When They Label You

When I was in Centennial I was in a special class. They had me doing things I knew how to do and they still wouldn't let me do anything harder. They gave me a card that said that I was mentally handicapped. I asked them why they gave me that because it makes me so angry. They said they gave it to me because I was a slow learner. They shouldn't classify people because you start to believe that they are right. I also think that the teacher should spend more time with the individual. They always made us raise our hands if we wanted help. Some kids were too shy. So they wouldn't really learn anything.

When I was in grades 5 and 6 they would tell you to sit down and read. I had no idea how to read. I would sit and look at the pictures. I didn't learn to read until I was in grade 8. Funny thing about that is I passed with good grades from grade 5 and up even though I didn't know how to do it. That tells you how good the school system is. I didn't know how to do it and they passed me. They should get people who care about the children so that they will actually teach the children. So the kids today are our next generation. They have to learn. It's part of life. The kids will then be able to get good jobs to support themselves.

When you label people it stops them from getting the jobs they want. It's already sunk into me. I am afraid to try new things because of my label. They have put a big wall between me and the things I have to learn. They had me in Special Ed. When I was five they had already labeled me and they wouldn't let me go because I was too young. They told me that I was retarded from the age of five. When you are a child, you believe adults. Ever since then I have been shy and scared. That was mental abuse. If my child ever goes to school and they say that about my child I will be very upset. Now you can see what kind of mental destruction they have done to me.

- Rosemary Meadus

From Women: Where Have We Been? Where Are We Going? by Women's Group of Action Read. Garlic Press. Used by permission.