Reflection on Intellectual Disability

 Today in Foundations 425 we watched “Suffer the Little Children,” and we listened to Dr. Kiesling  in regards to the history of people with Intellectual Disability. 

Suffer the Little Children was a 1965 CNN interview with Marc Reed, and the Pennhurst Asylum. This horrid documentary showed the catastrophic conditions that these individuals were placed with within the institute. This showed the building not meeting architectural requirements, severely understaffed, lack of interactive and educational programs, and cruel treatment that these people went through. In the video, the staff members referred to these individuals as “Mentally retarded.” This video showed the uprising of the institute, the cruel tactics used by the staff, the living conditions, and the downfall of the institute. 

Dr. Kiesling later came into the classroom to discuss the history of intellectual disability. His lecture spanned throughout the country and during remotely close time periods (1866-1997). I never knew that there was a Eugenics Movement during 1920-1965, which took place in America, was the advertisement of breeding out special needs and/or getting rid of special needs individuals entirely. “Out of sight, out of mind” philosophy. 

For me, the most important takeaways of today’s lecture: America attempted to euthanize special needs individuals, propaganda was used to tie people with special needs as criminals, nuisance, a burden, and society wanted to protect themselves instead of engaging with the individuals. Before this class period, I figured that people with special needs were granted their civil rights in the early 1930s, and that they were treated better than individuals of color. Unfortunately, I learned that America is brutal, no matter the US history I was taught. The brutal truth is that America did not want anyone of color, physical or psychological disabilities to be considered as “normal,” and degrade them by devaluing them as a human being.

Truthfully, I am very ashamed of myself for not being as culturally aware of the struggles that the Intellectually Disabled have experienced throughout generations. It is to my understanding that there are laws put in place that allows access to all disabled individuals, education to all disabled individuals, and granting them their right to work and live life. I now know that people with intellectual disabilities prefer to be looked as if I was looking in the mirror. To not accidentally belittle them, and to treat them as their respectful age or profession. I can see the value of learning this concept for this field, because it requires such a vast amount of knowledge and understanding of individuals with different circumstances and backgrounds than oneself. 

I am humbled enough to know that I have been lacking, and I vow to better myself as a person and practitioner moving forward.