I couldn’t believe the recent news about a teacher – an award winning teacher – intentionally knocking down a 4 year old special needs student, who was innocently standing at the entrance of the classroom taking his time to enter.
The audacity of this teacher to intentionally drive her leg to his back and knock him to the ground. Now, the good thing about security cameras in schools is that they capture most things – and this incident was certainly one that took center attention by the news.
The most interesting thing about this incident is that – the child didn’t get hurt – and the teacher probably thought she could get away with it. That is, if our trusty electronic friend – the camera – didn’t capture the action.
I am really not sure what got into this teacher that day. Maybe she was having a bad day. Maybe she was angry about something that happened to her earlier with another teacher. Maybe she hates her job. Maybe a hidden truth was reaped where she realized she doesn’t value children as much as she thought she did. Who knows!? I am just guessing here.
I am not necessarily concerned about the motive behind the act. I am just concerned that a disrespectful act was committed by one human being to another, no matter how large or small that being is.
Look folks, we live in a world that is extremely diverse. We have all kinds of people on this planet. They will not all be like you and me – being able to comprehend things quickly, have good hand-eye coordination, compute mathematical formulas with ease, or follow procedures correctly.
There will be folks out there that will have challenges. Some will not be able to run as fast as you. Some will not be able to solve mathematical formulas as fast as you. Some will not be able to lose weight as fast as you. Some will not have the level of intelligence as you. Some will not have as much money as you. But guess what? This doesn’t mean that you are better than them.
You may think you are better – but this is false thinking – there will always be someone out there in the world, who will be better than you. There always is. There is no such thing as an Official #1 in the World – and if there is – it is only temporary.
Diversity in the world teaches us to be patient, to appreciate, to respect, to work together, to teach, and to take guidance – to name just a few of the biggies that come to mind of what a heterogeneous world is like.
Special needs students just need some extra attention, guidance, and understanding. More importantly, they need to be given a chance to prove themselves.
No one could have predicted that someone who we label as “Special” was going to come into this world their way – and not our way. This is just how they came. Not everyone is going to be able to afford a car or a nice home. Not everyone can afford a fine dinner meal. Not everyone is going to be able to get a first class education. Not everyone will be able to travel the world. We need to learn to adjust, adapt and accommodate others.
So what is the difference between someone labeled as “Normal” – who has been given the ability to live life as most humans, go through an educational system with some degree of comprehension, have about-average sports skills, be able to compute, and solve problems with some degree of success – and someone who we call a “Special” student – someone with learning challenges, physical challenges, or mental challenges?
Answer: NOTHING. The difference lies in the spectrum of struggle.
Special students are struggling within to define themselves to the outside world, while MANY Normal folks are struggling in the outside world to better define themselves within.
This area of struggle is what makes us all Special. I don’t know many individuals who have renunciated themselves from worldly things, who are not struggling with something. We all struggle – and this is what makes us ALL Special.
So what if someone has a learning disability. Is this a valid reason for them not be a participant in this world?
So what if someone has a challenge engaging with others. Is this a valid reason for them not to be a participant in this world?
So what if someone can’t walk or talk the way that you do. Is this a valid reason for them not to be a participant in this world?
So what if someone looks different than you or I. Is this a valid reason for them not to be a participant in this world?
A Special child is someone looking to be just like you and me, but struggling to be like you and me. They can’t do it on their own. They need our help.
Take this challenge: put yourselves in the shoes of a special person and try find the gap of difference between you and them. It is within this space that you will find some peace. For it is in this space that you will find patience, unconditional love, acceptance, self-less service, and the seed that destroys ego.