MSU students and partners ‘Spread the Word to End the Word’
Jaileen Brodziak and Chelsea Geis, Minot State University students in Leadership in Special Education (SPED 379), are teaming up with Minot's Second Story, the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities, the Student Social Work Organization and the Beta Theta Sorority, to get the Minot community to join in the social movement, Spread the Word to End the Word, Www.r-word.org. Spread the Word to End the Word, advocates the eradication of the use of the “r-word” in everyday language and medical language.
This week (Feb. 29-March 4) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Special Olympics College at Minot State University is also advocating Spread the Word to End the Word. It has a booth on the first floor of Old Main, where individuals can pledge to end the use of the stigmatizing and hurtful word.
President Barack Obama signed Rosa’s Law on Oct. 5, 2010. The legislation requires the federal government to replace the term “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability” in many areas of government.
“This movement promotes awareness of the inappropriateness of the ‘r-word’ and ends its usage because it’s no longer a medical term to describe people with disabilities. Because of Rosa’s Law, the correct term is intellectual disabilities,” Geis said.
The SPED 379 class invites all MSU students, faculty and staff and community members to sign the pledge Wednesday and Thursday (March 2-3) in the second floor hallway of the Student Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We don’t get to choose what word hurt other, but we can choose whether to use those words,” Brodziak said.
For questions, contact Geis at chelsea.geis@my.minotstateu.edu or Brodziak at jaileen.brodziak@my.minotstateu.edu.
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through
rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
| Published: 02/29/16 |
