ROSE'S LAW PROMOTES RESPECT FOR THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DIFICULTIES

Last Tuesday, October 5th 2010, President Obama signed Rosa's Law, making a simple, but monumental change in the language used to refer to individuals with disabilities. The law, named for Rosa Marcellino an 8-year-old girl with Down Syndrome, will change the phrase "mental retardation" to "intellectual disability" in all federal statutes.

The push began in Maryland, when Rosa's education plan was changed. Instead of being listed as "health impaired" she was listed as "mentally retarded". That didn't sit well with the Marcellino family. Nina Marcellino, Rosa's mother, said, "When I came home and told the kids, they didn't know it was the word people used to describe their sister." Luckily the school agreed to change the wording, but Rosa's siblings were already spurred into action. Rosa's big brother, then 14-year-old Nick, became the heart of the movement to drop "mental retardation" from the state lexicon.

With the help of Maryland state representative Ted Sophocleus and Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, the family was able to speak to Maryland legislators. Nick explained their quest, telling lawmakers, "We're not allowed to use the words at my house, it would be just like saying a curse word."

The boy continued, telling Maryland lawmakers "What you call my sister is how you will treat her. If you believe she's 'retarded' it invites taunting, stigma. It invites bullying and it also invites the slammed doors of being treated with respect and dignity."

Ultimately the phrase was dropped in both health and education coding in Maryland. The Marcellino family had succeeded in changing the code that referred to their beloved little girl as "mentally retarded".

Thankfully the change didn't end at the state level. The Marcellino family was present in Congress on November 17th 2009 when Senator Barbara A. Mikulski introduced Rosa's Law in the U.S. Senate. Senator Mikulski praised Nick's eloquence, telling the Senate, "I want to salute Nick for standing up for his sister, but I think we need to stand up for all because in changing the language, we believe that it will be the start of new attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities. Hopefully, people will associate new words with the very able and valuable people that go to school, work, play soccer or live next door." The vote was unanimous in favor of Rosa's Law, which will come at no cost to taxpayers.

The Marcellino family was present this past Tuesday when President Obama signed Rosa's Law into effect. In a speech on Friday the President addressed the significance of Rosa's Law, as well as the recent 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, calling it "one of the most comprehensive civil rights bills in our history," and reminding Americans of the importance of "guaranteeing equal access, equal opportunity, and equal respect for every American."

President Obama reiterated that the law's purpose; to "amend(s) the language in all federal health, education and labor laws to remove that same phrase (mental retardation) and instead refer to Americans living with an "intellectual disability."

While this may not seem like a victory to some, it is a huge step forward in insuring that our lexicon is respectful of all Americans. As Nick Marcellino, now 15, said "What you call people is how you treat them. If we change the words, maybe it will be the start of a new attitude towards people with disabilities."

All of us like myself who suffer from dislexia will especially welcome the new approach.