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

[Barb Prentice]

I had no idea that this was a story circulating for years though, I 
should have suspected it. I was reluctant to send it to Share because 
I wasn't sure how it would be received. I do understand the critique, 
but really appreciate Mary's comments. As I usually find, she has a 
way of evaluating and analyzing that gives me a new perspective. I 
want to assure Cindy that to me she is first and foremost herself, 
and an MS sufferer, second.

Barb


At 05:47 PM 7/5/2008, you wrote:
>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
>
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