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Spread The WordYesterday, March 6, was our annual day of awareness of the hurtful use of the R-word. But you can keep the pledges and stories coming in all year long.Pledge Now
In the NewsLawrence Downes of The New York Times supported our campaign in an op-ed, "A Word Gone Wrong"Read more
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Your Stories

June 13, 2013 | North America: Wisconsin

Spread the Word Club

By Kim Trendel

Spell it Out!

Our Spread the Word to End the Word Club, made up of 7th and 8th graders, creates and shares messages throughout the school year to promote respect and bring awareness to the harm the use of the r-word causes.View Story ▼Our Spread the Word to End the Word Club, made up of 7th and 8th graders, creates and shares messages throughout the school year to promote respect and bring awareness to the harm the use of the r-word causes. We had a pledge-signing drive, sent out "Spread the Word to Spread the Love" Valentine's Day messages, created pledge videos, held a bake sale, hosted a wheelchair basketball games, and, as seen in the photo, spelled out our message for our community and school to see with our word art project. The project was posted on our school and district website and Twitter feed. The logo shown was designed by one of our club members. we used the logo on t-shorts, bulletin boards, and hallway signs and it soon became a common logo in our building. We work hard throughout the year to spread the message that eliminating the use of the r-word is the right and respectful thing to do. We are looking forward to continuing our club and work next year.

About Kim Trendel:I am an 8th grade teacher and co-chair of our school's Spread the Word Club. We began the club two years ago after starting a Buddies program in our middle school.
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June 13, 2013 | North America: West Virginia

I'm in special Ed

By elizabeth mestrovic

I wish my family and my friends were in my shoes. I want them to know how it feels to be in special Ed and get bullied and made fun of.View Story ▼Hi I'm Elizabeth. I'm 18 and I have a heart problem and I'm in special Ed. People bully me almost everyday. I don't like school sometimes. There are bullies in my class. They are mean. People call me ugly dumb weird awkward stupid. I'm the smartest kid in my class. I love my boyfriend and my family. I love God, my friends. I'm a cheerleader. I love dancing, I love music, I love animals, I love little kids, I love to laugh. I smile everyday. Even if I'm sad I smile. My friends use the r word and my sister says the r word a lot also. I wish my family and my friends were in my shoes. I want them to know how it feels to be in special Ed and get bullied and made fun of. I want them to know how it feels when people hate you because you're in special Ed and they don't like you. I was born with Williams syndrome. People laugh at me because I can't help what I was born with. Yes I was delayed when I was born but it doesn't mean that I'm stupid, it just means that I need help.

About elizabeth mestrovic:hi I'm Elizabeth I'm 18 I love cheerleading I love to dance and I love music I'm in 12 th grade I love god family and my friends I love to laugh I love animals I love little kids I love one direction
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June 11, 2013 | North America: Southern California

Our son Brandon

By Laura Pedroza

When our oldest son was born, I was told by a social worker that our son was going to be a vegetable and asked what I thought of that. I stayed silent in disbelief but answered her with him being a blessing and a gift from God.View Story ▼Our oldest son was born with Hydrocephalous, Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, Meningocele,Cordical Vision impairment, Cerebral Palsy, Seizure disorder and Autism...when he was born I was told by a social worker that our son was going to be a vegetable and asked what I thought of that. I stayed silent in disbelief but answered her with him being a blessing and a gift from God and God only gives special kids to special Mom's to love. My son looks normal and real handsome he's real smart for his abilities and is really friendly to anyone he sees. He compliments even the homeless on their nice hats or shoes. He's mine and I adore him because he loves me and my flaws.

About Laura Pedroza:
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June 11, 2013 | North America: Pennsylvania

Just Because I Wore Special Glasses

By Xtopher

I have great difficulties in social settings, and I don't think that people realize that they can take all the joy a person has struggled to earn with a single word.View Story ▼I come from a broken home with an abusive father. As a child, I was left in the basement for days on end and suffered from vitamin deficiencies that left me sensitive to sunlight. I'm grown up & have physically adjusted now, but I had to wear layers of clothing and sunglasses everywhere I went as a teenager, and people called the R-word almost relentlessly. I still have great difficulties in social settings, and I don't think that people realize that they can take all the joy a person has struggled to earn with a single word.

About Xtopher:I am a person struggling with the stigma of severe childhood trauma.
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June 05, 2013 | North America: Canada

English is that way

By Aidan Marcus

As the English language moves on, more and more people are starting to say things that have a poor meaning. It's a bend in the rules.View Story ▼As the English language moves on, more and more people are starting to say things that have a poor meaning. It's a bend in the rules. Eggplants don't have eggs, hamburgers have no ham, hot dogs have no dogs, you drive in a parkway but park in a driveway, ETC. So saying Retard has turned into meaning "Really stupid". The only thing you can say is wrong, is when people actually mimic and say "special needs". Word power has decreased over time. Eventually, kids will start saying stuff that would be not appropriate today. Because the power in the word is gone. It's so misused and over said that you can't really make anything of it. Just like "The N word". Some people that do have disabilities and get called "retard" is just bullying. You can erase the word "Retard" and the only thing you will get is another word. This is more of an anti bullying thing than an actual cause.

About Aidan Marcus:Don't need to put anything here
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We've Pledged!

  • I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the r-word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabil...

    ...

    erica

    new york, Connecticut
    2606 hours ago

  • Poorly thought out? Inelegant? Worthless? What is it you are saying about me when you use that word?

    Karla Handreesen

    Del Sol, Algeria
    2656 hours ago

  • I don't have a kid with ID, but seriously, this tired word has run its course. Use the English language, people. There's no shortage of adjectives.

    Bob Smith

    Denver, Colorado
    2656 hours ago

  • With so many different ways to describe people and to describe things, why use the crutch of a hurtful cliché?

    William Rickett

    Boston, Massachusetts
    2656 hours ago

  • Using the R-word shows a sweeping disregard for the value of all people who have intellectual disabilities. Don't use the word.

    Will Schermerhorn

    Vienna, Virginia
    2656 hours ago

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