[Access] Response to "Make it a Shay Day"

[Mary Otten]

This critique says in part:
>rather than accept Shaya for who he was, they pretended he wasn't  
>disabled. 

Nonsense. They knew perfectly well he was severely disabled, and for
once, instead of laughing at him or telling his dad "no way!" they let
him play and let him feel like he was a part of their team and their
game. The story says the boy was severely disabled. Like Cindy, I
doubted the varacity of the story. But I think the interpretation of
the critic is much too narrow. This is a young boy who wants to feel
like he belongs. Having gone to school and been mainstreamed, as they
use to call it, I can tell you that it doesn't feel particularly great
to always be picked last for all the teams when you're in elementary
school. It would feel a whole lot better to be allowed to play and
cheered, even if you weren't the best player than to be snubbed because
you weren't the best. I think the story, in its context, isn't at all a
pity party, and I'm sorry the critic feels it is. We are not talking
about somebody at a work site beig told they did a great job when they
can't do the work. We're talking about a little kid being made to feel
good and a part of something larger. I frankly can't conceive of the
kids where I went to school  doing anything like this. 

Mary