"We can't go out tonight there because..."
"We can't vacation there because ..."
"We can't ... because..."
I promised my daughter I would never use her global delays as a label or a reason not to do something. She was my daughter first. It never dawned on me that I would have to use her label of "disability" for getting something done. When her rights to an individualized education were being manipulated by a whole host of people who didn't know her or fully understand her needs or the needs of others, I was forced to point out the things that made her different from other children. I had to parade her disabilities to get people to understand why we needed to keep her county operated therapy school open.
Today, I can say that at least one of the local politicians responsible for closing the school by interfering and manipulating her rights to a free public education was brought to justice somewhat. This man through his cronies who undermined the media and a tax levy review committee was not re-elected.
He was voted out because he never responded to calls and e-mails about the bogus Maximus statistics or infringement of civil rights. He never addressed the concerns about his connections to the other groups who were also in on the closings. He ignored us and miscalculated the number of people whose live will be permanently altered because of his apathy, greed, and vanity. People that were affected by the outcome of other "rigged" tax levies. He was voted out because he made parents like me beg for something to which she was entitled and parade our child's disability like it was something bad while he laughed behind my back and the backs of other people "like her."
It is because of her disability "label" he will no longer have a job come next year. This was not fair to have this weight on her shoulders. She is only 12 years old. When we allow politicians to cross over into our personal life or the lives of others, how can we think there won't be long term consequences for everyone