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Ability is NOT the Issue

Kristy Johnson and Fernanda M.

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Note: This piece is written by a teacher, Kristy Johnson, and her student, Fernanda M., who does not want to use her full name.
2. Rehab. is short for rehabilitation. It means to make healthy again. Do you know anyone who has been in rehab.? What are examples of when we might need rehabilitation?
3. Read about the word accommodation in the box below, especially the third definition. What are some examples of accommodations at your school?

Kristy: A Brain Injury Means I Need Accommodations
I was a PE and Health teacher, personal trainer, and athlete, until I was not. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) that I got while teaching in Juvenile Detention changed my life. I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome while in brain rehab.

Prior to my injury, accommodations for people with disabilities was not something I thought about very much. But when I acquired my disability, I became aware of all the obstacles that made it hard for me to participate. The simplest accommodations—no fluorescent lights, being able to work from home, a ramp—can mean the difference between me being able to participate or not.

I will never forget the moment Fernanda, a student of mine, and a wheelchair user, found out that I am disabled. She was talking about how hard her day had been, and how it had taken so long to finish her degree because remote school had not been an option, and there was no accessible transportation for her as a wheelchair user.

I said, “I understand. I am able to teach because this program is remote. If it was not, I would struggle with energy and accessibility issues too.”

“Wait a minute,” Fernanda responded, shocked. “YOU’RE disabled?! But, you’re a teacher!”

I often tell my students that the issue is not their lack of ability, but the need for accessibility. Fernanda’s shock made me realize how important disabled representation in education really is.

As our country moves to get rid of remote education, it closes doors for students like Fernanda, and for teachers like me. One of the simplest accommodations we can make is to continue offering remote work and remote education. Remember: the problem is not a lack of ability, but a lack of accessibility.

Fernanda says she does not like the term disability, because it sounds like a person is not able. I personally do not mind the word disability. I think it indicates that my ability is compromised, and I will need accommodations to be able to do something you might not need the same accommodations to do. I am still ABLE to do a lot, but I respect Fernanda’s passion and emphasis on what we CAN do. Disabled people, with the right tools and resources, ARE able.

Fernanda: I have a Disability, But I am Able
People with disabilities should have the same rights as able-bodied people. I don’t like the term “disabled,” because it sounds like you are not able to do things. There is so much I CAN do, when I have the accommodations to do it!

For example, remote classes made it possible for me to graduate high school. Then I took an interpreter course. I am now working as an interpreter. This would not have been possible without remote classes!

Also, all schools need an elevator that works, and ramps to get in the door, as well as accessible transportation. Grade-school kids can get accessible buses. Adult learners need accessible buses too. This is an equity issue, and every state should take it seriously!

I was diagnosed with HTLV (a viral infection that can affect the spinal cord), and that is why I use a wheelchair. My wheelchair helps me do more, so all I need is the buildings around me to be accessible.

Kristy and Fernanda: Make Space for Us and We Will Thrive
We support access for all. We believe that the issue is NOT ability, but accessibility. Make space for us, and we will thrive! With the right accommodations, we can participate fully! We can go to school and do our jobs. We can have dreams. We can succeed in life. We ARE able. We just need access.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. What is the main point that Kristy and Fernanda agree on?
2. What is one thing they disagree on?
3. Is public transportation accessible in your city or region? Write a letter to your local government officials, commenting on the state of accessible transportation in your area.

Kristy Johnson is a licensed teacher with over a decade of experi-ence and a passion for inclusion and accessibility. She teaches at the LARE Institute in Chelsea, MA. Kristy is an editor for “The Math Practitioner,” and she presented with the Adult Numeracy Network at COABE in 2025. She hopes to serve as Equity Officer for 2025-2026, and continue advocating for access for all in adult education.

Fernanda M. is a recent HISET graduate from the LARE Institute in Chelsea, Massachusetts. She works as an interpreter and a Lyft driver, and she is the mother of two.

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Too Smart for School

Mari Arbach

BEFORE YOU READ:
This story is apocryphal. It has been told many times, but the details are not accurate. Still, it is an interesting story. It teaches a lesson. Do you know any stories (or fables) that may or may not be true but that teach a lesson?

The Teacher Said He Could Not Learn
He was ten years old when he was expelled from school. His teacher said he was stupid and unable to learn. He was always distracted in class. He acted like he didn’t hear what the teacher was saying. One day, the teacher handed him a letter asked him to deliver it to his mother. The letter was sealed.

The Mother Did Not Believe It
The child gave the letter to his mother. The letter said that the boy could not learn. He was expelled. When she read it, she was shocked and angry. However, the mother stayed calm. She did not show her anger. She told her son a white lie. She said, “The teacher says he is sorry, but you are too smart for the school. You need a special school, so I will be your teacher here at home.”

He Became a Famous Inventor
This mother became her son’s teacher. She worked with him until he became a young man who filled the world with amazing inventions. He is the scientist Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light bulb and many other inventions.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. What is this story trying to teach us? What is a white lie?
2. Read the box below and click on the link to find out more about Thomas Edison’s life.

Mari Arbach is an adult education student at Oakton College in Des Plaines, Illinois.

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My Big Gift

Gabriela Reyes

BEFORE YOU READ:
Describe a time you advocated for your child. What did you do?

Something Was Not Right
This story is about my young son and me. He is my third child. When he was born, he needed to stay in the hospital for a couple of days because he would not eat. That was not a good sign. During his first two years, he learned to eat and crawl the same as his sisters. But I noticed he did not speak. That was the first red flag. I knew something was not right with him.

When he started to walk, he fell a lot and that was the second red flag. His development wasn’t right, and it was time to look for help from a specialist. In Ciudad Juarez, where we lived, there were only two pediatric neurologists, and the waiting list was very long.

A Diagnosis
Finally, we got an appointment with a doctor, and the diagnosis was developmental delay. My son needed speech therapy and more tests. We didn’t have insurance for my son, and we needed to pay for all the tests, appointments, and medicine. That was a very hard time for my family. We also needed to find a school for him. Private school was very expensive, so he started going to a regular kindergarten. I didn’t see any progress in my son. I knew that I needed to find help from a different school and teachers.

I prayed to find a better life for him. I asked God, the universe, or anyone for an answer. I needed help to figure out how to move forward. After some time, I found the answer. It was a school called CAM in Mexico City. It is a special school for students with learning disabilities. I met a wonderful teacher. Her name is Maritza.

She taught me strategies and exercises to stimulate all the senses in my son’s body and brain. It was hard work for me because I took him to therapy Monday through Friday, and I continued going to my job every day.

Joy in the Journey
This was the beginning of learning about Special Education. It is wonderful to learn about my son’s condition. When I understand what he needs, then I can do more for him. It has been a beautiful journey for me and my family. I walk with other people that are going through the same thing, and we support each other. It is complicated, but there has been a lot of joy in this journey.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. According to the article, how did Gabriela advocate for her son?
2. Note the vocabulary words in bold italics. If you’re not sure what they mean, use context clues to figure it out. Try using them in your own sentences.
3. Writing practice: Use this graphic organizer (https://tinyurl.com/parentsadvocate) to collect details from the stories on pp. 30-37. Write an essay about how parents advocate for their children.

Gabriela Reyes is a student at Ysleta Community Learning Center in El Paso, Texas. This piece was originally pub- lished in Issue 59 of The Change Agent.

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Invisible Disease
My Daughter, the Type 1 Diabetes Warrior

Blanca Chavez

BEFORE YOU READ:
1. Think about the different ways you can use the word hit. I hit the ball with a baseball bat. I got hit with a large bill. I got hit hard by the flu.
2. What do you think a “Type 1 Diabetes warrior” is? Read the box on p. 35 for more on diabetes.

We Got Hit
In 2020 when the Coronavirus hit the world, another disease hit my daughter.

My daughter Megan was only 11 years old when she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. She almost died that year because her body collapsed with something called diabetic ketoacidosis. She was in intensive care for a week. It was very painful. We didn’t know anything about this disease. We thought it was our fault because we thought “diabetes” was related to a poor diet.

However, Type 1 Diabetes is not related to lifestyle. It is an autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks cells in the pancreas, and then the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. The body needs insulin to process sugar. We needed to learn so much information in a short time. We had to learn how to check the sugar level in her blood and then give her the right amount of insulin. We felt overwhelmed and devastated. I wondered how I didn’t notice that my daughter was sick. But diabetes can be invisible.

Supporting Our Warrior Daughter in School
To navigate this disease, we didn’t just learn about how to manage it with medicine. We also had to learn how to support our daughter in school. We noticed that her teachers didn’t know too much about this disease. Fortunately, our doctor told us she could get a 504 Plan. This is a document that describes the accommodations and modifications a school should provide to a student with disabilities.

We met with teachers and the nurse to create a plan that fits my daughter’s needs. Now they know how to handle any emergency. They know that sugar highs and sugar lows can come in any moment. She needs to go to the nurse to check her sugar, and then she might need a snack or a dose of insulin. If her sugar is too high or too low, she can fall into a diabetic coma and die. She also needs to drink water and go to the bathroom whenever she needs to. This disease is so unreal because in one moment you can see Megan playing around and in the next second, she can die if she doesn’t monitor her sugar levels.

Going to school with an invisible disease makes Megan feel vulnerable. She has to deal with the sugar lows and the highs, she needs more time to complete tasks, and she has to deal with bullies. She told me she feels like she is walking on a tightrope all the time. This struggle has made my daughter Megan into a Type 1 Diabetes warrior. She has overcome all her limitations, and next year she will graduate from high school.

AFTER YOU READ:
1. Look up diabetic ketoacidosis, autoimmune disease, and 504 Plan and learn about them.
2. According to the author, what makes her daughter a warrior?
3. How did the author advocate for her daughter at school?
4. Have you ever had to advocate for your child at school? Describe it.

Blanca Chavez is a student at Ysleta Community Learning Center in El Paso, Texas.

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