To Russia with NO Love

A few days ago, I read an article in the Chicago Tribune about a young disabled girl, living in Russia. She is a straight A's student in high school, determined to graduate in two years. What makes her story significant, she's never been an actual classroom. All of her studies take place at home.

It's not that she doesn't wish to attend, but Russia has been significantly slow in providing necessary resources and assistance for people with disabilities. The Tribune states, "People with disabilities are literally almost invisible in Russia, isolated in homes, special schools and sheltered workshops. It is rare to see a person in a wheelchair or a blind person or someone with an intellectual disability such as Down syndrome out and about on the streets of a Russian city."

It is unconscionable to think that we are now in the 21st century, yet despite Western civilization becoming more "modernized", the stigma and treatment of people with disabilities is still dragging in the stone age. What hope does this young girl have, once she receives her diploma? There are no job centers or adaptive employment services that cater to the challenged, in Russia.

As a mother of a disabled person, this story makes me take pause and realize how fortunate I was with Jays schooling. Our school district bent over backwards to provide PAs, PT's and accessible transportation throughout his elementary/middle school/high school years.

Sure, there are still some changes that our own country needs to adopt. No place is perfect, but shame on Russia for acting as if being disabled is a life sentence to being shunned and ignored by society. This year's holiday of independence, really brings out the significance of what it truly means to be independent. Especially after reading that story.