, so my teacher, Miss McCray, used to hit me on the knuckles. Finally, she got tired of me and put me in grade two with Mrs. Waters.

Bud Gaunt
The teacher would only explain the information once. The teacher wouldn't explain it a second time around. I didn't understand it the first time. He

only thought about the persons who caught it the first time in English class. In reading, he never stopped to ask if anyone understood what we were reading about.

Greg Grant.
A doctor took me into his office and told me, "You will never be able to drive; I do not want to see you on the road". I was very upset and so was my mom. We talked to a driving instructor and he believed I could drive. So we went ahead with lessons. About two weeks later I got my licence, and I only got one wrong on my test.

Bruce DeBruyn
I would always think about going on field trips to places to see the arts, films, music, plays and many more other things that we never, ever went to see.

Background Information

The people in this story are talking about their experiences in school and in the community dealing with prejudice about their disabilities. Have you ever felt prejudice? What happened? What did you do about it?

Questions

1. What does self conscious mean?

2. What did Geneva spend time doing?

3. Why do you think she was angry?

4. Why do you think there was no sunlight in her classroom?

5. What did the school system keep doing to Greg?

6. Why would Valerie's teacher hit her on the knuckles?

7. What is another word for explain?

8. Who did Greg go to for driving lessons?

9. What is a licence?

10. What would Bruce always think about?