Karen Is Changed

Too Not many people can say they helped to change a law. Karen Westcott can. Did this change her? Karen thinks it did. "It's made me stronger," she says. "I know how to fight for myself... I'm more aware of things now than I was say about ten years ago. I know what legal rights are.. .and I'm not afraid to speak out if I see something that's wrong."

Karen speaks out about smaller things too. "If there's a child's toy that's too dangerous," she says, "now I'll make people aware of it, and the reason why. If I see a certain item I'll speak out, I'll go to Consumer Affairs... I'm not afraid to say, well, there's something wrong."

Karen has had some short-term jobs, but is still on social assistance. She is active in the St. John's Maple Leafs booster club. She sells lottery tickets in malls to add some extra money to her income. Karen keeps on working for a better future. She recently finished her GED (General Educational Development). This is the same as a high school diploma. It wasn't easy for Karen to do her GED because of her learning disability. She was allowed to speak rather than write some of the exams, and she was given extra time to write others. She finished with a score of 45.6%- just enough to pass.

Now Karen wants to get into an Early Childhood Education program, to become a daycare worker. "Anything to do with children, or special needs kids," she says. "[I understand them,] where I went through [it] myself." People at the community colleges and private colleges have told her she would not be able to handle the program because of her learning disability. There is nothing in the Charter of Rights to protect people with learning disabilities from being discriminated against.

Karen is part of the Learning Disabilities Association of Newfoundland. This group tries to gain recognition for people with learning disabilities. "There's a number of people who want to take a course," Karen says, "but they have trouble with writing.. .they've been turned down, they say, 'no, you can't do it.'" Maybe this will lead Karen to try to change a law again. She isn't sure yet.

Now, Karen is taking an evening course on basic computer skills at Cabot College. Social Services pays for this course. Karen wants to find a way to get off social assistance. Most of all, she wants to get into an Early Childhood Education course. "Eventually," she says, "I'll get in. I'll fight tooth and nail, but I'm getting in."