For 39 years I learned from the students with Autism I was teaching.
and the most important lesson I learned…by far
was how the true greatness of a person can be judged
by how they treat those they see as different…who to them seem a little bizarre.
When we would leave the safety of our classroom and venture into the community
many times we were faced with anger…with prejudice and bigotry.
With an anger fueled by fear strangers would walk up to me and say,
“Those people don’t belong in here..please…take them away.”
But the more I faced such animosity…the more I felt compelled
not only to teach my students about the world…
but to teach the world about my students as well.
I knew education was important to both worlds…for it is no mystery
how ignorance leads to fear…fear to prejudice…and prejudice to bigotry.
I knew understanding who a person is…the reasons for what they say and do…
is the key…initially to tolerance…and eventually acceptance too.
I knew by bringing two worlds together…when the educating is done…
we reach a point where we realize…we are not two worlds…but one.
And with a little understanding and compassion one world is where we co-exist…
where no one should ever be disparaged…belittled…or dismissed.
Our world is made up of people who are different from us…differences we cannot hide…but when we take the time to learn about each other…to look beyond our differences…we can see the human beings inside.
Allowing my students to experience my world…was my goal…my desire…my aim
and I discovered the more people who learned about my students…
the more accepting they became.
Perhaps that is something to remember……
as our country continues highlighting all our differences…
as we continue to argue..to fight…to spar…
How the true greatness of a nation can be judged
by how it treats those who they see as different…
who to them seem a little bizarre.
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