Disabilities at Glasgow
February 2, 2021
Disabilities at Glasgow are more common than you’d think. In a poll, 9 out of 126 students said they have a disability, though there are likely many more who didn’t answer. What are the challenges of being disabled? How does quarantine affect those with disabilities?
We asked students how disabilities impact their learning in quarantine. This is how they felt. “[It] sometimes makes me not get social clues as easily as someone without my condition could and sometimes it’s really hard for me to relax cause I get nervous. [In quarantine] it is actually easier on me because there are fewer people,” Riley Crane said, as a student with high functioning autism. Katherine Rivas Gamez, a student with social anxiety said, “[Quarantine] makes it worse. [In class] I get scared to talk with my mic on.”
When asked what the word disability meant to him, Riley Crane said, “I think it is a word that is not offensive; however, I think some people use it in a way that is different from what it truly means, which is that someone has a condition that causes them to have a harder time doing an activity.” This shows how sometimes people misunderstand disabilities, and how that makes people feel.
We asked about strategies that help students with their disability. Caroline Allen said, “I try talking to someone and thinking before I act.” Another student, Katherine Rivas Gamez, said breathing and listening to music helps her cope with her social anxiety. According to Teens Health, deep breathing and a good night’s sleep can help with stress and anxiety. In quarantine, students are more prone to stress, so it is important to stay calm.
The pandemic has had many different impacts on students with disabilities, both good and bad. Some students said that the pandemic made things easier, while other students said the pandemic made it worse. It is important we remember there is a person behind the condition, and make sure that all people can feel welcome at Glasgow.
Ledesi Nkpigi grew up in Arlington VA and wants to be a software engineer. He likes Anime and Basketball. He is a leaper. He is in the 7th Grade. This is Ledesi's second year writing for the Panther Post. He enjoys writing about social justice and gaming.
Riley Crane
May 12, 2021 at 7:42 am
Sorry to say this, but you used the wrong pronoun when referring to myself. I’m actually a male and my preferred pronouns would have been him, or he. But I understand my name is a bi-gender name so no need to worry about that. Sorry for the confusion and thanks for including me in the article.
Maclain Monsky
May 12, 2021 at 10:13 am
I am so sorry about this. Thank you so much for letting us know. I think I have corrected it in the article. Does it look good to you?
Dr. Oladimeji
Feb 2, 2021 at 7:40 am
It might be a good idea to do a follow up interview to find out how and what we do at Glasgow to include students with disabilites at Glasgow. I like that you shared about students with disabilites, but it will also be great to find out about what we do to ensure and inclusive learning environment.