This weekend I was at a gathering. I watched one little girl play with another, a girl with Downs Syndrome. I was amazed with the way the first girl, just a year or two older, knew how to guide, include and have fun with the other little girl.
Later, someone remarked about the first girl's sense of care and kindness, and she replied, I have a girl like that in my class. I thought way back to the first days of inclusion, and my experiences long before that when children with significant challenges were schooled in separate settings. I realized that this scene was a leap forward from the past, evidence of a better world.
I'm thankful to all those educators and parents who moved inclusion forward. I know it wasn't easy and challenges still remain, but we're definitely ahead of where we used to be. Thank you!
