Today I was a guest speaker for an undergraduate education class at the University of Utah. I was on a panel with two other women. The topic: Being a parent of a disabled child.

It was not easy for me or my two colleagues to talk about our children's disabilities. We all became emotional as we recounted our children's bouts with their disabilities. But we did it. We did it because we care. We did it because we want these prospective teachers to look at children as humans first and disabled second. I spoke as a person of a child (now grown) who suffers from the symptoms of Tourette's Syndrome, ADHD, Obsessive-Compulsive and Panic (Anxiety) Disorders. The other two panelists spoke as parents of children who have Dysgraphia/Dyslexia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We all spoke of the impact on our children, our families and ourselves as women and mothers.

A recurring theme I heard was that by the time kids hit jr. high and high school, the system stops caring. What is wrong with this picture? Our schools are too big. Our class sizes are too big. There is not enough money in this state to adequately educate our children. Our teachers are taxed. That is what is wrong.

This needs to be repaired.