Ashe County Schools began to “Spread the Word to End the Word” in 2009, as a way to bring light to the county’s exceptional children and encourage people worldwide to stop using the word “retard(ed).”
“We wanted to raise awareness, but it was more than that,” said Kassee Roberts, a teacher at Ashe County High School. “We wanted to shed light on the fact that (exceptional children) are just the same as all of us.”
Roberts said this is the first year Ashe County High School took part in the campaign. Initially, the plan was to promote the event solely at the high school, but as word quickly spread, the rest of the schools in the county, as well as local businesses got involved.
“It brings tears to my eyes,” she said. “We had planned to start (the campaign) small, but it has turned into so much more.”
According to the R-word campaign, organized by the Special Olympics and Best Buddies programs, the “campaign asks people to pledge to stop saying the ‘R-word’ as a starting point toward creating more accepting attitudes and communities for all people.
