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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 21, 2015 12:32 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Patrick J. Harkins |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Co-Sponsorship - Removal of Derogatory Terms from the Public School Code of 1949 |
| In the near future, I intend to reintroduce legislation (House Bill 1346 of 2013-14) to remove derogatory terms from the Public School Code of 1949. Removing these terms will allow children with disabilities to be seen for who they are as a person and not for their disability. This legislation will bring about awareness that it is long overdue. The continued use of such words as crippled, defective, disturbed, handicapped and retarded is unacceptable. The use of such words is demeaning, because it perpetuates the idea that impaired individuals are incapable or stupid. Removing these words from the Public School Code will allow students with disabilities to be seen as children who are competent and capable of contributing to our classrooms and society in so many ways. As lawmakers, it is our duty to remove such derogatory words from the Public School Code as the first step to removing such a persistent stigma regarding the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s children with disabilities. Furthermore, as state representatives, it is our duty to lead by example and work to eliminate these words from our everyday speech. Former Co-Sponsors - HARKINS , HARHAI , LONGIETTI , YOUNGBLOOD , ROZZI, CALTAGIRONE , WHEATLEY , O'BRIEN , HEFFLEY, MUNDY , D. COSTA, COHEN , V. BROWN, SWANGER , FRANKEL , MOLCHANY, QUINN , MURT , MILNE , PARKER and FABRIZIO |
Introduced as HB981