A SHORT STORY: SPEAKING UP FOR SCHOOL INCLUSION

THERE WERE A GROUP OF GIRLS WHO WERE 17 YEARS OLD.

THEIR NAMES ARE AMY, JULIE, MICHELLE, KAREN, SANDY AND MARILYN.

ALL OF THESE GIRLS HAD DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, BUT THEY ALL HAD SOMETHING IN COMMON; THEY ALL HAD DISABILITIES.

ANOTHER THING THEY ALSO SHARED WAS THAT THEY WERE TIRED OF HAVING PEOPLE PICK ON THEM IN SCHOOL AND IN OTHER PLACES.

ONE DAY AT SCHOOL TWO OF THE GIRLS HAD BEEN SENT TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE, HE TOLD THE GIRLS THAT HE TALKED TO THEIR TEACHER; MISS SCOTT YESTERDAY AFTER CLASS.

THEY LOOKED REALLY SURPRISED AND ASKED IF THEY WERE IN TROUBLE; THE PRINCIPAL SAID NO, HE WANTED TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT GOING TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.

IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE GIRLS BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER SCHOOL FOR A BETTER EDUCATION, HE SAID THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION WOULD HELP THEM A LOT AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE DISRUPTING THE OTHER CHILDREN.

HE ALSO SAID THAT THE OTHER DISTRICT WAS FOR PEOPLE LIKE THEM; THE GIRLS WERE UPSET ABOUT THIS DECISION.

THEY ASKED THAT HE NOT LISTEN TO MISS SCOTT, THAT SHE DID NOT LIKE THEM; NOR DID SHE KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH THEM.

THEY KNEW THAT THEY MIGHT NEED SOME EXTRA HELP, BUT THEY FELT THEY COULD DO IT WITH HELP AND SUPPORT.

THEY LIKED IT AT THIS SCHOOL AND HAD ALL OF THEIR FRIENDS THERE.

THEY ASKED TO BE GIVEN A CHANCE, HE TOLD THE GIRLS IN A STRONG VOICE THAT HE WAS SORRY, BUT THAT THEY MUST BE TRANSFERED AND THAT THEIR PARENTS AGREED.

THE PRINCIPAL SAID TO THE PERSON STANDING NEXT TO HIM THAT THOSE KIDS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION NEEDS TO BE WITH THERE OWN KIND.

KAREN AND JULIE WERE NOT TOO HAPPY WITH THEIR NEW SCHOOL.

AT THE NEW SCHOOL; THEIR TEACHER WAS NICE AND WELCOMED THEM TO THE CLASS.

FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS THEY WERE TRYING TO GET ALONG WITH PEOPLE AND MAKE FRIENDS.

THEY MISSED GOING TO DIFFERENT CLASSES; AS THEY HAD TO STAY IN THE SAME ROOM ALL DAY.

THERE WERE ONLY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CLASS.

THE GIRLS WANTED TO BE TREATED THEIR AGE, BUT WERE TREATED LIKE BABIES.

THEY FELT THEY WERE OLD ENOUGH TO DO THINGS ON THEIR OWN.

THEY WANTED TO BE BACK WITH THEIR FRIENDS, GO TO CLASSES IN DIFFERENT ROOMS AND BE TREATED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A DISABILITY.

WEEKS PASSED AND THE GIRLS WERE STILL NOT HAPPY.

SO THEY DECIDED TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIND SOMEONE TO LISTEN AND SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS TO GO BACK TO THEIR OLD SCHOOL.

THEY TALKED WITH FRIENDS AND TEACHERS WHO LIKED THEM AT THE OTHER SCHOOL.

THEY SET UP A MEETING WITH PEOPLE THEY TRUSTED.

THEY ASKED PEOPLE TO COME TALK WITH THEM AND HEAR WHAT THEY ARE FEELING.

ON A THURSDAY NIGHT THEY ALL MET AT THEIR FRIEND, BECKY'S HOUSE TO TALK.

EVERYONE AGREED THAT THEY NEEDED TO WORK ON THIS PROJECT.

SO THEY WENT BACK AND STARTED TO WORK ON ALL THE THINGS THEY FELT WERE IMPORTANT TO DO.

THE MAIN THING WAS TO SAY HOW THEY WERE FEELING AND WHY THEY WANTED TO COME BACK.

PEOPLE HELPED DO THIS.

THEY CALLED A BIG MEETING WITH EVERYONE AT THE NEW SCHOOL AND THEIR PARENTS.