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This blog has been on a little hiatus while we spent the
summer hosting this awesome fundraiser, traveling around the world spreading
the word of inclusion and generally getting our house in order for what is
going to be a very busy fall and start to 2013. However, a news story like this one demands our attention.
You may have seen this in the news this week. A pilot who
thought that his behavior would be a “flight risk” denied a 16-year old young
man with Down syndrome access to a cross-country flight. This story, as
conflicts usually are, is a little convoluted and confusing. How could a
16-year old boy seated in first class (his parents had paid for an upgrade at
the airport kiosk) be a distraction to the pilot who is behind a sealed metal
door?
There is nothing that went well in this story. My heart
aches for the boy’s mother in the video she took using her cell phone as the
agent tells her they are not allowed to board the flight. She is humiliated and
sobbing and her son is seen in the background sitting quietly playing with his
hat. My blood boils as I read that the Port Authority escorted the family out
of the gate area, as the father was quoted as saying, “like criminals”. The
response from the airline left a lot to be desired and as an advocate for
families like the Vanderhorsts I wish this had been handled differently from
start to finish.
But, instead of lashing out at the airline I would like to
look at this as a learning opportunity. It is surprising that 22 years after
the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act we are still working on how
to ensure that people with disabilities are guaranteed equal access to places
of public accommodation, but that’s the reality. People still don’t seem to
know how to interact respectfully with families who have children with
disabilities and differences in behavior and communication are still not
accepted. This is exactly why Kids Included Together exists, to help
communities learn to include everyone in a way that is respectful and honors
and appreciates the inherent differences in the human race. I truly hope that
the airline will deeply reflect, and then provide its staff some much needed
training on serving all families. We have reached out to the airline to offer
our support and customized training for their staff. This offer stands to any
airline, or any other business that would like to improve their inclusive
practice. Kids will only truly be included in their community, welcomed and
valued as contributing members, when we dispel stereotypes, embrace differences
and are willing to face our own biases.
I think this situation is complicated by the fact that the
family purchased seats in first class, and I believe that had something to do
with why they were denied boarding (and it wasn’t because of the potential to
distract the pilot), but even so if people were able to be more accepting of
differences this situation would have had a better outcome for everyone.
