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Wisdom From an 8th Grade Inclusion Hero

May 30, 2014 / Cindy Barclay / "Treasure Trove" Blog Roll
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“It makes me really mad 

when people don’t treat everyone with respect.”

Spencer Manning, 8th grade, advocate, hero, friend

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For the past 8 years, our family has been uber blessed providing after school and summer care to Spencer and Amy.  They have become our Framily. (see post on Friends + Family = Framily)

Dazzlers 008dazzlers6

Fast Forward to 2014.

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We’ve traversed the ups and downs and adventures of life.  Now, Bethany and Spencer both attend middle school together.  One morning, Bethany was eating breakfast before school and Spencer sat down to join her.  They began laughing and talking, not realizing a teacher was observing their camaraderie. Later, this teacher pulled Spencer aside and asked how Spencer knew “that girl” and why he had sat down to talk to her.

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Spencer replied, “Oh Bethany?  She’s like family. She’s one of my best friends. She’s really cool.”

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This teacher was amazed.

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He told Spencer he was going to nominate him for a special recognition award for going above and beyond.

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Now, I also think it’s amazing:

an 8th grade boy who isn’t embarrassed to be outright friends with a girl – much less a girl who has down syndrome?  Kudos to you Spencer and thank you for modeling what NORMAL should look like.  You are the poster guy for inclusion in my eyes and you’ll always have my gratefulness and respect for that.

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But it begs the question:

[Tweet “Inclusion should be #normal. Show #respect. Be #kind. Be a #friend. #inclusion”]

 

Spencer went home and told his mom how uncomfortable he felt.

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He said, “Mom, people shouldn’t get an award or special recognition for doing something normal.  Everyone should be treating everybody with respect.”

WOW- just WOW!

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Here’s the wise words of Spencer- from his heart to yours- 

may his heart change the world…..

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“I think everybody should see people as people first.  I hate how some kids at school ignore other kids with a disability.  Or worse, when they laugh behind their back or make fun of them.  It really makes me mad.

I think the school ought to start off every year, explaining why we should treat everyone with respect.  I think it would help if teachers actually explained disabilities.  Most kids don’t know anything about ADHD, down syndrome, cerbral palsey, tourettes, or any other disability.

I have a kid in my class with Tourettes syndrome.  I didn’t understand him at first but I went home and looked Tourettes up on the computer.  Now I understand why he has outbursts and tics- he can’t help it.   I have another kid in my class that is in a wheel chair and involuntarily moans once in a while.  Kids laugh but I wish they would try to understand what its like being in a wheel chair with muscle and neurological problems. Understanding everyone’s challenges is the key to becoming their friend.

 

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[Tweet “Understanding everyone’s #challenges is the first step to becoming friends. #inclusion”]

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It makes me really sad when I see kids with learning disabilities all sitting together at the same table- we should all be sitting together.  It makes me mad when they have to go down to a different hallway to learn apart from everyone else. It seems that even though they’re integrated, they’re still isolated and misunderstood. There’s got to be a better way!  I don’t understand why we can’t all learn to eat, play and learn together.

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I’m going to high school next year and I hope Bethany continues to do o.k. at the Middle School.  She’s made a lot of friends but I wish I could still be there to stand up for her if she needs me.”

spencer and Bethany

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treasurechest1 Surprising Treasure:  Overcoming Love, courage to defend the weak, compassion to reach out to the “least of these”, strength to go against the flow and do what’s right.

Psalm 10:14 – The helpless put their trust in you.

advocate, Bethany, down syndrome, friendship, hero, inclusion, kindness, school, special needs, Spencer, understanding

6 comments on “Wisdom From an 8th Grade Inclusion Hero”

  1. Jeff Barclay says:
    May 30, 2014 at 4:07 pm

    Spencer Manning is an impressive young man! If you know him then you already know what I mean. (Of course, he does have a little sister named Amy… [Amy loves Bethany too and treats her like a sister] and big brothers have little sisters to test and develop character!)

    Spencer loves Jesus. Loves playing baseball too In fact he led his team to an extra inning victory last night too. Solo home run and pitched three shut out innings as the lockdown closer!

    Spencer loves Bethany. It is awesome to know a young man who loves the Lord, but I gotta be honest… anyone who loves Bethany and treats her like a whole person is my lifelong friend!

    Reply
    • Cindy says:
      May 31, 2014 at 10:19 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  2. Edy says:
    May 31, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    I hope Spencer is headed for a career in education! What a terrific synopsis for the opening of a new school year! Perhaps you could tap him to prepare a class for your church, adult education, Sunday school, etc. That could be his trial run, before approaching that public school teacher with Spencer’s recommendation. All of you have been so “schooled” in this area, where the general public is so ignorant. I think the Lord has given you a broader ministry, with a winsome young man as someone even “kids” would hear. I love you all to pieces, I’m so blessed and excited for what the Lord is doing in and through all of you. Oh, and don’t forget YouTube! 🙂 Spencer could go “viral!”

    Reply
    • Cindy says:
      May 31, 2014 at 10:06 pm

      WOW! YouTube! I should have thought of that!!! I keep telling him, God has a calling on his life so he can make a difference. He’s so grounded for a 14 year old! Maybe, he can pave the way at the high school so when Bethany gets there in two more years!

      Reply
  3. Theresa Jones says:
    June 2, 2014 at 2:58 am

    God has great things in store for Spencer!

    Reply
  4. Cindy says:
    June 3, 2014 at 12:46 pm

    Isn’t that the truth Theresa! I keep telling him that!

    Reply

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