Texas school confiscates yearbooks, students 'mentally retarded'

[Hum]

MESQUITE, Texas -- Administrators confiscated all of the Mesquite High School yearbooks this week because of language some parents and students called appalling and disgraceful.

"They told the entire class that they have a slight mistake that needs to be fixed," one senior said.

He said many of his fellow seniors were angry because they had to return their yearbooks even before they could finish getting signatures from their friends and teachers.

But by late Friday afternoon it became clear why the school wanted all of the yearbooks back.

"I was shocked. I couldn't believe it," the student said.

The Mesquite Independent School District released a statement saying that the special needs students are a valued and important part of the Mesquite High community. It wanted to honor them by dedicating a section in the yearbook.

According to spokeswoman Laura Jobe, the section in question said, "Some of the disabilities the students in the Special Education Program have are being blind, deaf or non-verbal ? (students' names) are both blind and deaf, as well as mentally retarded."

The district further explained the school did not obtain parental permission for the photographs in the section, which are required by law. So the section must be removed.

"I'm appalled that it happened. I mean, I have a grandson that is a special needs student in elementary school and had it been him I would have sued the school district," said Christie Rawson, a parent.

"That word is hideous and the fact that it could get put in a yearbook and be overlooked by a faculty adviser which is an adult. I can see the kids doing it and missing it but not an adult," said Jana Lazarus, another parent.

Mesquite High's principal does plan to call and apologize to the families of those special needs student affected.

"We earnestly regret the term ?mentally retarded' was included? and offer our apologies to our students and their families," Jobe said.

The district expects to return the yearbooks to students sometime next week. However, many seniors are still upset because their last day on campus is Tuesday.

source

[jnelsoninjax]

Mesquite High's principal does plan to call and apologize to the families of those special needs student affected.

"We earnestly regret the term ?mentally retarded' was included? and offer our apologies to our students and their families," Jobe said.

Translated: We fuc*ed up and will pretend we did not know about it, but some irate parent called us on it, so all we can do is continue with the this charade and offer fake apologizes"

[Anibal P]

Hate this BS, Mental Retardation is the proper medical term for their condition, so NO ONE should be offended if they really are mentally retarded, this reeks of your usual PC overreaction

[The Laughing Man]

I stopped reading after "I'm appalled that it happened. I mean, I have a grandson that is a special needs student in elementary school and had it been him I would have sued the school district," said Christie Rawson, a parent."

Right so you missed you're opportunity to cash in on the lottery is all i got from what that moron said. You didnt care about the context of what was written at all and your words proved it.

Some people make me sick, too many sue happy idiots these days.

[jnelsoninjax]

^ You are so correct! Really what could you sue for, using the proper medical term to describe a person? Can I sue a school if they refer to my child as a child, or as a very bright girl? Those could be considered offensive to other people.

[Tomoko]

While it may still be a proper medical term its a very outdated one; I don't know any doctors who use it anymore. People have used it as a derogatory insult for so long now that it has become offensive. I don't think it was intended to be used in that way in this case but someone should have caught that and said "Hey, you know what? We should probably phrase this differently".

[Nihilus]

Hate this BS, Mental Retardation is the proper medical term for their condition, so NO ONE should be offended if they really are mentally retarded, this reeks of your usual PC overreaction

I agree that the motives for their reaction are pretty dumb, but I'd be annoyed too in their place. If only because having your child's picture in a section of the yearbook labelling them as special needs is pretty much guaranteed to get them picked on by the other kids.

As for using the term "mental retardation", who cares? Every generation or so they try to change the terminology because the current phrase has become offensive, within a few years kids begin using the new buzz word as a derogatory term anyway. Special needs is a prime example, I don't know about America but we call idiots here special needs all the time.

[FloatingFatMan]

I don't even see why it's necessary to have a "special section" for them. Just list them with everyone else and don't mention the disabilities at all...

[remixedcat]

I don't even see why it's necessary to have a "special section" for them. Just list them with everyone else and don't mention the disabilities at all...

This...

also yearbooks are a waste of money anyways... just more crap that lifetouch pushes....

[moloko]

Our yearbook just had the tards in photos like everyone else. Retard is one of my most used words.

Why put them in a special section. What teacher gave the OK for this. A teacher or Principal has final authority in the yearbook club. hmmm. Looks like they made a mistake and got called out on it. What High school student lets their parents look at the year book any way. So many people wrote nasty things in my book.

[Miuku.]

Hate this BS, Mental Retardation is the proper medical term for their condition, so NO ONE should be offended if they really are mentally retarded, this reeks of your usual PC overreaction

No one in my profession (medical) uses the word "retardation" but instead we speak of a person suffering from a developmental disability.

[FATILA]

No one in my profession (medical) uses the word "retardation" but instead we speak of a person suffering from a developmental disability.

You're not from the US, it is a common term there.

[ozgeek]

Hate this BS, Mental Retardation is the proper medical term for their condition, so NO ONE should be offended if they really are mentally retarded, this reeks of your usual PC overreaction

So you describe me as a mental retarded? I have newflash for you. I, and many other disabled people are no different to any other people. It is like saying someone who was born without arms are mentally retarded when infact they are not. It is just unfornate we were born the way we were but in no way does it affect our abilities and activities. So show some respect to those unfornate.

[FATILA]

So you describe me as a mental retarded? I have newflash for you. I, and many other disabled people are no different to any other people. It is like saying someone who was born without arms are mentally retarded when infact they are not. It is just unfornate we were born the way we were but in no way does it affect our abilities and activities. So show some respect to those unfornate.

You would never call someone without arms mentally retarded, their arms would have nothing to do with their mental function. I believe mental retardation is applicable to people with an IQ below 70 for the legal purposes iirc.

[ozgeek]

It's just an example to show that being hearing impaired or blind have the excat same effect as having no arms. Yes many of us had needed assistance but some don't. And basically the special needs unit is designed so that students with special needs can grow up to be independent like they have me. If the unit didn't exist I would still needed help even in my 30s. But thanks to the unit, I am independent - have a job, have a car, lives on his own, do all his things, etc.

So such a special needs unit should be a very important part of any school and thus should be in the yearbook. I was in my yearbook for both normal classes and the special needs unit explaining how the unit has helped me grow up.

[Mom of one]

I've dealt with MISD for 9 years and I have zero doubt its ran by people whom are mentally retarded. From leaving children behind on field trips to forcing children to walk to school in the dark during winter months on roads with no shoulders nor sidewalks to keeping children behind post school hours with no regards to notify the parents these people are a sick joke I wouldnt willingly leave my hamster with any of them. 

[LaP]

On 5/19/2012 at 8:21 PM, Anibal P said:

Hate this BS, Mental Retardation is the proper medical term for their condition, so NO ONE should be offended if they really are mentally retarded, this reeks of your usual PC overreaction

I don't think it's the correct term for someone blind. I could be wrong of course.

[Dick Montage]

On 5/20/2012 at 9:46 AM, FloatingFatMan said:

I don't even see why it's necessary to have a "special section" for them. Just list them with everyone else and don't mention the disabilities at all...

Because that would be equality; while everyone preaches about the virtues of what they perceive as equality, they come from a base of not having a clue what equality actually is!  When presented with true equality, it's apparently unfair!

[Dick Montage]

On 5/20/2012 at 12:14 PM, ozgeek said:

It is like saying someone who was born without arms are mentally retarded when infact they are not.

No, they are physically retarded.

 

It may not be the currently acceptable PC term to be used in conversation, but it IS still very much a medically valid term.

On 5/20/2012 at 12:14 PM, ozgeek said:

So show some respect to those unfornate.

Or don't take offence at something that isn't offensive.

[Dick Montage]

On 5/20/2012 at 12:22 PM, ozgeek said:

I was in my yearbook for both normal classes and the special needs unit explaining how the unit has helped me grow up.

So you got two entries, when most people got one; I see...  Round of applause for equality.

[firey]

Holy crap, bumping a 7 year old thread.  Apparently people haven't changed much in those 7 years.  Still bad to call people retarded (though I do all the time), and people will sue whenever they get the chance.