“Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs.” – Pearl Strachan Hurd
Everything we say, no matter the context, will have an effect on someone. Whether it’s calling someone “Hey” instead of “Mr. Jones” or telling someone “I like your shirt” instead of “you look great” or just the simple words of “thank you“, all of these phrases and many more impact our internal psyche.
In 1975, the term “Special Education” was introduced in all public schools. Special Ed allows students with disabilities to have as close as possible the same experience as non-disabled students. An Individual Educational Plan (IEP) is created to help monitor the progress of the students. Input from parents, teachers and the student goes into this plan. This is a legally binding contract.
The words “Special Education” often have a negative connotation, especially in the Black and Brown communities. Heck, the word “Special” is barely seen on an IEP. Why is that? I truly believe, that after 44 years, we need to change the word “Special” to “Intervention”.
Intervention Education is when a school has to intervene to make sure a student is getting all the right supports and services to be successful in life. Intervene now. Intervene where needed. Intervene to put children in the right direction – not the school-to-prison pipeline (a topic for another post).
This change may not happen today, tomorrow or a year from now. But like the hip hop artist Special Ed said…. “Think About It” because words and labels mean a lot.